Ernie: Dielectric Absorption ( DA ) takes place to a far greater extent as frequency rises. This makes it a non-linear distortion because it doesn't absorb all frequencies at the same rate.
As such, one can turn the drawbacks of DA into an actual asset by taking advantage of this knowledge. That is, by allowing the low frequencies ( 60 Hz AC waveform ) to pass unhindered, and by absorbing a greater ratio of signal as frequency rises, one has developed a form of a low pass filter. This has been achieved at reduced cost and complexity due to the use of lower grade dielectrics without the added expense or drawbacks of any extra parts or active circuitry. Granted, the effects achieved through careful application of DA is NOT going to be a sharp slope or even a linear slope, but it will be beneficial none the less.
Where lower grade dielectrics run into problems is with "seepage". Many cheap dielectrics "bleed" i.e. their plasticizers are leeched out of the jacket and contaminate the conductors. I'm sure that some of you have seen this before i.e. taken apart a cable only to find a dark, smeary contaminant on the surface. The contamination process can be sped up via stress to the cable i.e. running it beyond its' thermal limits, mass exposure to UV rays, etc...
In this regard, Teflon is a much better dielectric. That's because it's more stable and can take a lot of heat. The way to get around the lack of stability and "bleeding" of plasticizers in order to achieve "Teflon-like" stability is to use a more stable dielectric AND keep ambient and operating temperatures low. By doing your homework, you can find a relatively stable dielectric that retains a higher DA. In order to keep thermal operating temperatures down, you can use multiple conductors to share the load. By sharing the load, internal coulomb friction is reduced and operating temperatures are kept to a minimum. The fact that many lower grade dielectrics are less rigid than Teflon also means increased flexibility with less potential for microphonic transfer of energy.
Another advantage to this approach is that multiple conductors for each given polarity means that you can now use specific geometries. These geometries reduce the radiation of EM ( Electro-Magnetic ) fields and at the same time, are not nearly as susceptable to RFI and EMI. This means that your power cord can now be placed closer to your signal carrying cables with less potential for sonic degradation AND your power cord has less of a chance of acting like an antenna for incoming signals. Yet another benefit is that certain geometries will lower the inductance of the cable, allowing the AC to feed the component on a more timely basis.
As a side effect / additional benefit of lowering the inductance through the use of specific geometries, you also increase the capacitance of the cable. By distributing the capacitance over the length of the cable, you in effect end up with a very mild parallel line filter. Devices like Audioprism Quiet Lines and the home-brew devices that Magnan recommends, etc... are all capacitively based parallel line filters. While the distributed capacitance of the power cord using specific geometries will not be as effective as the lumped sums of capacitance as found in the "plug in" filters mentioned above, every little bit helps.
As you can see, there is a method to the madness that goes into making a well rounded, thoroughly thought-out product. Most of this is based on the proper application of technology. That technology was gathered through various testing methods. By compiling the test results and properly interpreting them, one can pick and choose between the specific positive and / or negative attributes that each product / material brings with it. If done carefully, the end result is an organized presentation of those calculated strengths and weaknesses to achieve the desired goals.
As i've said before, nothing that we are doing here is a mystery. The only part that is a mystery is why more manufacturers don't make use of the information & technology that is available to them. The fact that most audiophiles aren't aware of all of the facts pertaining to various products allows these manufacturers to keep the public in the dark and charge the prices that they do. In this respect, most of the cable manufacturers and other parts of the high end audio industry fear an educated public. That would mean that their profit margin was gone, except for those that remained gullible enough to believe all of the marketing hype. Those that actually looked into and understood the facts pertaining to the situation / product at hand would no longer be at the mercy of those that are peddling snake oil.
All of that is why i post the things that i do. The more that you know, the more effective your decisions will become. Sean
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