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Power Cords - Just Say Yes

I'm the biggest cable skeptic on the planet. I've never been able to tell the difference between one speaker cable over the other. I've never a/b tested because I just can't handle that sort of thing when all I want to do is listen to music. The power cord however is a whole different beast. I know. I just replaced a 18/3 that was powering my Rogue Cronus Magnum for two years with an Audioquest NRG4. I know some people aren't fans of AQ but that's what my local guy sells and I support him 100%. He sold me a broken in demo which is exactly what I wanted. I didn't do an a/b test and I didn't have to. I pulled the old one out and tossed it in the copper recycling pile and replaced it with the AQ. I fired up my amp this morning and let her warm up. I pulled out Sylvain Luc & Bireli Agrene's 'Duet' and hit the play button on the remote. Right off the bat I had to blink my eyes to make sure I was actually in my house. Everything tightened up with a dead silent background. I feel like a fool for waiting so long to come around on this one. I'm still skeptical of whether or not I will notice a difference when I replace the power cord to my CDP, but if you tell me I'll notice I might believe you. Either way, that's my next investment.
donjr
douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
Success comes to those who do/try, while the rest make excuses.

That's not theory; that's application. :)

amarquis
4 posts
 
I would like to know from a technical point of view why silver wire sounds different from copper. If not, why is silver used so often in audio applications.
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 

11-11-12: Amarquis
I would like to know from a technical point of view why silver wire sounds different from copper. If not, why is silver used so often in audio applications.
For starters, silver is 8% more efficient conductor than copper. That means it's faster and is capable of more extended bandwidth. The extended bandwidth has at least two effects: 1) Rise time of all waves are at least 8% faster. This rise time difference has an effect on everything, especially the leading edges of notes and how quick and fully formed they are. 2) Whereas cupric oxide (oxidation of copper) functions as an insulator, silver oxide (oxidized silver) is at least as efficient a conductor as silver itself. This means that silver wire's conductivity and speed should remain intact as the metal ages and oxidizes. As copper oxidizes it gets worse.
jaxwired
232 posts
 

"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." - Johnnyb53



I don't have to prove that our ears can trick us. Some things don't need to be proven with a study, they are obvious to any clear thinking person. But I will say that ever attempt to prove that audiophiles cannot trust their ears that I've ever read about in the last 30 years has determined that audiophile cannot trust their ears.

As for being an audio enthusiast for the "feeling" as you put it, you seem to be advocating it's ok to spend money on audio products regardless of whether they work as long as it makes you feel good. That's the non sequitur and a laughable argument. It's not ok for one person to cheat another person even if the cheated person is happy and oblivious. And in the vast majority of cases people would object to being cheated if they were convinced the product was not performing.
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
Well, really, what's the point of listening to anything at all if we can't trust our
ears?

Should we instead simply rely on double-blind listening tests conducted and
published by people hostile to subjective evaluation, or just skip right to
Jaxwired's pronouncements and listen only through what he approves as
practical and cost-effective?
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