Yup Power Cords


For the last year my system has sounded fine, but something was missing. It was clean, clear, full, spacious, but lacked emotion. Great but sterile sound.
Then on a lark I decided to buy some inexpensive AQ power cords.

Uh huh! ! ! PRAT ! ! !

They transformed the sound and added emotion. I hear things that I never heard before. I didn't believe that power cords could make such a difference. I had been through several speaker cables and interconnects. Start with power cords folks. They have made a huge impact on the sound of my system. I have read the arguments over cable and cords and interconnects, and I can't understand it, but it is the best and cheapest tweak with the largest impact to my system. I am truly stunned by this.

I know many of you do not believe any cables make a difference, but I hear differences in most cables in my system. If fact a cheap silver interconnect is now my favorite, and before I could not stand anything silver in the chain. Go figure!

Let the discussion begin.
zilla
Those that dismiss power cords will say that if the gear has a well designed power supply the cord does not matter.

What I think they forget is... if that well designed power supply is fed inadequate power, it will have to work hard to make the gear perform, no matter how good it is made.

There is also the garbage in theory of course.

A power supply can always be better. There is always a price point in the design. If a better cord makes the power supply's job easier, then the sound should improve.

Why do you think they have "hospital grade"? Do you want a cheap power cord and wall outlet on the respirator keeping you alive?
I thought hosspital grade meant it won't spark wth all those oxygen tanks around etc. As far as a cord cleaning up the power, I have yet to see even a manufacturers explaination how that happens. They usually just talk about the soundstage whatever, and then those who are wisely silent about any explaination other that we know what we are doing with advanced materials.

steve
Rats - You're right about what "Hospital Grade" means. They're far smarter than to believe a power cord has an effect on the equipment.
Not only do I use quality upgrade power cords, but I also have my equipment connected to a line conditioner.
After a power cord upgrade people comment about hearing things they didn't hear before with the stock cord. We're actually just hearing the details we couldn't hear before due to a dirty and inadequate power supply.
We don't hesitate to spend money on upgrading interconnects and speaker cables in an effort to improve the sound. Doesn't it make sense to put some money into upgrading our power supply as well? We have to connect our precious equipment to the power that our local utility sees fit to supply us with. Anyone with a line conditioner that has a meter on it can watch the fluctuations in the incoming power. Stabilizing the power with a conditioner helps our equipment run more efficiently. Connecting our equipment to that stabilized power with upgrade power cords takes it one step further.
I know not everyone agrees that power cords make a difference, but in my opinion if something makes my system run more efficiently and sound better, as a dedicated audio enthusiast it's a no brainer!
Like most everyone else, I have wasted more than my share of money on tweaks that don't work. I've also spent a lot of money on tweaks that do work. Upgrade power cords are one of those items.
Let the discussion continue!
Merry Christmas everybody.