Shunyata vs Electraglide vs FIM


Which is better and why?
cybergaze
Cyber- It is always difficult to say item X is always better than Y in all applications. However, given that I've owned and compared all of these side-by-side, I don't believe you can go wrong with FIM GOLD. The Shunyata KCv1 is a fun, BIG sounding cable that has a nice "black background" but is slightly noisy compared to the FIM. The EG Fatboy is smooth, but lacked lowend texture and slightly subdued the presence region. The FIM has it all. In my system, I rank them FIM, then Shunyata, then further down is the EG. I have a very revealing system, so your experience could obviously be different. Just my .02.
I have heard 3 different systems that have had KC and or FB. Fatboy is not in the running. KC got beat up by FIM in all 3 of these systems. I can't help but think the FIM will out perform KC in every application.
The one that is better is the one that works best in your particular application. All these cords should be ridiculously easy and inexpensive to procure for a trial. I would add the Audio Magic Clairvoyant power cord to your list, I found it competitive with the others you mention, though I haven't heard the FIM. Sometimes, the journey can be as rewarding and educational as the final choice of the perfect power cord. I wouldn't base a purchase on net surveys. If the music and your system synergy is important to you, you owe it to yourself to perform some evaluations. At the prices those cables come in at, I would consider some personal eval's mandatory.
FIM Gold 6 ft. PC is nearly half the price of the Cobra and indeed sounds FAR better than any cord in my many( insane?) applications which have included Synergistic, Shunyata, Electraglide and others. All the FIM cables have, IMOP, raised the bar to a new sonic level. I've had less than pinnacle experiences with Electraglide. I would have to parrot what Samuel said, different components work differently in different applications. In your given system, only swapping in/out and A/B'ing different cords will let you hear the difference and determine what you like best. Then again, thats part of the fun.Hello jctubes.
I tried both the FIM Gold and two different Shunyata Black Mambas on my Rogue 88 amplifier, and found them all to sound very similar. They were bright, and lacked dynamic contrast. I preferred the Synergistic Reference Master Coupler to both of these (not the standard, but the "reference"), and it is less expensive than either of them. I know there are those who feel that a power cord should NOT lower the noise floor (the FIM dealer said as much), but I'm not one of them. The FIM is extremely cumbersome to use, also. I have not tried any of the Electraglides. My system is less expensive than perhaps the typical system, but I would put it up against anyone's here.
Samuel: What's your opinion of the Jetstream? I agree with you that these posts are great for giving you some varied opinions, but you better put the cord in your system and listen for yourself. They do different things in different systems. Their particular attributes may add or detract from the sound, depending on your listening biases and system characteristics. I don't know from my experience if I could say that one cord is unconditionally better than another, although many do with the FIM Gold cord. I'd love to hear one. I also auditioned the Audio Magic Clairvoyant and would agree that it is a very good power cord. It was a tad lean compared to some others, but the dynamics, soundstaging, and black background were remarkable. I have a Suhuaro SlipStream that works extemely well in my system, which is why I would consider the Jetstream.