Power cords and soundstage

Douglas, I have no evidence. I'm only going from my knowledge of audio set up and recordings and Jylee's description.

Now since you have implied, if not said directly, that the major sonic changes heard by Jylee were actually caused by a PC change, perhaps you would like to describe the mechanics of it all. Your perception of the pre-PC change sound, the post PC sound, and how a different PC brought about the effect. The mechanic's please. Not just a testimonial. BTW, once again, I'm NOT arguing about the efficacy of different PC designs. This is more about what thay can v can not do, and if known, why. So tell us what you know. I'm all ears.

By the way, since you are also well informed about phasing/polarity issues, take a moment to inform us about what their effect might be as heard by a listener in a good triagulated 2 channel set up. Does anything that Jylee said in his before and after description of the sonics NOT remind you of phase/polarity issues. If not, what other than PC's do you think might be responsible for the original sonics as well as the changes.

I'm really curious because I was never totally in touch with Jylee's discription, and could not offer a ready explaination of why he experienced such a change. You seem not to have had any problem with diagnosing the problem and realizing that changing a PC was the solution. Or so it seems.

A properly designed power cord(ie: Teflon dielectric, counter-rotating geometry, etc) will reduce or eliminate intra-conductor interactions that add noise and distortion to audio signals. The right geometry will cancel unwanted magnetic interaction. The same technology is used in many interconnects, but is even more important in a PC, given the much higher currents and stronger fields dealt with there. Most high-end cords will have an EMI/RFI trap built in also. The bottom line is the same as the benefit of a good power conditioner: cleaner, quieter power to your system, which lets you here more of the info on your source material(more apparent detail/better focus/greater ambiance retrieval).

If you want to learn what different power cords can do in detail, see my reviews on Dagogo.com of the various cables I have used. There is plenty of technological information explaining how they operate. In my experience conductor, geometry, and total gauge are the primary influences of what a cable will do.

I appreciate your being candid: "I'm really curious because I was never totally in touch with Jylee's discription, and could not offer a ready explaination [sic] of why he experienced such a change."

Here's an explanation for you regarding total gauge, just one variable in cables which comes into play. Typically a PC with higher total gauge will clean up, tighten up the bass very nicely, so well that it's easily discernible. Solid core conductors are better at this than stranded. Geometry also influences how well this works. I have found that multiple smaller conductors in their own dielectric, yet having large total gauge, yield the cleanest presentation and highest detail (This also was true of the exceptionally flat sheet conductors that Magnan Cable uses).

(Now I'm sure someone somewhere has a funky cable that doesn't operate that way; I'm not interested in debating it with you as well! This is the typical result from increased gauge, only one variable in PCs)

There's only one thing I need to say about phase, and that is when the rig is out of phase the sound is more indistinct, more fuzzy, less refined, a bit expanded and disjointed - the exact opposite of what Jylee explains. He consistently discussed more detail and sharpening of the sound. If we are agreed that PCs do not change phase of a system, then the influence in this case can't be the phase from merely switching two PCs.

I perceive Jylee's description as that of the PC cleaning up the signal so as the bass has less bloat (perceived size), better phantom image (less width) and deeper sound stage. These are all quite possible with PC changes. If the two PCs he changed are not identical then he will not know what the effect of each is. If he had two of each then he'd likely know quickly which he prefers. If a person has a mix of stranded and solid core conductors they will never know what they really have in terms of sound of their cables.

I have argued that two power cords were changed, and stated that they can produce such differences in sound. Now I have provided the link to my writings that people can read about the technology which influences such differences. Possibly the Wire World article will be the most helpful.

09-19-08: Douglas_schroeder
Jylee, you are not crazy at all. You're quite sane.

Thanks. Just what I needed to hear after a few days of watching the roller coaster ride in the stock market. Now I'm going to pour myself a glass of wine put on some music.

Douglas, Perhaps the roots of this correcpondence goes to our differing perception of the description of what I considered a dramatic difference between the sound of his system before he put in the new PC.

His description, to me, suggested that he heard sound sourced to or around the speakers with a weak center image and boomy bass. This description is quite similar to what occures when 2 speakers are wired out of phase - a sound which when heard by novices causes them to think they are hearing a huge soundstage and really don't note that they have lost all specificity until they hear a solo instrument/voice which should appear from the dead center.

When the wiring to each speaaker is connected correctly, what do you get, a strong center image, a sense of specificity, a sense of depth, easy location of instruments in space, the disappearing of the speakers as a direct source and a tighter bass.

Based on that senerio, and I think that is a reasonable interpertation of his comments, I said that PC's could not be responsible for the before and after effects he had experienced.

If I had thought the changes were minor, assuming a degree of hyperbole in his description, I would have bought into changes brought about by inhancing the resolution capabilities of the electronics and thus enhancing speaker performance. I apparently should not have taken him literally.

I've consistently said, and I continue to say, I was never disputing what wire can do, only when and how much.

FYI, most of my PC's are solid core heavy guage (at least 10ga) wire. I've been using them for years and I stopped doing A/B comparisons for years. I've been happy with what they do.

But I don't know why I feel I must say this, but I must. In my experience PC changes do not perform HUGE changes. They can enhance the performance of a well set up good quality system which benefits from what they have to offer. Thats my opinion. Jylee, and all others for that matter, are intitled to investigate these matters for themselves and reach what ever conclusion they wish. Nuf said I think.