Well, your conclusions also happen to prove that powercords can make a HUGE difference in an audio system. Anyhow, has the powercord been broken in fully? I've read criticisms of how the Statements rolled off highs, but never shrill and zingy.
Stick with your stock cables ?
i recently installed my new m.levinson 383 integrated amp, and initially found the treble region sounding shrill and zingy, whereas my speakers (s.fabers) had always sounded fine before. this was a crushing disappointment in light of the fact that (1)i was expecting a significant improvement in musicality, soundstaging, bass, inner detail, etc. and (2)just spent over $3k. i then took the plug from the wall and moved it to an api 116 ultra power conditioner; there was some improvement in reducing the overly bright character i was hearing, but it was still too hard-sounding. then i substituted the stock power cord for the ps audio x-stream statement i had been using, which i thought was pretty good wire. NOW the amp sounded balanced and smooth, while retaining most (okay, not all) of the clarity the ps cable provided. well, hell, what do you know! and how much do these stock cords cost again?!
years ago i bought my 1st power cord, a transparent, to try out on a levinson 23.5 amp. it too brought out a bit more clarity, but added some harshness as well. since then i've tried ps audio, demarzio, and essence cords, while trying to avoid getting any $2k cords. not that i haven't looked at them, or read with some interest how people felt about the "clearer window" they are supposed to provide. and they probably DO to some extent, but to be driven out of the room by the sound of an expensive high-end set of components is just about the worst thing i can imagine, like early digital players and poorly recorded cd's. so once again, while i have no hesitation in adding a power conditioner or trying out different audio cables (some which are as good as upgrading a component imho), power cords to me do two things-provide adequate current, and reject outside noise.
as someone who used to work for jeff rowland told me, that their components had to sound good using the power cord they put in the box, or else it went back to R&D. doesn't that make perfect sense? it does to me...
years ago i bought my 1st power cord, a transparent, to try out on a levinson 23.5 amp. it too brought out a bit more clarity, but added some harshness as well. since then i've tried ps audio, demarzio, and essence cords, while trying to avoid getting any $2k cords. not that i haven't looked at them, or read with some interest how people felt about the "clearer window" they are supposed to provide. and they probably DO to some extent, but to be driven out of the room by the sound of an expensive high-end set of components is just about the worst thing i can imagine, like early digital players and poorly recorded cd's. so once again, while i have no hesitation in adding a power conditioner or trying out different audio cables (some which are as good as upgrading a component imho), power cords to me do two things-provide adequate current, and reject outside noise.
as someone who used to work for jeff rowland told me, that their components had to sound good using the power cord they put in the box, or else it went back to R&D. doesn't that make perfect sense? it does to me...
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