2. cables
  3. 131836-126

Power Cords

I currently have Wireworld Silver Electra power cords with upgraded Platinum plugs. I had two 1M Wireworld Platinum power cords, but rearranged my system and required longer cords. Yesterday I borrowed two Shunyata Sigma NR power cords. On the first note my wife softly said, "that sounds better". She said it was clearer. I listened for a couple hours, changing the power cords a couple of times. In my system and to my ears this is my conclusion:
The Sigma's are cleaner, definitely has more bass, a dead silent and completely black background. The Wireworld cords are more detailed, with a wider soundstage and better spacing/separation of instruments. All things considered I'll keep my Wireworld, but I'm curious to listen to other power cords.
After inserting the Sigma's I just don't understand how anyone that listened to different power cords could conclude that they can't hear a difference. There is a difference, but like any other component the individual has to decide if the change is worth it. $6K for two power cords is relatively expensive. Expensive, but oddly maybe a good value? In my system there was a definite improvement with better bass impact and articulation. Would spending $6K or just changing amplifiers yield similar results? As with most components there are trade-offs...is there a power cord out there that has the benefits of the Sigma's and Wireworld Silver Electra's? If so, at what cost?  
ricred1

Showing 7 responses by guidocorona

guidocorona
4,298 posts
 

Hi Richard, as mentioned in my PM to you, Shunyata wires tend to take from 300 to 450 hours to breakin, stabilize, and give their best. Unless they are broken in, there is no telling where you catch them in the semi-random cycle of performance peaks and dips... And if you try to compare them to PCs that are also kind of new, the quick comparison has even less meaning.


If your dealer is not in a position to loaning you Sigmas for sufficient time, contact the Cable Company... THey are used sending out wires for evaluation for a meaningful amount of time.


Having said the above, I am not implying that the Sigmas will end up being your cables of choice... I am saying only that if you really want to discover what might work best in your system, you will reach more reliable results by running patient and thorough tests.


Saluti, G.


G.

  

guidocorona
4,298 posts
 

Blindjim, your words are not only Golden, but they are jewel-encrusted!


Amongst other things... Fabulous idea of daisy-chaining PCs with proper adapters to break-in multiple cords at the same time.


BO1972, How would you compare the new AQ Hurricanes versus the older WAL, and members of the trees product family?


G.



guidocorona
4,298 posts
 

Hi BlindJim, your non-PC dating metaphores are delightfully refreshing.


BO1972: Your observations on Hurricane wires are food for thought, although I was hoping for a sober discussion of relative differences in audible properties, rather than an acrimonius disquisition of metallurgies and wire gages. Regardless, unalloyed brand-bashing is unattractive... Furthermore, the messianic leaves me cold. 


G.



guidocorona
4,298 posts
 

"In the last 2 yearss I have done so much research that I can outperform any person in the world in both sound&vision."


Ahem, I wish we could be spared the above hint of the messianic on Audiogon... Invariably, the True Trueth shall be revealed... Yet in the nebulosity of a forever receeding future. Meantime, while we bite our fingernails to the quick in audiophrenic pangs of anxiety, we are regaled by prophecies of sonic doom for the unbelievers, whence we shall be finally confronted by the revelation of biblical TrueFi and BO1972's audio/visual omniscience 


Jokes aside, I am confident that the new AQ PCs are going to be fine music makers... Looking forward to having the fortune of trying them some time.

 

 G.


 

guidocorona
4,298 posts
 

Sweet dreams, EBM... Do not let us obsessive audiofools disturb you *Grins!*


Meantime, I have been using a full loom of Cardas cables for several months.... The newest Clear Beyond XL power cords on Rowland M925 monos, M525 bridged, and Esoteric X-01 as transport.... original Clear Beyond on Rowland PSU power supply feeding the Aeris DAC, Clear digital IC, and Clear Reflection for XLR ICs and speaker wires..... This loom is the most musically satisfying that I ever experienced in my system.... Whether we talk about overall harmonic and low level resolution, macro and micro dynamics, spatiality and imaging, transparency, evenness of frequency response across the spectrum, authority, and so sweet with superb control of intermodulation.... I am incredibly picky.... But this Cardas loom is a real musical winner and a total keeper.


Saluti, Guido





    

guidocorona
4,298 posts
 

Hello mikey8811, your statement is correct.... But I have not been doing a comparison per se of Clear and Clear Beyond PCs on the PSU.... Here is the situation:


I have a total of 4 XL PCS, and one Clear PC, used as a floater.... Originally, I had my two 20A XL cords on the two M925 monos, while I used my two 15A XL cords on Esoteric X-01, and the PSU.


Come in the M535 bridged pair... These babies have 15A inlets.... I had to redistribute things based on my available cabling complement (have one spare Clear 15A PC), and fortunately one 20A to 15A IEC adapter....


So, put the converter on one of the 20A PCS and used it on the Esoteric.... Used the two original XLs with 15A IECs on the M535s, and installed the Clear PC on PSU, which is the least sensitive to power cords, as it converts AC into DC, stores DC, and feeds  it offline to the Aeris.


I'd be happy to tell you lots more about my rig.... Send me a PM, and we can continue from there!


Saluti, Guido



guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Hello mikey8811, TThis is an attempt to consolidate my four posts above... Hope it apologies for missing your post and the delay in responding to you... here are a couple answers...
* I went directly to Cardas Clear Beyond XL power cords on all my components, without passing through Clear or Clear Beyond.
* * for analog XLR ICs and speaker wires I decided to start with Cardas Clear Reflection, which is two levels below Clear Beyond, which is the current highest level for analog signal wires. Eventually, I am planning to upgrade analog signal wires to Clear Beyond, so to evaluate the audible enhancements.
I must say that although Clear Reflection is a couple levels down from Clear Beyond -- the current top of the Cardas line for analog cables, my system has reached a performance level previously unattained. This is not only a matter of simple resolution, and of all the typical enumeration of audible parameters that we audiophiles like to list.... This cardas loom and the luminous synergy it creates with my components is giving me a sense of musical completion, a sense of "having come home", a level of immersive joy, which I had never experienced before with admittedly excellent looms from other brands.
Yet, knowing the design genius and decades of cable engineering experience of George Cardas and his team, I realize that I might have heard nothing yet compared to what I might experience if I upgraded analog ICs and speaker wires to Clear Beyond... Truth is that the magic of my system has made me, well... Lazy to upgrade analog cabling to the next level up the spectacular Cardas pantheon.
Just as a reminder, my system consists of
* Esoteric X-01 Ltd powered by XL, connected via Cardas Clear digital coax to...
* Rowland Aeris DAC + Rowland PSU (Power Storage Unit, based on ultracapacitors ) fed by XL and connected via Cardas Clear Reflection XLRs to either of the following...
* Pair of Rowland M925 monoblocks powered by XL,
* or Pair of bridged Rowland M535 amplifiers powered by xl...
* A pair of Cardas Clear Reflection connect the active amplifier pair to Vienna Die Muzik speakers.
I am using three dedicated 20A AC circuits.... One for X-01 and PSU; one for the amplifier connected to the left speaker; one for the amplifier connected to the right speaker.
Saluti, Guido
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