Mating power cords with APL 3910

Tvad and Ozzy,

Thanks for your input. I'm contemplating on getting a Hydra 4 or 8. Which one? That will depend on whether or not I will also use the Hydra for my amps. I read that Hydra 8 limits current. If that is true, I would then get the 4 for my front end only. If you don't mind, I have a follow-up question for the both of you: What are the sonic and musical differences in the APL when its PC (Statement or Source) is plugged into the wall versus when it's connected to your Hydra?

John

John,
As a musician who has listened to many hours of studio playback, I would say that our home system goal is to hear that replicated as closely as possible. Ironically, I think that the closer you get to that, you actually begin to hear the limitations and flaws in the recording process. Mid-fi systems are much better I believe at compressing those gaps, if that makes sense. Sorry if I'm not directly answering your question, but I'm trying to offer some background into what I want to hear from the recording, which will hopefully help to understand how I listen and choose components/cables/etc. that match my (and my wife's) preferences.

In the order of those I listed above, each successive cord opened up the sound somewhat more, each time getting us closer to the rawness of the recording. The Signal Cable was a marginal improvement over the stock cord. The VDH slightly was slightly more open. The Wolff gave life and depth to the music, and the EG opened that midrange air and space somewhat more, an improvement akin to what I've heard when going from some current production to NOS tubes. The music feels slower, more open, with the energy of the players, and either it or I am more relaxed because I feel like I've been let in to the music. As far as coherence, I think that in some way I can actually hear the flaws in the process even more than before, but that's what I want to hear: the humanity of the players.

I understand that the Ultra Khan Plus is another step beyond the Mini Khan Plus, in the same direction. People have told me that they found an improvement with the UK Plus, and others have told me they went back to the MK Plus.

Obviously, there are many excellent PC's out there. I just went with recommendations from people who seemed to have similar goals as those I enumerated above.
Best of luck,
Howard

Howard,
Your elucidation was helpful. In particular, I think your statement "The music feels slower, more open, with the energy of the players, and either it or I am more relaxed because I feel like I've been let in to the music." conveys the spirit of what I am aiming for. For example, a component that produces "smooth" high frequencies by compression could sound pleasant, but it doesn't let me into the music because the harmonic texture and bloom have been reduced. While enjoying that sound, I remain an outsider. I need to feel the nuances in the harmonic texture, the delicacy of the harmonic bloom, and the fluidity of the natural flow of music to be "let in to the music". Similarly, at the lower end of the spectrum, a boomy bass does not connect me with the vibrancy of the music. Based on your elucidation, the Mini Khan Plus is definitely on my short list.

Thanks Again,
John