Power Cords - Just Say Yes

I always heard arguments like "ears can trick us" or "if you anticipate improvement, you will hear improvement" or "its a perception thing, you hear what your subconscious wants ". Not only regarding cables but everything else related to audio. Anybody with common sense would most probably agree with these arguments.

But IMHO, the price is the sole and only detractor in all cable discussions. Most of us just can't get rid of this bias before listening to cables. It's like comparing two cars sharing same performance, styling and everything else but with one costing 5K $ less than the other. People will generally see the most expensive as crap and the cheapest one as a giant killer. Am I saying I can justify or acknowledge very high priced cables are all always the way to go ? Absolutely not ! Do they make a difference in my system ? You bet ! Especially power cords !

If you tell me you can bring me better cabling in my system for less money, I will tell you I'm an open minded guy. Bring them on ! If you can't deliver well.... what else do you want me convinced of ?!

So, I've got my own way of dealing with the matter : I buy very expensive cabling, used, at a fraction of the original price. My mind tells me I hear improvement in my system while my conscience tells me not to worry about it.

Ok. I took the plunge. I just ordered 1, 2m and 4, 1M power cords to replace my stock 2M cords. Nordost Vishnu and Blue Heavens. I'll be getting the QB4 to hook them up to. 1655.00 hope it helps. I've never liked stock cords anyway.

Well said Donjr.
The power cable is the 1st replacement step towards musical bliss!

11-04-12: Jaxwired
Doug and Don,

The problem is that our ears can trick us. Look at the systems on audiogon and it doesn't take long to find systems with every tweak in the book employed.

That's a non sequitur and a gross generalization. That some A-gon systems feature several tweaks in no way proves that "our ears can trick us." Since we're audio enthusiasts for the way things sound and the way the music makes us feel, then whatever "evidence" you have that "our ears can trick us" is irrelevant. You are advocating for an alternate reality--the artificial reality of spec sheets and jury-rigged A/B tests trumpeted at Audioholics vs. the personal realities of what we hear--over time enough to eliminate wishful thinking and imagination--on our own systems in our own houses with our own music.

Nobody wants to be a sucker. I do have an upgraded power cord for my amp, but I spent less than $100 for it so I figured, it can't hurt. But some people spend thousands. I just think everyone should balance common sense with listening assessments.

What are you, the expenditure police? What's next? Are you going to cruise the Hamptons to inform people that they spent too much for their houses, cars, or boats?

For me, if the product fails the common sense test, I don't necessarily rule it out, but I sure as hell limit my spending to the budget arena. And make no mistake, power cords fail the common sense test.

We're not in it for common sense. We're in it for the joy of music and the discovery of ways to connect with reproduced music in our homes. If you want to preach common sense to audiophiles, why not grab a lance and tilt at a few windmills?

Any audiophile that refuses to beleive that his ears can trick him is going to find himself separated from a lot of money with dubious results.

OTOH, maybe the real sucker here is the one who's so quick to believe the pronouncements of Peter Aczel and the minions at Audioholics vs. what he can hear with his own ears. And really, isn't audiophilia all about what you can hear with your own ears, and which combination of components and tweaks does the best job of evoking an emotional response similar to the one we feel when listening to live music?

I would say the first step would be to upgrade what's behind the wall. Like in plumbing, you start with bigger pipes and you go down in size when you reach your fixture. So if you use a bigger gauge power chord and the wire behind the wall is a smaller gauge you won't get the full potential of the power chord.