How does length affect power cable sound quality?


Wanted to bug y'all about a basic power cord question: How does the length of the cord affect sound quality? My gut says that shorter is better, but maybe there is some form a filtering required that makes length a necessity. For me, a standard 6 foot cable is estheticly 3 feet too long (at least--I could use some one and two foot cords).
Does an 8 footer sound better than a 6? is 10 better than 8? How much worse is 3 feet instead of 6?
In short, what is the optimum length, and how does sound quality suffer when that length is shortened or lenghened? Obviously, the exact type of cable used must be considered. Specificly I've ordered a "$200 msrp, $150 retail, cord for $50" for a Virtual Dynamics Power 3 Power cord, currently on AudiogoN, and available at that price for about 30 days, according to Rick.
brtritch

Showing 1 response by brtritch

OK- here's what I understand so far: A power cord designed for the purpose of altering the perceived sound quality is usually best at a length of 6-10 feet.
So do quality power cords work in conjuction with power filters? I'm currently running Monster Power HTS-2000 for my Stereo rig, and a Monster Power HTS-5000 with a Monster Power HTS-1000 plugged into it for my Home Theater. I also have 8 AudioPrism Quiet-line Filters stategicly placed.

I guess the answer in in the hearing. It seems to me that power filters should clean things up so that further filtering with a 10-foot power cord would be redundant. But my ears say this isn't so.

Maybe what I'm asking hear is WHY does a quality 6-10 foot cord make a unit sound better. I'd like an answer with all the physics involved fully explained. The point is that if it were possible to mathematicly describe why one piece of equipment sounded better than another, it would be easy to just design it. But it's not, because there is too much magic involved. (Magic, or voodoo, is just another term for science that no one understands.)