Viggen, it's like anything else. The more involved that you get in any project, the more you can find that is either blatantly "wrong" or could simply use a little improvement. As such, a system can perform very well with stock cords but that is not to say that it won't perform better with other cords. As i stated previously though, the opposite can also be true. Due to differences in design and compatability, you can also take a step backwards if you're not careful.
For those that think of the power cord as an extension of the AC wiring, it is no wonder that you doubt that it can make a noticeable difference. BUT, what if you thought of it as an extension of the power supply ? After all, that is exactly what it is.
Wouldn't it be possible to add various types of shielding, ferrites, capacitors, inductors or other means of impedance manipulation in order to design some type of "tuned trap" or "filter" ? In turn, couldn't you place this trap or filter PRIOR to the power supply inside the component, therefore minimizing the "trash" that makes it into the component in the first place ?
Well, that is EXACTLY what is taking place in SOME ( very few that i've seen ) aftermarket power cords. While the "components" of the power cord that achieve these results may not be in a separate box like those of a PLC ( Power Line Conditoner aka "power line filter" ), that does not mean that it won't work. The benefits to designs of this type that are well thought out are that they are not current limiting or creating as much of a phase shift. While it is true that their slope rate or "filter action" may not be anywhere near as severe or sharp as that of a larger tuned circuit in a seperate box, it might be all that you would need to get rid of the electrical and RFI hash that is riding the AC mains in your area.
If you doubt that the AC mains have noise on them, i HIGHLY urge you to beg, borrow or steal ( only joking about stealing ) an Audioprism AC Line Noise Sniffer. Plug it directly into the wall and listen to the roaring hash that comes out of the speaker. Then plug the Noise Sniffer into any "reasonable" PLC ( power line conditioner ) and listen to the difference. The noise should pretty much disappear or at least be massively subdued. You can also hear the benefits of parallel line filters like the Audioprism Quiet Lines or "homebrew" designs like those that Magnan suggests. These are simply plugged into other outlets in the building and left alone. Even though they are not in series with the gear ( unlike the "tuned" power cords that are in direct contact ), you can still, very evidently, hear the effect that they have on the noise level from the wall.
I have yet to meet ONE "skeptic" that could deny the benefits of AC line conditioning / filtering after experiencing a test like this first hand. Sean
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