Very true now look at PURIST one of the great cables. |
I've been saying for years that wire is equally as important as any other component. Congrats for noticing. |
OP you mention ic and sc but I think power cords can make or break a system.
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Wire. I've been saying for years that wire is equally as important as any other component.
My bad. Not years. Decades. |
Speakers first, wire last |
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Good cables can enable us to realize the potential of the entire system.
Testing in reverse, going from really good cables back to mediocre ones, with lower grade purity metals and poor shielding, while moving them around a system to compare differences can be reconfirming.
Evaluating source components and evaluating speakers with low grade cabling throughout a system can be a great loss of time and less than rewarding experience. I also place a value on cables when the rest of the system and speakers are high in quality. Low grade cables can mask the potential. ...only as good as the weakest links. |
With regards to power cords? How relevant can it be if the a.c. wire from my home fuse box to the outlet is not thick? Would the amp be most affected by the power cord upgrade? Other than that and my dac, can't change the power cord. |
I take it you're just a BIT resistant to advice on cables? How long do you want to take to figure out power cords? Five years? Ten years before you try? :(
EVERY power cord is critical!
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Yeah. Hate going down slippery slope since this hobby can get really expensive. Haven't really shopped for power cords but are there some reasonably priced ones worth recommending? |
@OP,
I, too, was skeptical about power cords. I just bought inexpensive Zu cables and called it a day.
Then I listened to the new AQ cables-speaker, interconnect and power- and became a believer in what cables can do to a system.
Unfortunately, they can become costly.
Though it depends upon your equipment, and budget, I would recommend Audioquest Thunder power cords. They are the least expensive of the newest bunch released and will give you a taste of what a PC can do. They are popping up used nowadays, but I will say these cables are a bit unwieldy, so be sure to add additional length as well as some right angle connectors.
Bob |
Wow. Maybe I can get in before the naysayers make the thread worthless. I was skeptical as most are. Especially about PC. But I've come to understand that everything counts. One mistake I may have made early on when I bought my cables is putting a lot of silver in my system. That was 15 yrs ago. And just lately I was reminded of that and its possibility of causing me to have to fight brightness in my system. My general motto is that anything worth doing is worth doing to excess. So all silver wires is what I ended up with. Now I'm considering "Audio Envy" cables which are supposedly some giant killers. 45 day return and reasonable cost. Great reviews. They will be my next cable adventure. Oh BTW PCs are copper and they made a difference worthy of their cost or more. |
The cables and power cords arguments go around and around. As I researched this, I saw the same arguments going back for years. The "try it and see" people get scorched by the "well, once you spend the money you have to believe it" people. The "everything matters" people get scorched by the "wire in your wall" people. I’m with the "try it and see" people, tempered by the idea that unless you have unlimited $$s, it's best to consider (a) what you want and (b) whether you might achieve that more effectively with other changes. And my sense of humor never falters because, at the end of the day, this is a recreational hobby with discretionary income. |
Why with about the past?
Now is all we have. |
@hilde45 The "try it and see" people get scorched by the "well, once you spend the money you have to believe it" I see that argument too and it seems quite illogical since many if not most offer a 30 - 60 day return. If they want to KNOW whether cables makes a difference, then take the 30 day challenge. Under the return policy there is no obligation to like it. Send it back. But logical procedure and curiosity both are in short supply. |
@artemus_5 ,
+1,
My dealer, Audioconnection, sold me the AQ Thunders. He said if I didn't like them, I could send them back.
Don't get me started on the William Tell speaker cables...
Bob |
And/Or, support a good local audio dealer who allows you to take take cables home and try them for 30 days. If not, find another dealer. It sure eliminates all the guessing and wonder.
Best thing I ever did long ago. With first hand experience the difference was undeniable. Once you hear the benefits and "know"when its better, be prepared to get the wallet out. |
It is possible to have an unexciting result, especially if you are cheap about it, i.e. choose an inexpensive 14 AWG power cord. Put enough money into it to get a nice result. Try for at least 12 AWG, and buy two, not one. Changing two is almost always easily heard.
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This thread made me think ... I should contact The Cable Company tomorrow. If I'm ever put on life support machine, (one never know's) what is the best PC they can recommend. Maybe I'll have one ready.... Of course Power Cables matter!! |
I second the suggestion to try Audio Envy. I have had a good experience switching over to their cables from Cardas. I don’t have much to compare their power cables to, but their cords are more flexible than the other two brands I had. In my installation I needed that flexibility, so hearing nothing untoward coming from their PC’s, I switched over all of mine. |
isochronism, perhaps you should carry that PC with you in a sachel. You never know when you’ll need it! ;) Me? I'm ready to die; no problem. :) |
@douglas_schroeder isochronism, perhaps you should carry that PC with you in a sachel. You never know when you’ll need it! ;) Exactly, the heart monitoring equipment will have a much fuller, richer, and natural tone when you flatline with the aftermarket PC attached. Double blind tests will verify this. |
jaferd
Welcome! to the Club. Now, the fun really begins. Have fun!
Happy Listening! |
They do, and so does clean electrical power (through fuse, MCB, grounding, etc.). All cables will react differently to different system, and cable matching are important (provided the system is sensitive enough to reveal the difference). |
