Power Cord for Power Conditioner

I can see the reasons why people like blind listening tests.
Visuals do cause folks to think that the big fat cables are the better ones, or that the big expensive speaker just has to sound the best, etc.

It's been proven with other things also,such as switching wine labels,and some folks thinking the 2 buck chuk in the upscale bottle was in fact the real deal.

Visual influences do marr one's perception.

And so it is when the cost of what you are comparing is made known.

Somehow the only blind listening tests that are ever mentioned are the tests where the "panel of experts" preferred the cheapest power cords for example.

In fact those tests are the only ones I've read about.The myth busters proving once again that costly power cords are ripp offs.

What about tests where the pricey cables are preferred?
Somehow ,saddly, we never seem to read about them.
It seems people prefer to read about giant killers and el cheapo cables beating out the high end brands.

Anyone posting anything positive about a name brand upgraded PC is either labeled a shill , a lunatic or both.

I know I've been called that.

I came to the effects of power cords and power upgrades a little late in my audio journey, and that;s a shame.

Had I known how much they play in the final sound of what's powered by them I never would have sold some fabulous gear over the years.

The flaws that I always attributed to the amps, for example, were really flaws in the delivery of the power to them.

I now understand the importance of good power delivery because I have recently enjoyed some rather modest power amps more than I did the costly exotic amps with no upgraded power delivery.

Those old amps if given the same upgraded power delivery that I now use, would surely swing things more in favour of them.But that's spilled milk and all part of the learning curve.

When people get serious about improving the gear they have using better power cords and improving the power to their gear, the search for the absolute sound tends to be over, and you spend more time enjoying the sound that you already have.

I'm not knocking the whole audio thing about swapping amps and speakers,the chase is a big part of the hobby and it's a learning experience.
And after you've been thru a lot of systems like I have you start to find out that changing A for B isn't the answer, because some things never change elsewhere and remain a constant, such as the same stock power cord, or wallplug set ups and this seriously hinders any efforts at improved sound from that new Stereophile A lister.

Sometimes it's quite obvious when you make a switch in components,and not as obvious as when everything is muddied up by poor power delivery.
So ,I am a bit sceptical of double blind tests for the above reason.

What I would find interesting would be a new test, whereby a panel of "experts" were left with the challenge of discerning if the music they heard was any different when played thru a dedicated line and a stock electrical line as found in most homes.

Then do a serious of tests with power cords and conditioners on the two different lines and see what the outcome is.

What I would assume is that there will be some folks who prefer the sound of cheap power cords and some who like the expensive ones and that no one will be able to tell which is which.
And what this means to me is that an expensive power cord hasn't been proven to be inferior to a cheap one.

It proves to me that preference of one over the other means that there were perceived differences between the cords.It doesn't prove that the cables all sounded alike.

If the panel says they all sound the same, then I would have to say that the panel of "experts" may have been influenced if they knew the cost of the cables.
Again the old myth buster mentality.
So I wouldn't disclose the cost of the cables in the test, because this would have just as much influence on the tests outcome as seeing the cables and knowing what brands they were.

My only beef with DBT is that I don't think that prior tests were an accurate indication of anything, and the more information given to the panels, the more flawed the tests.

Somehow the DBT hasn't been revisted in a few years, and only these old "anti" everything expensive ones are all that is reported and held as gospel.

I think it's time for some new ones,based on a few of the guidelines I've mentioned.

Eventhough I know that in the end it's all about preference, at least the playing field won't be skewed with lousy noisey power straight from the wall.

I am certain that the comparison of the results of power cords tested on both lines would be intersting to say the least.

Hi all ! Well said ,Lacee . I do trust my ears very ,very much . There used to be a time when I trusted what other people said more than what my own ears heard . Just last night I was changing power cords on my cd player . I took out a #4 Vansevers cord and put in a silver LAT CORD . The Vansevers cord makes my system as dark as night , the LAT cord adds sparkle to the top end that is quite strong . Do I think I hear this difference ? NO WAY ....the difference is clear , even to my girlfriend .

When I started out in this hobby I would read the reviews and if something was on my wish list I made apoint of travelling to a shop that would allow me to listen.

I can't say my impressions were as glowing as most of the reviews, but then as I started to get more experienece I started to tune in some of the things they were talking about, and with some mentoring from some more well healed and knowledgeable audiophiles, I began to separate the mumbo from the jumbo.

Much the same with power cords, lots of mumbo jumbo.Much has been written about their effects and yet there's still a few folks who say they can't make any difference.
Have they tried them?
Usually not,they just know better than to waste any money on them.

Now I've even read that the molded power cords are superior because they won't corrode as fast, hence degrade the sound.

Ever look at the inside of the cheap molded power cords?
Not a pretty sight, nor do they make the best case for quality materials or workmanship.

Sorry I'll take a bit of corrosion that I can clean and see before a plug with hidden innards of dubious quality.

I don't know how air tight my Shunyata Annacondas are, or if they have degraded over time from inner corosion.
Perhaps someone from Shunyata could shed some light on this latest bit of paranoia.

What I do know and not believe is that they sound better than any of my previous power cords,and that includes the molded ones and any of my DIY power cords.

And in a direct comparison of Shunyata power cords using headphones,as I moved up the line, the better the sound got.

I heard it and once heard, I couldn't go down the line.
If there were no differences I could have saved a bundle and stayed at the entry level.

I didn't configure my entire system with them for any other reason other than that they made the system sound better than without them.

Everything has a sonic set of strengths and weaknesses.
You like some more than others, to say that a power cord is just a tone control is only partly true and there's no shame in that if the power cord lets the all tone thru and doesn't hinder it, as so many mediocre molded cords do.

If a power cord adds sparkle or adds more meat,that's not to say that it's a fault of the power cord, just proof they can all interact differently with what they are plugged into.Proof they are not the same, and nice to know that we don't have to settle for whatever "colour" the molded ones are giving us.

If stock power cords are fine for you, then use them, they cost you nothing, they were free, they do the job of bringing your gear to life, they will allow the music to play.

But if you can afford to spend a little or a lot more for some aftermarket power cords, the sky is the limit to what music is yet to be heard.

I know a few folks who stay on the merry go round and swap out amps all the time and are never satisfied with the new amp purchase.

I wonder if the reason lies with the stock molded power cord they refuse to part with and insist is perfectly suitable for the job?

Hi all ! Well said once again , Lacee . I have stopped wondering much about how any component sounds ,especially amplifiers . I can pretty much make it sound anyway I want it to with cords and feet , etc . I still find it pretty amazing guys spend all this money on components and can't hear the difference a power cord makes , then they argue and call it snake oil.

"A removable power cord simply makes components easier to package and install."

It also makes it allot easier to ship worldwide to places that use a different style plug in the wall - or else each unit would need to be constructed for the specific country it is going to.