Power Conditioning done by IC's & Speaker Cables

From what I understand, Bybee filters work at the *quantum* level, unlike other devices. This is what Dan Wright posted about them:

"The Bybee filters are completely non-reactive, so they are not actually 'filtering' the frequency responce in terms of a passive device of an LCR nature."

What is "LCR nature"? Beats me...

I could safely assume that the Bybee IC filters are also of the same nature. Dan likes to use Bybee filters in Power supplies and in line conditioners, too.

LCR means:

L= Inductance

C= Capacitance

R= Resistance

When you combine all of the above aspects into one circuit, it gives you what is termed a "complex impedance". Most people confuse "resistance" as having the same meaning as "impedance", but they are quite different. One can only have what is considered a "pure" resistance if it is free of ( or extremely low in ) capacitance and / or inductance. When you add those two to a circuit, it is no longer "simple resistance", hence the term "complex impedance" to show that you have multiple aspects at work simultaneously.

What Bybee is trying to say is that his "filters" do not work like "common" filters using "common" parts.

As to Psychic's comments about power cords having a sonic signature and not wanting to confuse this with how it is filtering the system, they are one and the same. Due to the specific electrical characteristics of how the power cord mates with a specific component, the result is the "sonic signature". This "sonic signature" is a direct result of "filtering" or the "complex impedances" that take place when mating components / cords together. As such, you really CAN'T separate the "filter action" of a power cord no matter what you do. It will always show various amounts of inductance, capacitance and resistance, which are all the variables that it takes to make up a "filter". Whether or not these factors are "beneficial" to a specific system or high enough in value to be noticeable would strictly be a matter of personal preference that one could only find out by trial and error.

As such, i would rather have a power cord do as much filtering as possible than to have to go through current limiting devices that eat up more rack or floor space. The only problem with this is that such a power cord would be pretty darn "thick", making it less practical. With that in mind, both consumers and engineers have to pick and choose which methods that they prefer and where they are willing to draw the line / make sacrifices in terms of total performance and cost. Sean
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I'm glad I have learned audio w/out electricity. I can make it work rather simply...

Sean, when you do that power cord prototype, send me one and I'll gladly audition it--filter or no filter. Like Deano taught me: "Never pass up an audition."

Sean wrote:

As such, i would rather have a power cord do as much filtering as possible than to have to go through current limiting devices that eat up more rack or floor space.

If I understand you right, I think we may differ on this one. I relegate power cord filtering to only the ground conductor (for common-mode noise). For the current-carrying conductors I prefer no filtering, in fact I want the inductance and resistance to be as low as possible. This is the way my cord, the Magnum2 works, and it has held its own against much more expensive cords, particularly when used with power amps (see BFS review issue #140). I do not believe in shielding power cords either. There are better ways to control stray fields.

I believe the reason that some of the shielded and highly inductive/capacitive cords can have a positive effect, particularly on line-level components, is that they are reducing common-mode noise from ground-loops, abeit at the cost of signal dynamics.

Tom says, I've used all of these types of things, and they work. I use Bybees, and they work nicely. I use power conditioning and it works. I use decent IC's and Speaker Cables , and they work well. I think a combination of things is the way to go. If you have a real problem, address it as best you can. I use Bybees at the speakers, and battery power for the mains. I don't have an RF problem, so I use unshielded IC's. I have no AC wiring or power in my house, except for the high voltage section of my tube preamp. I have DC lights, DC refrigerator, no TV, and DC everything else. I am 400 feet from the nearest power lines, and am not connected to it. The stray fields in my house are as low as it can get. So, I am adressing the issue from as many directions as possible. No mains power or fields. DC battery power wherever possible. Less offensive appliances in the house. And I still have Bybees on the speakers, and they still help. Do whatever you can, and you'll get better results out the speaker. But be sure that it really does something. Don't buy snake oil.