Purist Audio power cords and cables

I agree with Zd542, why don’t you listen and decide for yourself if an upgrade to an ultimate level cable has merit in your system. While you’re at it, The Cable Company has other brands in every price category.

In short, It does not matter what we think, you’re the one left with the result of your decision after the money is spent.

I will say that cable at the ultimate tier, regardless of brand or design is (in my opinion) best used in a system where speakers, amp and other options are pretty much at maximum.

At that point ultimate cable designs become critically important. Short of that, you’re right, the price for any top brand that represents a disproportional portion of your total investment in the system is probably wrong.

Inna

Albert, I suspect you tried every Purist cable ever made. What is the difference between Dominus and the newest one? And another question to you. Is that customized Technics that you have, two actually, the best turntable available? Better than Walker or just different?
I don't borrow equipment if I have no intention of buying it.
Envy your Studer.

Inna,

The Dominus line has been strong for many years and the newest version is better than ever. However, when one moves up to the Limited or 25th Anniversary it brings the filter network into the test.

The filter network cleans up so much grunge it's hard to explain unless you hear the effect. The 25th Anniversary not only has the filter network but uses pure Silver conductors. There is so much difference between the 25th and Dominus you would not believe it.

On the Walker, I had the premium version at the time with Black Diamond tonearm and every update including power supply. It was a wonderful table and very quiet, the linear track arm has advantages as well. The problem is speed stability and dynamics, the direct drive Technics SP10 MK3 excels in that department and comes much closer to the Studer, for which I have some master dubs to compare to LP.

Inna
Albert, I've been reading your posts for years and have no reason not to believe your hearing and objectivity.
So, those cords are not just cords, they are also sort of power conditioners.Hope to try them one day. Currently using Custom Power Cord Company Top Gun cords, they are very good; I don't have very powerful amps for which they are not quite recommended.
Well, speed stability and dynamics are paramount. Why don't we see more direct drive tables? Too difficult to make them right?
You don't use linear tracking arms with your Technics. Why not? It doesn't work or just not a very good match?

Inna, That’s a lot of ground to cover and difficult to answer. Yes, Purist Limited and 25th Anniversary have a filter network that scrapes off noise, RF and EMI. In some systems this effect can be huge.

I have not tried Custom Power Cord Company Top Gun so it’s not appropriate for me to comment. I have listened to dozens of cables of all types and certainly there are some that stand out. All of this is dependant on the system they are put in.

As for why not more direct drive tables, actually there seem to be a swing back that way but we will have to see. VPI is producing one, Pass Labs frequently shows at audio venues with a Technics and PBN (Peter) is offering restored direct drive tables. They are not so rare as one might think.

As for linear track arms, I’ve owned a good many of them, beginning back in the 1970s with the Rabco and later the ET-2 built by Bruce Thigpen. In the time when CDs were supposed to take over analog I had the Versa Dynamics turntable with it’s linear tracking arm and later I owned several Basis Debut Gold tables and a couple of them had linear trackers including the Air Tangent from Europe.

After that I owned the Walker Proscenium with original arm and later the Black Diamond. Both were linear tracking.

Linear tracking does have lower tracking error but presents other problems at the same time. The worst of these in my mind is bearing coupling. An air bearing is not as stiff as a top notch captured bearing design such as SME, Tri Planar and other similar designs.

In short, the capture bearing designs are typically better bass performance and less likely to be “driven” by the cartridge. This is a general answer and does not cover all arms and certainly not every interaction with various cartridges.

As with cable, all these designs have their own sound and it would take a short novel to describe every variation. I will say that when you are in the presence of each of these as I was, the sense is that you have reached the limit of what is possible.

With time and perspective that changes and you realize there are multiple paths and if you can figure out exactly what you like and why, then choosing the correct gear gets easier.

Stringreen
To ME, Purist has a particular sound whereas Wireworld just tells it like it is.

Every connection has a particular sound, I’ve never listened to any interconnect or speaker cable that did not alter sound from what it was being compared to.

Some people like Wireworld, some Cardas, some Purist and some High Fidelity cable. Obviously all these are top quality and end user should use what best suits them and their system.