Upgraded power cables- Who's on First?

It all depends on what sounds best to you. I started at the conditioner. Then the Pre, Phono Pre, CDP. There are excellent power supplies in a lot of gear. With that said. You wouldn't get the best results using an upgraded cord on those units verses other components with a lesser grade power supply. My experience anyway ...........

So, how do you know which gear has a good power supply?

What? (2nd base)

How are we supposed to help if we don't know what pc's you have on hand to deal with now?

If you don't feel like moving your pc's around to find out which sounds best to you, then whereever you have them now is best.

For me to say put your brand X on this and brand Z on that, and not even knowing which one is which leaves me thinking...

'I don't know'.... 3rd base!

So we don't have to be psychics tell us what pcs you have and a bit more of your audio affair.

Why? (center field) ...There's more to it.

RE PS:
cost of the item will tell you something about the power supply in a piece.... something, but not everything. Some say the more effect a conditioner has on a thihng the less effective or robust is that items' power sup.

>>>"If you have 2 upgraded power cables to use where is the the best place to use them?"<<<

You may want to look at this from a different perspective ... most power cords are built in various configurations and designed for specific applications

High current amps and power conditioners generally benefit for larger gauge conductors that can deliver high bursts of current un-impeded

Low level sources and pre amps will benefit from cables whose construction can deliver constant ... non varying ... rock steady ... linear current ... the clocks in our digital components do no like swings in current as they use it for timing ... varying current = swings in the clock's timing = bad mojo

Analog components usually don't require extra shielding as they generally don't balloon RF as a by product of their operation into the surroundings

Digital components usually benefit from shielding as they do tend to balloon RF into the surroundings as a by product of their operation ... which can then couple to the other components in your system

IMO you need to determined what type of power cords you have

...(>>>"If you have 2 upgraded power cables to use"<<<)

... and how and where their design will work best with which one of your particular components

The other side of the coin and an opposite approach is to look at the component's requirements in your system for a power cord and then purchase a cord that best matches that component requirements

You wouldn't put a set of 16x32 ripple wall Drag slicks on your VW Rabbit or a set of premium snow tires on your Bugatti Veyron

I viewed your system and by the looks of your home ... your probably driving the Veyron

I feel cable / component matching is the most critical followed by positioning

If you have the right cable component match ... Then IMO wall to power conditioner will benefit all components followed by source to power conditioner as any information lost at the source can not be recovered down stream

Big power amps tend to have very robust power supplies and storage capacity that seem to respond less dramatically to power cords ... but you still need to mate with the right designed cord

Power cords can not improve the in coming current but they can definitely severely degrade it when mismatched

>>>"I really am too lazy to do hours of testing"<<<

"Education is what you obtain when you read the small print ... Experience is what you get when you don't"

Understand your products design and function or you will be out in Left Field batting Flies

When you all say you still need to mate your amp with the right designed cord? Does this mean that the designer of said unit did not take this into account when listening to the finished product? Also stated Low level sources and pre amps will benefit from cables whose construction can deliver constant ... non varying ... rock steady ... linear current ... the clocks in our digital components do no like swings in current as they use it for timing ... varying current = swings in the clock's timing = bad mojo
So the designer of a digital component didn't hear the different swings in current when detemining what power cord size or configuration to use? This sounds very fishy to me and the only way to eat this up would be a nice dry white wine to swallow all these so called misinforamtion.

Baseball fans:

So we don't have to be psychics tell us what pcs you have and a bit more of your audio affair.

I have a Signal Magic PC $100 and a Virtual Dynamics $$$ model and price unknown.

Power cords can not improve the in coming current but they can definitely severely degrade it when mismatched

now you are scaring me.

From Single Cable website: Signal Magic PC Application: Power Amplifiers, Powered Subwoofers, Analog Preamplifiers and Power Conditioners

The VD cord is probably a Virtual Dynamics power 3 and is recommended for use anywhere but from my experience with this cord it seemed better suited for A-D & D-A converters and CD players. That is just a guess though as to what cord it probably is.

Without you actually moving the cords around and listing for yourself your really not going to know what position sounds best for each cord.

Perfect example is I have an Elrod Sig 3 which really was meant to go on amps while the Elrod Sig 2 was for cdp's and such,I personally didn't like the Sig 2 on my cdp but loved the Sig 3 there, now on my tube amps I used Electraglide Epiphany X power cords which again I was told were for source applications, pre-amps, and line conditioners and not so much amps BUT I liked them on the amps more than anywhere else in the system so the point is until you swap your cords around your not going to know!!

Blue...

