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
audioman58's avatar
audioman58
3,832 posts
 
If uou truly want a power cord that will truly mske uour systrm 
Try a Verastarr Copper, silver if you can afford it .
These awg12,or  awg9 high purity foils ,not only hand built precision but put one on your digital to start. They come with a full money back satisfaction guarantee. Mike stands behind every product. How msny companies will do that ?  These cables make 
As much if not more impact than Any component in your system. 
I have heard them in other systems  and compared they are exceptional.
I have a power cord on the way I just bought their Sig interconnects 
And the naturalness and detail makes me wonder why these guys 
Don't advertise more ,not a commercial product but if you call and 
Buy more then one thing you can get a break on pricing . I had Synergistic element ,and Cardas cables these are in another league compared . Don't take my word for it .just try them I guarantee you 
Will be impressed..
don_1's avatar
don_1
94 posts
 

To each his own and some may hear an audible difference but I believe The Knowledgeable Gordon Holt said it best: (IMO as it refers to cables)

Audio as a hobby is dying, largely by its own hand. As far as the real world is concerned, high-end audio lost its credibility during the 1980s, when it flatly refused to submit to the kind of basic honesty controls (double-blind testing, for example) that had legitimized every other serious scientific endeavor since Pascal. [This refusal] is a source of endless derisive amusement among rational people and of perpetual embarrassment for me- Gordon Holt

68pete
991 posts
 
I would give High Fidelity a try. Their power cord are not cheap, but they really do a lot for a system and come with a full 30 day money back if they do not work for you
auxinput
2,920 posts
 

@ricred1 - it's too bad that you don't live close to me (central California).  I would love to see how some of my "built" power cables stack up.  Usually, when cable companies move up in their models, they always go to silver / silver-plated components.  I have tested many items with silver content and it just doesn't sound right to me.  The audio always has a push in the upper mids and also puts forth an artificial flavor to the sound.  It just does not sound natural/real to me.  Even a tiny silver fuse is too much silver content in my system. 

I always use Furutech rhodium male/IEC plugs with one of the following configurations:

- braided 20awg solid-core OCC copper Teflon coated. (6 braids for 12awg, 8 braids for 11awg)

- Audioquest NRG-4 (best audioquest cable without their DBS system).  Chopped with furutech rhodium connectors.

Granted the Audioquest is light at 13 awg (so if you want more, I would just double up the cables -- the Furutech plugs are large enough to accept them).  However, this is the only UL rated cable that uses solid-core conductors of the proper gauge (19awg for hot, 21awg for neutral/ground).  There are some other offerings out there which use 18awg or 16awg conductors.  In my experience, those conductors are too large and will roll-off high frequencies.

These cables are going to be less than $500 to build.  I'm not sure how they will stack up to something like $3,000-6,000, but I am not willing to find out.,  And the fact that they are probably not going to be solid core and that they will likely use silver is a turn-off for me. 

The Wire World is still stranded cables.  Granted, they are putting the strands into small bundles, but it's still stranded.  Though, this is much better than high-stranded stuff like Furutech OCC copper, but it's still stranded.  I've tested the Alpha-OCC stranded cords and they sound like low-fidelity equipment.  It causes a bright "solid-state" cheapness type of sound.  It just doesn't sound right, even though it's OCC and expensive.

68pete
991 posts
 
auxinput
Where in central Ca. are you?  I am about 30 miles south east of Sacramento
More to discover