Sheilded/Unsheilded Power Cords

Sean - as usual, right on the money! I especially like what you said about thinking outside the box.

Those of us who have built AC power cords realize that it is quite difficult to make sonic improvements beyond a certain level - which isn't all that fantastic in the grand scheme of available audiophile AC cords. Cables which carry low level signals are easier to improve upon.

Why do we suppose this is? Come on guys, think outside the box!!!

AC cable manufacturers like Electraglide, Elrod, and Shunyata for instance, have thought outside the box. It is doubtful that any of these cables measure well from an "inside the box" mentality yet the results these cables bring to a system is dramatic - far exceeding anything *I* have ever used from an "inside the box" kinda manufacturer or DIY enthusiast - at any price.

Regarding 'electronic add ons' to power cords. I seem to remember Bob Crump post that he fiddled with making a power cord for years without the ability to make any real improvement in sound from a stock cord....until he finally decided to add some circuitry to the design and hence make the improvements he was after.

Now... If Bob Crump cannot make a significant sonic difference with "inside the box" thinking it is doubtful that anyone can and I don't care who they are!

So those of you who believe in measurement and inside the box thinking as it applies to audio (especially you Audioengr). I dare you to find a Power cord that measures well and lets put it up against an Elrod Signature cord, Electraglide FatMan K, or Shunyata Anaconda Vx. I'm sure all three of these cords measure differently and all worse than an "ideal" cord... yet, I guarantee they will absolutely blow the doors off anything which measures good.

Bwhite wrote:

I dare you to find a Power cord that measures well and lets put it up against an Elrod Signature cord, Electraglide FatMan K, or Shunyata Anaconda Vx. I'm sure all three of these cords measure differently and all worse than an "ideal" cord... yet, I guarantee they will absolutely blow the doors off anything which measures good.

Be careful what you ask for, you might get it. I have a very good cord, the Magnum2, which measures and sounds good (reviewed in BFS issue #140). However, my new reference cord, the "Grand Slam" will measure and sound even better. I believe it's going to be the one to beat.

If other manufacturers would publish measurements on their cords, at least a comparison could be made. However, it seems that none of them do. I don't believe there is another manufacturer that has a plausible theory of why one power cord sounds better than another. At least I have this.

Audioengr that's outstanding! I am excited to learn that you've come out with a cable like that. I certainly wish you the greatest success with it.

If when your cable comes out, you would like to put it against one of Dave Elrod's Signature cables, that would be fantastic! If your cable sounds better - I'll eat my hat (so to speak) and buy a few of 'em from ya.

Hey... you know? Sean mentioned that you have really high grade measurement equipment. Maybe you could do us all a favor and buy a few used high end cables on Audiogon - measure them and then resell. You would not loose any money other than maybe shipping - which you could write off as a business expense.

Then.... YOU can publish the measurements on your website. Hey! That's a great idea!!! Then there would be no mystery, no pouting and wishing that other cable manufacturers published their own measurements.

The truth be told!! Audioengr...you have the power!

But if you do this, wont it be amazing to find out how poorly these things measure and at the same time how fantastic they sound?

Audioengr wrote:

If other manufacturers would publish measurements on their cords, at least a comparison could be made.

Come on.. you're pouting. Buy the cables and make the measurements yourself.

Audioengr wrote:

I don't believe there is another manufacturer that has a plausible theory of why one power cord sounds better than another. At least I have this.

Dude... if you had an amazing recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies would YOU publish the theory on how they were made and why they taste good? Its the same set of ingredients everyone else uses isn't it?

If you're smart you wouldn't share that information and likewise, I am sure that cable manufacturers have plausable theory's - that's how they maintain a "signature sound" (or flavor if you will) They just don't publish the info so that every Joe Blow DIY guy can duplicate their efforts.

If making a cable sound good was as SIMPLE as making it measure good, every single manufacturer out there would be publishing their measurements and people would buy the cable that measured best. It would be a simple world.

Unfortunately that is not the world we live in. Its tough... we actually have to listen for ourselves and decide what's best instead of just looking at SPICE simulations. Darn! I hate listening!!!

Bwhite: I'm trying to do something similar to what you want Audioengr to do. That is, test various cords and collect the results. I do not have some of the equipment that Audioengr does, but then again, i have some equipment that he doesn't have either. Maybe we should move closer to each other : ) Sean
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Then.... YOU can publish the measurements on your website. Hey! That's a great idea!!! Then there would be no mystery, no pouting and wishing that other cable manufacturers published their own measurements.

I wish it were that easy. Besides the possible legal issues with naming other manufacturers on my website, there are actually laws in other caountries against this. Best not to do it.

If making a cable sound good was as SIMPLE as making it measure good, every single manufacturer out there would be publishing their measurements and people would buy the cable that measured best. It would be a simple world.

True. However, even if I prove that inductance or some other parameter accounts for most of the performance of a cord, there will always be second-order effects that are less audible that can be optimized with good recipes, such as dielectric absorption, magnetic distortion etc..... These are much more difficult to measure and there are no standards for measuring these either.