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Still mystified by mega expensive power cords

AC travels miles from the substation, enters my house, goes into a panel, then runs to my hifi equipment. Once inside the equipment it goes through whatever wiring the manufacturer used. I don't understand how the few feet from the outlet to the back of the gear can make some of the dramatic changes claim (low end goes down another octave, deeper wider soundstage, etc). My thought is that as long as the power cord is shielded so that it's not working like an antenna, properly grounded, and of sufficient guage so that you're not loosing juice to heat, and has contacts that make a solid connection, any power cable should sound like the next, especially since the AC coming in is rectified and smoothed.

I'm not looking for flames, but for those that believe in power cables, enlighten me. Or said another way, can that $11,000 plus power cable I saw today possiblet do more than fatten the manufacturer's wallet?
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ebm
9,311 posts
 
Wow im mystified as well but love my STEALTH V12.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,537 posts
 
I tend to view a power cords role of delivering power as separate from filtering or purifying the power. Not to say a power cord might not do both, kind of like how an integrated amplifier serves dual roles in one package.

Lots of ways to skin a cat.

In some cases, the cat may not really need to be skinned in the first place as well, but sometimes hard to tell, in which case a true audiophile will erron the side of caution I suppose. :-)
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,555 posts
 
@ Tjassoc, Hi, If no body else will say it, I will, I enjoyed your post, I have talked to, and read many engineers post, you kept your words simple when all the other engineers that talk on the threads do not, Bravo!, I will also add, most engineers do not believe high performance cables make a difference, you do, another bravo!, I am interested in anything you have to say, LOL!, I can understand you!, Happy Holidays.
tjassoc
259 posts
 
Audiolabyrinth,

Thank you for your kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed the post.

It seems like everything contributes to and makes a difference with our systems.

While there never seems to be enough time in the day, I do intend to read and contribute towards posts more frequently.

Happy Holidays to you and your family as well :-)

Kindest regards, TJF.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Tjassoc, I would add one more factor in your sources of contamination of our ac lines, namely power companies using the power lines for communications. I have seen the modulations on an oscilloscope.

I would add one new factor to what might be used to cleanup the contamination, not ferrite beads, but rather Hitachi FineMet beads. Thanks to a friend with ties to Japan, I have heard the impact of these on the resolution I get in my audio from putting a short power cord pigtail with beads on the three conductors. It is totally awesome. Occasionally, you can find these beads at surplus shops on Ebay. That is where mine came from. Hopefully, there will soon be a source to get pigtails or powercord with such beads.
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