Power Cord brands mixing. "Your Opinions"

Mrtennis, By "auditioned" you mean used entire sets in your system, right? Not simply heard in another rig elsewhere. Just clarifying, because then the variables truly would be too great to draw any firm conclusions regarding the cables.

So which set(s) sounded closest to your ideal? I assume that you then did your mixing to find just the right "taste"?

If you heard differing sets of cables and compared them to find the closest to your ideal, then "tuned" it with one or two cables, you are essentially following the path I advise, which is to compare entire sets to hone in on the sound one wishes. The thing we would disagree on, then, would be whether a full set from one manufacturer exists which would be your sonic ideal - an unknown. My answer would be, "likely," while yours would be, "likely not."

So, we may not be as far apart in the cable selection process as first thought. I would have far less of an argument with comparison of multiple sets in order to close in on one's ideal sound with a final tweak than to simply use mixed sets all along. I believe there's a huge difference in the two methods.

How did you go about determining your preference among those sets of cables in your system? I have my own method, but I'm curious to hear how you did so.

A number of posts by several people in the recent part of this thread, while being well expressed, seem to be using the word "cables" in a loose manner that leaves me wondering if we are still discussing the original question, which relates specifically to power cords.

The reason I raise that point is that from a technical standpoint I would find it far more plausible that in the case of analog interconnects and speaker cables some PARTIAL degree of correlation may exist between using one brand and the likelihood of optimal results, than in the case of power cords.

Analog interconnects and speaker cables have the job of conducting an analog signal from point A to point B. In so doing, their sonic effects reflect the net result of interactions between their parameters and the impedance and other characteristics of what they are connecting, as well as their own intrinsic effects. While the magnitude and significance of that net result can be expected to vary considerably as a function of what is being connected, it seems plausible that its general character will have a reasonable degree of consistency.

In the case of power cords, on the other hand, the relation between the effects of a given cord on the AC it is conducting and the sound that is heard is, literally and figuratively, vastly more circuitous. I repeat my earlier contention that I see no reasonable plausibility in the expectation that given power cord characteristics will result in effects on the sound that are consistent across components that perform different functions, that have vastly different fluctuations in their power draw, that have vastly different amounts of power draw, that generate different amounts of rfi, that can be presumed to have different rfi sensitivity, that interpose completely different power supply designs between the AC and the signal path, and that may be completely different designs in just about every other respect.

Putting it all another way, a finding that choosing interconnects and speaker cables from the same manufacturer tends to correlate with optimal sonic results IMO would say nothing about the likelihood that the same will hold true in the case of power cords.

Regards,
-- Al

Al...I was specifically referring to power cables in my comments. There is not a doubt in my mind that most brands of power cords have a sonic character...regardless of what piece of gear they are powering. I do understand that if you approach this from a purely analytic perspective vs one of application, that may be hard to fathom but I am certain of this.

I'm sure it is hard to take some idiot's post on a forum (me) as gospel on the matter but if you search through the vast amount of information on this forum and many others like it you will find very consistent description of how some of the more popular cables sound. Just search Nordost Valhalla for example....I would guess many readers of this post could tell you before you get to the results what they will say. Why?

Thanks Richard. In your case I understood that you were referring to power cords, as you were very explicit. But while I certainly don't question your sincerity or your sonic perceptiveness, and I have considerable respect for your breadth of experience, it remains unfathomable to me that your findings would have consistent applicability across different systems.

IMO, FWIW, YMMV, etc.

Best regards,
-- Al

Thanks for the kind words Al. Agree or disagree, always a class gentleman.

Not to beat an already weary horse but if you read through others experience, you will find the same character describing certain brands of cords. So beyond my personal experience, it seems others are hearing the very same things. Many others.

I think you are a guy that needs to understand the "why" of it which is a tough one in this case. I'd bet there are different reasons and it would be challenging to understand them all. The scientific reason Tara cables sound darker and Nordost sound bright and lean may be very different but ask a sample of guys who have a lot of experience with those cables and you'd hear those same words over and over and over...all folks with different systems.