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If Power Cords Don't Matter...

First of all, I don’t own any high-end power cords, mostly because I can’t fit them behind my rack. Second, I am not trying to stir up controversy, as you will see from my question. I understand that the people who believe power cords make no difference argue that once the power gets into the component, the AC is converted to DC and the power supply of the component takes over completely. I think I have that right for the most part. So it that’s true, and it probably is from a traditional EE standpoint, why is it that I have not heard anyone say that power conditioners make no difference? I am not aware of anyone with a decent system ever saying that a Niagara or Triton or Audience teflon conditioner didn’t affect their sound, for good or for bad. So if the EE theory is true, wouldn’t power conditioners make no difference either? I have an Audience AR6T for almost 10 years and I think it made a big difference. BTW - I am not talking about Power Plants, which deal with voltage stabilization, which is a different topic.  Obviously, if your AC voltage is way off, it's going to cause problems.  
chayro
danager's avatar
danager
988 posts
 
Latest Audiogon email advertisement

List: $1,500.00
Sale: $749.00

Core Power Technologies Diamond Xtreme 6 Foot Power Cord
World Class 6’ power cord compares to the competition at under $10,000.00 Yeah! Really

It’s stuff like this that drives myself and newbies into a frenzy. Where is the outrage that a product dares compare itself with a product costing 13 and 1/3 times as much and what are they comparing?

Power cables do make a difference I’ve heard it and on surface this email either sounds like the biggest deal or biggest scam or power cables don’t really matter that much.

How would I ever know?
holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 
If they both do nothing, then it is wiser to get the cheaper placebo.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
$749 World Class 6’ power cord compares to the competition at under $10,000.00 Yeah! Really 

Yeah, really. $749 is "under" $10k. So is $50. So is zero. "World class" merely means compared to all free power cords made anywhere in the world. "Compares to" means "compares to" not better, just that you can compare them.   

The ad in other words says absolutely nothing. All it does is play on the readers susceptibility to emotional appeals.   

The "placebo" canard plays on fears just the same only different. Try and be a little more detached, and I think you will find the logic easier to process.
yuviarora's avatar
yuviarora
537 posts
 
DIY.....Make your own, so you can experiment with all sorts of different cables and different constructions. Grab cheap Copper Electrical cables from Home Depot and try them out for yourself.
Solid Copper cables in a litz construction sound very balanced, and cost of assembling one is about 60 dollars, for a 10 foot cable.
arcticdeth's avatar
arcticdeth
1,572 posts
 
Fuse box to outlets, 150-200 feet of cheapo 20ga standard electrician wiring, yet a 500$ 1-2 foot cable will make the instruments float on a magical imaginary cloud of bunny farts, to your ears,which will send you into a musical epiphany and rapture will consume the earth. 
  Take your hard earned money and buy more music, or speakers, cartridges, new CD player, or dac.
don’t waste your money on a 2 foot shielded cable. 
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