Power Cord brands mixing. "Your Opinions"

whiole empirical experience can build confidence, there is no logical basis or necessary condition which makes one brand of cables throughout a stereo system superior to multiple brands.

how do you prove this ?

remember, the goal is to enjoy the music.

i suspect that there are so many variables that there is no validity to the assertion that one brand is superior to mix and match as far as cables are concerned, when the goal is optimizing the sound of a stereo system to suit your taste.

I have now listened a while to my one cable brand system and yes, it is better IN MY SYSTEM than my mix was. While all cables vary on different components it seems logical to assume that the same brand will vary to a lesser degree than several brands. This is what my system sounds as if it is doing, fewer sharp edges in the sound if you will; more "organic" in character. HIFICRITIC noted the same thing in the current issue; saying that to get the full benefit of cables staying with the same brand is best. THIS IS NOT TO SAY that you may not like the sound of a mix better, just that the same brand route is a little easier to travel. Also not to tout the superiority of Transparent, I noted the same thing when I kept increasing the number of PS cables in my system. If I had gotten an equivalent deal on PS I might have gone that way. Also my speaker cables are Cardas GR and my ICs VDH TFUs, although my digital cable is also Transparent. I would have no objection to going all Transparent save the expense; the speaker cable and ICs are not cheap. I think the mix route makes more sense on different functions than at the same level anyway. Let us not get carried away; you say po-ta -to and I say po-tot-o etc. If it sounds good listen to it.

Mrtennis, briefly the logical basis resides in cables having a sonic character due to construction and materials. If you have never compared sets of cables I don't expect you to agree with that statement.

As you suspect there are too many variables, again the key is the sonic character of cables which is consistent no matter which components they are used with; that addresses the suspected myriad of variables you allude to. Consequently with unified sets the individual can pursue whichever attributes they desire in a set of cables, versus guesswork with a mixed set.

I concur with Doug. I've had mixed cables and two different sets of all the same manufacturer cables. I do admit that this is hardly a very diverse sample of all the cable choices out there. But I have preferred all Signal Cable or all Synergistic cables to a blend. It seemed to me the closer I got to having only one brand of cables the more coherent my system sounded.

i agree that cables are tone controls. they have sonoic characteristics.

however, i have found that when using one brand of cable throughout my system, i have found that by replacing an interconnect, or speaker cable or power cord i have preferred the sound. it is possible that you would have preferred the souind using one brand.

there is no logical reason that mixing cable, with their different sonic signatures could not sound better to a listener than just using one brand.

i guess i am talking about complementary colorations.

i am talking about blending rather than having one color. it may not be possible to find the flavor that one desires with one brand, as it is impossible to audition all cables from all cable companys.