Ideal power cord lengths?
A quick Google search suggests there is consensus that the ideal power cord length is 2m. 1m cords sound “harsher” and 3m cords sound “smoother”, with 2m being the sweet spot. The PS Audio dude suggests that the reason is that the reason is that all cords have an impact on the power, and the greater the length, the greater the impact, good or bad.
I know many will say there is no difference between a 1m cord and a 3m cord. But my question is, who here has tried like model power cords of different lengths, and what were the differences?
Second question: How does length factor into the equation when you have a cord feeding a conditioner, then other cords feeding components? If 2m cords are in fact the ideal, would 1m cords be ideal when using conditioners?
I tend to believe those that say that power cord lengths matter. While I’ve not been able to do this test myself, I’ve had these two experiences:
Very interested in learning of others experiences with power cord lengths.
Sounds like an Apogee Wyde Eye. Of course I just ordered a 1m PC yesterday for my soon-to-arrive DDC before I saw this thread. That’s how my luck’s been running of late. Oh well, should still at least be better than the stock cord I guess/hope. Ugh. |
@ghdprentice Ha! We can dream I suppose. |
@curtdr The answer is yes, they would and do. You’re missing the fact that after retail markups including a better PC would add significantly to the price of a product. Plus, cables are also notoriously system dependent, so it’s possible that an expensive PC wouldn’t synergize with a customer’s system/tastes so they would’ve paid all that extra cash for nothing. Then there’s that more serious audiophiles often have their own preferences for PCs and would likely never use the cord that came with the equipment. For all these reasons it makes sense for a manufacturer to include a cheap cable that’s good enough to do at least do justice to the equipment and let the customer choose what PC works best for their tastes/system. If you were right then manufacturers would be providing better PCs with their products, but they don’t. I’m not aware of any that do and everything I’ve bought has come with the generic black cord. Have you ever seen a manufacturer at an audio show power their products with a generic black cord? I think not. They pay a lot of $$$ to have their equipment at shows, so if the generic black cord was their best option they’d use it to show their products at their absolute best, but they don’t. Hmmm. |
@ghdprentice Well said. You’re a good example of someone benefitting from keeping an open mind and letting your ears being the final arbiter versus just sticking head in sand and calling it a day. Ignorance is bliss, to each his/her own, etc. |
@curtdr Im in finance, and a lot of my clients were very happy to be partly in managed futures (it’s called diversification) while the market was collapsing in 2008 and those funds were making money hand over fist. Sure they may underperform the market from time to time — every asset class does dude — welcome to investing. But what they saved my clients from the crash more than made up for any net-of-fees underperformance going forward. But again, keep that head in the sand and you’ll know no different nor learn anything. Like I said, it’s certainly easier that way.
I’m very satisfied in my hole because I made the effort to be open minded, continue to learn, and explore what else is out there. To me, that’s part of the fun and great reward of being an audiophile. If the head in the sand method works for you, great. It’s a much easier life but also much less rewarding because you learn nothing further. How fun and enriching that must be. Ignorance is bliss is your friend along with plastic, generic power cords. Enjoy that exciting world of yours. I gladly choose and embrace the other.
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@curtdr Yeah, you’re obviously right and the rest of us who’ve found PCs to make meaningful improvements are just kidding ourselves along with the manufacturers of equipment who never, ever use stock PCs either. You keep rocking those black plastic throwaway cords and reinsert head back into that much more comfy hole in the sand rather than daring to explore ours. It really is so much easier for you that way — I’ll give you that. Enjoy. |
Cable lifters and vibration isolation are two areas I’m also gonna attack soon too, so I’m in the same boat. For cable lifters, before buying something I might just cut out some rectangular pieces if cardboard, fold them in half and cut a notch in the top for the cable and see what I hear. For vibration control I’m pretty much sold on Townshend Seismic spring-loaded isolation products as I’ve never read more consistent and overwhelmingly positive reviews of any other isolation devices. A little pricey, but they sure seem worth it for the significant level sonic benefits they seem to provide. Just a couple thoughts FWIW. |
@mirolab Can you share the recording studios you’ve had this conversation with? Not that it matters because we’re not talking about PCs in the recording studio here but rather the PCs feeding home audio systems. If you don’t realize the difference, please just go away. Thanks. |
