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Power cords for Wadia 861

Does anyone have any first-hand experience experimenting with power cords for, say, a Wadia 861 or 301?

Wadia's folks suggest in the owners manuals that people use the stock cord, but it wasn't that long ago that people at Rowland, Audio Research and other high-end audio companies would give you a blank stare if you asked them about after-market power cords for their equipment.

I'm not looking to experiment with a dozen cords, nor do I plan to spend thousands of dollars. I'm just wondering if anyone has found 1.) that they help the Wadia as much as some cords help some other components; and, 2.) is there a really great synergy with a particular cord? Thanks. -- Ron
128x1289rw
avnut
153 posts
 
I believe the answer to your question depends on what you want to "inprove" on in the players presentation.

From my limited experience, the King Cobra v1 made the sound more beautiful and lush while maintaining the basic dynamic character of the player. I tried a PS Audio Lab Cable and the sound was sweet and dynamic butnot as focused as I like. The Ps Audio Statement cord is installed now and I really enjoy it for the money. The cord is dynamic, clarity has been enhanced withouth being edgy. The cord takes awhile to break in though.

The Wadia 861 seems to be sensitive to changes in power cords i my opinion. So maybe figure out what you want the player to sound like and go from there.

Have fun.
uli
36 posts
 
Power cords do make a huge difference with the 861. When I had the 861 I had tested some cords and the Shunyata King Cobra V2 was top. Later I used the successor of the King Cobra V2, the Anaconda vX with my Wadia 27ix. These cords give you a big and detailed soundstage plus musical warmth. A great match with Wadia and worth the investment, especially if your system - like most - benefits of some additional warmth. If your system already is very musical and warm sounding you can have even more detail and speed with an Electraglide Genghis Khan instead.
jfrech's avatar
jfrech
1,816 posts
 
I had a Wadia 850, I really liked the Transparent Ref xl the best. Also tried FIM gold and The Kimber Palladian 10. All were good, the fim ended up on my amp and the kimber on the phono stage.
adsal7e18
250 posts
 
elrod?
stehno
1,453 posts
 
The 'great synergy' that you seek can be found only in a power cable that does no sonic harm, offers 2-way filtration, and does not limit current.

Therefore, the power cable that you seek should generically produce the same sonic benefits in any component where the designer has not attempted to alter/suppress those offending frequencies caused by dirty AC.

With that said, I would recommned your demo'ing a Foundation Research LC-1 passive in-line power conditioner which comes with it's own built in power cable, costs about as much as a good power cable, yet does so much more sonically.

For what it's worth, Marty DeWulf of Bound for Sound has these installed in his Big Rig.

-IMO
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