Review: NBS Statement Power cord


Category: Cables

My mother always told me, "never talk about religion, politics, sex or power cords." One sure way to start a war is to discuss the benefits of power cords with high-end audio equipment. Well I never listened to her as I grew up, so why should I start taking her advice now.
Power cords are something I have been interested in sense the early ‘70s when I tested different weigh cords on my Marantz amp. Then they direct wired cords so I soldered my cords directly to the power supply terminals. It was true in the ‘70s and it remains true today that different cords do definitely affect the performance of electronic equipment. I will leave the science and the theories to the forums, but I can tell you what I have found over the past few years. I have tried many of the cords available today (maybe 30) and believe most cords are truly system dependant. I have owned cords that were magic on one piece of equipment and awful on another.

The cords I found among best are the Shunyata Research snakes, BMI Whale Elite, Electra Glide Fatboy, Custom Power Cord Top Gun, FIM Gold and my reference cord NBS Statement. The "snakes" are extremely quiet and do an incredible job at eliminating much of the noise and haze from the signal. If you want a great cord and do not want to test many cords to find the perfect one I would recommend the new Python. It is as good as their older King Cobra at a third the cost. My only complaint of the snakes is they tend toward the dark side of neutral. I find them to add a bit of bloom to the bass, a smear of the bottom end that slightly masks the detail. BMI and Top Gun are excellent lower cost cords that provide 90% of the dark background and offers good detail and definition, decidedly not the best but very good. The Fatboy cords have excellent detail, very dark transparent background and a huge sound stage. The bass definition and slam where its weakness along with their extreme stiffness. In comparison to the NBS Statement the high end might be a bit thin. FIM Gold is perfect in sound quality, bass control, treble extension. They are so stiff they are difficult to keep in the equipment and I have heard of the cords breaking the receptor on the equipment. I had to go through many special set-ups to keep this cord from lifting my pre-amp off the shelf. Consequently I sold the FIM.

NBS Statement has over time become my only power cord. This cord is as quiet as any cord, with the blackest background I have heard. They have fully extended the treble with no grain or glare and with the proper weight and definition. The midrange is full and lush and the bass is extremely well defined with solid slam and impact. The PRAT is excellent, something often effected by power cords. I have tried this cord on several different components, solid state, tubes and digital, it always preforms the same. It is consistently the best of any of the cords I test it against. This is very unusual, power cords tend to be especially system sensitive and component matching is critical. For me the NBS has fit with every component I have used it on and has always provided the best of what a power cord offers. The used price of $500-600 makes it competitive with many cords on the market and a bargain compared with some.

Associated gear
Sony SCD-1 SACD player
Placette active pre-amp
two Plinius SA-102 amps, vert. bi-amped
Dunlavy IVa speakers
Nordost Valhalla cables
Shunyata Research Hydra power cond.

Similar products
Shunyata Research Python
FIM Gold
128x128jadem6
Another very good and honest review, Jadem6. I was considering upgrading my Shunyata Taipan to the Python. I can't afford an NBS Statement. You didn't mention the Taipan, so I am assuming the Python is an upgrade up. You also didn't mention any of the AZ power cords. Any thoughts on the Tsunami, Krakatoa, and Gargantua to help in my upgrade decision. This will be for a Plinius 8200 amp. Thanks for your consideration.
I felt the Taipan was thin and a bit bright for my system. I burned it in for over 300 hours on a 12 amp pump hoping it would settle out, but it remained a bit harsh. The AZ Krakatoa was similiar to the Taipan with the Gargantuua coming closer to neutral. The python is a clear step ahead of all these and closer to the most expensive cords avalible.
Thanks, Jadem6. I just sold my Taipan and bought a Python. I'll keep you posted on my observations when I get it hooked up. In the meantime, finding a used NBS Statement for $500-600.00 might be difficult. It appears that the current owners aren't too eager to part with them, at least not at that price. I just saw an ad for one asking $900.00.
good luck trying to buy from this guy now . . that was then this is now . . he is rude, disrespectful and brute.
Tried to give him an order, and treated me like dirt ready to spend $6,000 to $9,000 in his 'wonderful cables" nut it's the first time in my life soembody disrespects me while trying to give him a nice order. ohh well I'll keep my curiosity and my money, if thsi persists he won't last long . .. that for sure . . .
Too many nice people in this business especially designers like Mr Nelson Pass (Pass, Labs, Dynaco, THreshold), David Belles (Belles, OCM /Magnum Dynalabs, Belles Power Modules); Ray Kimber(KImber Kable); Caelin Gabriel(Shunyata); Scott Hall(Electraglide). Mr. Geroge Cardas (Cardas); etc. etc.
I think NBS would be maybe a good product but for the money . . I'll keep my respect and $$ and take them somehwere else where i am needed and wanted and my 4 could be a blessing to other people that has jobs (like making good cables)

Hope this helps.

God Bless;

Gonzalo