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power cables - not in the signal path?

According to popular wisdom the AC power is not in the signal path and therefore a power cord, AC conditioner or similar should have zero audible effect.

In a don quixotesque attempt I'd like to turn this perception around: the AC is 100% in the signal path - more so that the actual low-level signal that gets amplified, and I think I found the simple words to clarify this.

The low-level signal is actually only modulating the high-voltage (high-intensity) signal produced by the transformer. Those electrons from the transformer are the actual electrons we "hear". The low-level signal is simply lost in translation. In a simple example, a 0.1V peak-to-peak sine signal gets amplified (say) 10x by a 10 V continuous (transformed) DC. The output is (say) a 1V sinusoid oscillating back and forth in time. If the 10V continuous is NOT actually exactly 10V (but is actually has noise) - then the noise will directly reappear "riding" on the 1V output.

Hence the need to keep the AC noise-free.

(Of course I purposefully neglected for simplicity the other effects (need for instantaneous delivery of power, etc..) for which I did not find a simple enough description (without reference to I/V curves and impedance / capacitance details, that is).

Does is make sense?

Thanks
C.
cbozdog
czarivey
5,946 posts
 
C, Beleive me it's very haaard to insite some theory or even philosophy or at least simply to relate neither your first original post or second, but I'll try to make sense on my next post when I'm really stoned and if I find even THAT hard, I'll try to get even more stoned.
For simplicity in general:
AC -> Power Cord -> Power Transformer -> Modified AC voltage(s) increased or decreased -> Rectifier(s) -> DC voltage(s) provides proper offset(s) for active circuit elements such as transistors, tubes, diodes etc.
Did I mention anything about signal path?
Don't go towards bunch of electrons, because it's even more confusing.
twb2
129 posts
 
Signal path or not, clean AC is key to great sound. My personal experience is that providing exceptionally clean AC to your equipment via the best conditioners and cables can result in improvements to SQ that are absolutely stunning, often greater than a major component upgrade.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
One assumes the electromagnetic field, the signal, in the conductor is made up of photons, no?
cbozdog OP
63 posts
 
Czarivey - you said "proper offsets"? Please, do continue.
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
06-10-14: Stevecham
EVERYTHING IS IN THE SIGNAL PATH
"Everything," so to speak, can AFFECT the signal path, to one degree or another. For example, turning on a dimmer switch in a different part of the house from the listening room can introduce sufficient distortion on the AC line to have audible consequences, in some situations. But I don't think that most of us would consider that dimmer switch to be "in the signal path," i.e., to be part of the path that is traveled by the audio signal.

Regards,
-- Al
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