Fast power cables?

Please indulge an audiophile newbie (that is, I'm not asking to make fun of your question, but because I'm unfamiliar with these terms in regards to cables). How can a cable be fast and powerful? What qualities make one cable more or less fast/powerful than another?

A good friend and (audio dealer) of mine likes to do a great demo when one of his customer's asks about a power cord recommendation for some of his tube gear.

With the music playing, he simply walks over and uplugs the preamp power cord, then the amplifier power cord. Then he leaves them unplugged for a good 30 seconds before re-plugging them. The music doesn't change a bit, and this is on some VERY high dollar SET tube gear and some $45k speakers, so resolution is not an issue.

It is a striking demonstration of the fact that if your gear is engineered with a properly (some will argue overbuilt) designed power supply, the power cord simply does not matter.

I would also note that unless you do have a dedicated and purpose-built audiophile line, then the electricity will have to travel through many feet of $1 a foot Romex in the walls before the electricity makes it to your $150 a foot power cord.

My way to test the impact of cables on my system was taught to me by an old Tibetan monk and I also use it for testing the rest of my material: I listen.
What changing one single power cable on, for example, a CD player does to the sound was even immediately noticed by my wife, who's anything but a mad audiophile.

Rischa, what is a fast cable? Hard to describe but, for example, when I hook up my Jadis monos (over designed by all means with its 2400 transfos for its 80 watts) with the Sunyata KC VX1, the sound is darker and less dynamic than how it is when hooked up with the Sunyata Pythons.

I agree with all those who recommend changing the electrical greed cables but it's not in my capacity to do so, not even in the apartment where I live. If I could, I would. Nevertheless I did change the wall sockets and the fuses in the electrical cupboard and it all helps for a better, clearer sound.

With the entire system hooked up to the Shunyata Hydra 8 V2, there's no longer that difference between what is referred to as "day listen" and "night listen".

Enjoy.

I don't think Amuseb owes anybody an apology as he was using the term "redneck" properly (Wikipedia..."the term has expanded its meaning to refer to bigoted, loutish reactionaries who are opposed to modern ways"). The term has no connection to Native Americans. It's origins actually tie back to farmers who would get sunburned necks from being in the fields. Not that any of this has to do with audio, but hey Audiogion threads can get way too uptight...

Check out the IEC thread, get yourself the cheapest shielded cord, and see what happens. This should eliminate not only the electrical issues, but also the hysteria.