Williewonka...agreed..
Do power cords make a difference?
I have a fairly sophisticated Home Theater set up with top quality components and cabling. I also have a 5 year old female Rhodesian Ridgeback named Lola. Last week I changed just the power cords to my processor and DVD player. Now every time a dog barks or an animal makes its appropriate sound, Lola jumps off of the couch (it is no easy feat to get her off of the couch) and tries to attack the dog or animal making the sound. This did NOT happen before. Motto of the story, yes power cords make a difference that even my dog can tell!!!
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Calloway - sorry, but I was not attempting to equate car parts to hi-hi components, I was trying to illustrate that improvements in higher resolving components are more subtle - i.e. they might go unnoticed to the untrained ear. It doesn't make them less significant, just less noticeable to some people. E.g. in my $300 Hitachi mini system - replacing the power cord resulted in a very noticeable improvement in the bass and dynamics that even my wife readily identified Whereas replacing the power cord on my naim amp resulted in significant improvements in staging and details, but my wife (not being a serious listener) could not readily identify those improvements So, I believe a $1000 pc on a $1000 system would achieve significant improvements - it just might not be a prudent investment - i.e. overkill Also, the improvement that same cable has on a higher resolving system would be quite different from those heard on the $1000 system The trick is to find cost effective cables that allow components to operate to their full potential without going overboard. So putting a Porsche engine into a Yugo would not be good because the chassis/suspension/tyres/etc... could not handle it :-) |
you're comparing the replacement of a pc, in a system, to the replacement of an engine in a car. that's 'apples and oranges'. i'm not talking about replacing the amp in a system, ie the motor, ...just the pc.a $1000+ pc will probably not make a $1000 system sound audibly better...but if it is a good match for a resolving system..it will. |
Calloway - actually it's the other way around - think of the upgrade as replacing the engine - put a porsche engine in a Yugo - WOW - put a posche engine in a porsche - so what - put a Ferrari engine in a porsche . Better, but it's more subtle Better quality components tend to have large power supplies that can handle the transient peak demands of the audio signal, so they operate at their optimum level More modest components have smaller power supplies which actually restrict their performance. Having a quality power cord allows the circuit to handle the transient peaks, as a result they operate to a higher level of performance. This does not mean good gear does not need a good power cable, but the better quality components actually need a much better quality power cable for a difference to be as discernible as more modest components From my post above - a simple heavy gauge power cord from home depot was enough to elevate the performance of a boom-box That same Home Depot cord on my Naim would not provide much improvement over the stock cord - but my Furutech is a whole other story. However, the furutech would not produce significantly better performance in the boom-box than the Home Depot cord did.. The most important and difficult aspect of power cord upgrades it to get the right match - i.e. best bang for the buck To do this you have to either try several different brands/models or rely on the feedback of Agon members OR buddy up to your local supplier to get your hands on some loners. |
I just replaced the standard 18 gauge power cord on my neighbours speaker system for her iPad with a 14 gauge power cord from Home Depot - not even a high quality power cord She is not an audiophile by any stretch of the imagination - but she heard the difference right off the bat - made her a believer. Here's one explanation as to why they work... http://www.image99.net/blog/files/category-you-need-good-power-cords.html The amount of improvement you will hear depends on every other component and cable in your system - so don't be expect to replace just one power cable and achieve a significant improvement. Also, not every power cable will have as dramatic effect on one component as it does on others. E.g. for high current components I have found that 10 gauge power cables perform better than 14 gauge - but putting a 10 gauge cable on a source component may be overkill - so think about it's intended application If you are into DIY then making your own is definitely a more cost effective solution and you can then ensure the connectors used are of good quality also Hope this helps |
I was given one to use in my system and I did not expect to hear any differences and was going to send it back after hearing it. Well, 7 years later, I still have it in my system. It feeds an isolation transformer for my headphone rig. It does improve but the performance to value issue is one of the most contested in the hobby. |
I am normally very cynical about the various "accessories" that are sold in the audiophile journals and websites. Many of the products that you see for sale makes me feel embarrassed for the people who work hard to buy such hokum. However, after my system reached a certain level of performance, I finally did buy some aftermarket power cords. I do not want to show bias, so I will not name names. But after upgrading cords for the power amps, preamp, and source components, I could definitely tell a definite increase in performance. These were entry level and mid-grade cords from the same well-known company -- two $700 cables for the two power conditioners, two $300 cords for my amps, and several $80 cords for my source components. The improvement was a definite yes, but I would caution anyone to first spend their money getting good electronics -- the proverbial sow's ear will always be what it is, irregardless of exotic power cords. And, also, if you like the sound of the first cable, follow through with the other components. |
Joseph796, After 20 years in this crazy hobby, I've given up trying to convince skeptics and I've definitely stopped feeding the trolls. I've watched people spend $50k and fail to improve their sound by more than a skosh. I've watched people spend half what I have and create systems that made me weep. What works in one room won't work in another. I respect all views that are based upon critical listening. I laugh at anyone who stands on the ground explaining why something "can't fly." If a significant number of people I respect enjoy something enough to buy it and keep it, I'll usually try it. That strategy yields good results 98 percent of the time. Btw, my elderly mother once commented that her old HDTV sure looked better after I "messed around with that cable in the back." She could care less that all I did was attach a $90 after-market power cord. Does that prove anything? Obviously not. But, it *was* a fun moment. |
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Yeah they make a difference. My own epiphany happened when a group of audiobuddies were listening to a new CD player. One of the guys suggested switching in a new power cord he had brought along. In it went, and the rest of us just looked at each other -- it was that much of an improvement. I was strictly a power cord agnostic up until then. I'll bet the OP's dog would have barked her head off. |
