Do powercords make a difference in sound?

hi blazerfan:

i spoke to a cable designer and asked him which cable he thought had greater impact on the sound of a stereo system.

his answer, the intreface between source and preamp.

there are many ics and ac cords, so it is a bit presumptuous to make such a statement which includes the word "undeniable". obviously, it's your ears and your opinion.

however, another philosophical discussion could ensue which has no conclusion.

many of these discussions have as their subject a rhetorical question. in this case there is no definitive answer to the question : "which cable has greater impact on a stereo system ?".

one can discuss the merits of ics ve ac cords, but there is no way to remove reasonable doubt as to which cable is more critical in its effect upon a stereo system.

hi almarg:

there may be cables which produce consistent results from one stereo system to another.

perhaps you haven't found one, but if your hypothesis is as stated, and un proven, i.e., an opinion, all it takes is one exception, i.e., one cable which gives consistent results when placed in different stereo systems.

it is impossible to listen to all cables and so your propositions are based , i assume, upon inductive reasoning.

i have heard cables which have similar effects in different stereo systems.

for example, a cable that has some subtractive colorations in one system, will probably exhibit these colorations in other stereo systems.there are so many variable that it is highly conjectural to propose cable--stereo system relationships as if they are facts or knowledge.

it's more useful to have an open mind and not be bound by constraining propositions.

Hi Mr. T,

Let me make clear that my comments pertained strictly to power cords, not to interconnect cables, speaker cables, or phono cables. In those cases, IMO, it is certainly conceivable, and even expectable, that consistent results (differing in degree, but not in kind) would occur across multiple systems.

Foster_9 & Kijanki, thanks very much for your kind words.

Best regards,
-- Al

i am reviewing some line cords which might be the exception to the your experience. that is its performance in different stereo systems might be very similar.

i will not mention the product until it has appeared in review form on audiophilia.com.

one would expect that as a cable becomes less and less "colored", its performance would become more similar when placed in stereo systems.

Mrtennis,

"one would expect that as a cable becomes less and less "colored", its performance would become more similar when placed in stereo systems."

How does a cable become less and less colored?

Maybe the stock power cord is the least colored since that is the cord the equipment was voiced with and all aftermarket cords are colored since they are adding or subtracting from the original sound.