Most Beneficial Cable Upgrade

To All:

Let's use the power of Audiogon and conduct our own objective test right here.

I challenge you; try this very simple objective test. Set up an honest blind test with a friend (minimum of 10 repetitions, preferrably 20):

Compare stock power cable provided with the audio equipment VS high end power cable.
With each test write down the type of cable you believe was used and how it changed the sound.
Your helper will need to secretly write down the actual cable used for each test.

How often did you get it right?
I predict we get 50% correct +/- 10%. If I am correct it means we are guessing and influenced by placebo effect. If this is the case, power cable upgrade would be meaningless for the high end audio market (unless you are a retailor or manufacturer).

Matjet,

Based on your position regarding power cable affect on high end audio, it appears from your original post that you are trolling. Why ask the question if you already know the answer?

Good luck with your power cable test. I trust it will be a blind test as you have claimed to be the only valid comparison.

GSSelf

er,,,??? why does the bass sound quality improve with better ac cords? placebo effect? ha lol! i.ll stick with my better ac cords but i am a victim of hype and advertising. wow

You might also want to consider installing dedicated circuits to your system where the ground is isolated. A qualified electrician can do this for you at a fairly reasonable cost. At greater cost you can put in full-on wall system that covers your entire panel, like this one from Equi=tech. Isolating your system's power from the noise generated by devices that share the circuits in the rest of your house could render significant benefits. All of this stuff really will depend on how resolving your system is in the first place, and how much it makes sense to invest in it.

As far as power cords...I agree, try it yourself and see if it works for you. If not you too can join the crusade and pepper the forums with self-righteous pleas to all the victims who are bled dry by the criminals selling cables. If you like the difference they make you can alternatively endure threads like this, some of which aren't far from a discussion on abortion or the existence of god. Or, perhaps you can just enjoy whatever works for you.

Gsself,
I do not know the answer, I have never compared power cables. My goal is two fold:

1) Determine if I can detect the difference between stock cables and expensive high end cables. I have an excellent high end audio system, but have never bothered to upgrade my power cables. I plan to test some high end cables very soon. I doubt I will detect a significant improvement. If I do, I will buy them. I will have the answer to this question soon, and I will report back (as mentioned previously).

2) What is the consensus among high end audio owners who have made the effort to do an objective evaluation of high end power cables through blind testing. I suspect we (high end audio consumers)are being manipulated by cable manufacturers and audiomagazine reviewers. The reviews on this subject are a joke. They are not objective, and I find that annoying. We can easily do our own objective test here on audiogon. As I said, I think the test will prove that the average high end consumer cannot consistently tell one cable from the other in blind listening tests. If enough members participate it will either prove me right or wrong. Either way, I don't care, I just want the answer.