>>>"So we don't have to be psychics tell us what pcs you have and a bit more of your audio affair."<<<

Starting at the wall HD explosion proof aluminum receptacles box that weighs about 6 pounds ... the aluminum protects the R1 Oyaide Duplex from RF and the thick construction reduces vibration that can be picked up from the walls ... also capped off with a Oyaide Carbon Fiber plate

I've used Jenn labs, Purist Audio design, and various other 5362 type outlets and the R1 smokes them all

Power cable from R1 outlet to Exact Power power conditioner is an Elrod EPS sig 3 designed for high current vs EPS sig 2 designed for low level devices ..

Arye D1ex dvd/cd source and external crossover have bi directional filtering ... remember I talked about digital by products ... Foundation Research LC1 (designed for low level devices vs LC2 or LC100 designed for high current applications)

Phase Linear D500 (500 watts @8 ohm and 960 @ 4 ohm ) amp has high current low impedance ESP power cord directly wired to amp's 140000pf power supply ... because of modified dual diode bridge and very stiff power supply no need to spend extra bucks for Elrod sig 3 as ESP delivers the burst power because of it's low impedance design

Sub amp is P/Linear 700B (350 @ 8 ohm and 700 @ 4 ohm) waiting for stock cord to be upgraded to ESP when I get time

I practice what I preach ... proper cord for specific application

>>>" I have a Signal Magic PC $100 and a Virtual Dynamics $$$ model and price unknown"<<<

Just determine what they were design for and apply them correctly ... price has nothing to do with it

>>>" Power cords can not improve the in coming current but they can definitely severely degrade it when mismatched "<<<

Blue ... you must have skipped class the day we discussed the Laws of Conservation of Matter ... "Energy can neither be created or destroyed only altered in form" ...

Basically you can't create or improve upon the incoming current only degrade it ... the less degrading a power cord is the better it sounds

>>>"now you are scaring me"<<<

You should be scared with all the SWAGing ... [Scientific Wild A$$ Guessing] that goes on in this forum ...

Math and Physics are the only thing that can effect your system ... learn how they interact and you'll have the Keys To the Kingdom"

Schipo ... I must take my wife to lunch right now ... I will respond to your post as soon as I return ... put on one of your fancy suit and have a glass of what ever ...

I'll Be Back .

Davehrab
"HD explosion proof aluminum receptacles box that weighs about 6 pounds "

Having a problem with exploding walls?

My house was built in 1841 and the walls are so thick I decided to pass on the "explosion proof" boxes. I did get Albert Porters cryo treated wall receptacle thank you.

OK so I will do some testing and move those cords around from base to base. I hope I can hear a difference.

Waiting to see you have Schipo for dessert.

PS

If I sell the Bugatti how many hignend Pcs could I get for $1.7 million ?

Bugatti for $1.7 mil ...... It all depends as to what's your flavor $ / $$ / $$$ / $$$$ ???? You could go after the ones that are $10k a meter and need two meters for each component. With that kind of cash you might consider new components to match your cords! :))

Elizabeth

I think I will take your advice and try that arrangement first. The Signal Magic from the Porter Wall receptacle to the power conditioner, then the big ass Virtual dynamics cord from the preamp to the conditioner.

I still will need another pc to the cdp but am low on funds. How about a Goner steppin up and sending me one of their spares? Elizabeth>?

Update: Cable ordered. AA said it would take 1oo hrs to burn in. Should I hook it up to the freezer?

Ugrade all cables be a sport.

I cannot upgrade the two amps because they are hardwired. everything else had been upgraded.
Next I should look at the speaker cables. One pair (biwired) is top line Straightwire and the other is pretty old Monster Powerline 2 I believe.
Is it important that they match?

Please let me know your thoughts on the Pangea. If you hear a difference, I will consider a purchase. Thanks.

I think because they demand the most power, that the amps should get the best power cords.
But then I also feel that the end(speakers)of the system is where I would start to place my priorities and work backwards.
Linn be damned.

The best case is the same quality power cords to every component.
The full loom approach which is one Brit mantra that I believe in.

bad in = bad out. Putting a better power cable on your amp first won't make your signal any better if the signal coming from the CDP has bad power. The better the signal to start off with the better it will be when it reaches your speakers.

You need to get rid of that virtual dynamics power cable, however. It's over-priced, mechanical and unmusical... but gives the impression of being musical artificially -- been there done that. I have a few better suggestions.

Who's on First? Most important power cable is the one from the breaker box to the outlet. Can I assume everyone has a proper dedicated line? Two would even be better.

I second that, and also add that the minimum gauge be at least 10 gauge, and a dedicated line for each component to start.

I really am too lazy to do hours of testing if someone has already figured this out

Alright,someone that's truthful about why they asked a question!!