Power cables need capacitance…Long ones have more.
you can even measure that!
shunyata ideal length is 1.75M.
voodoo 2meters
wireworld 3 M
you see they all vary
Ideal power cord lengths?
A quick Google search suggests there is consensus that the ideal power cord length is 2m. 1m cords sound “harsher” and 3m cords sound “smoother”, with 2m being the sweet spot. The PS Audio dude suggests that the reason is that the reason is that all cords have an impact on the power, and the greater the length, the greater the impact, good or bad.
I know many will say there is no difference between a 1m cord and a 3m cord. But my question is, who here has tried like model power cords of different lengths, and what were the differences?
Second question: How does length factor into the equation when you have a cord feeding a conditioner, then other cords feeding components? If 2m cords are in fact the ideal, would 1m cords be ideal when using conditioners?
I tend to believe those that say that power cord lengths matter. While I’ve not been able to do this test myself, I’ve had these two experiences:
- Testing Audioquest Diamond and Nordost Valhalla 2 USB cables, the cables shorter than 1.5m sounded TERRIBLE by comparison. Especially the .75m Audioquest Diamond vs the 1.5m version. But the 1m Valhalla 2 also sounded awful in comparison to the 2m version. In general this opened my eyes to how much cable length matters, and counterintuitively in the case of digital cables.
- I have a 2019 2m AudioQuest Hurricane Source cable from back when AQ braided their cables, and I also have the newer non-braided Hurricane Source, but 3m in length. The new Hurricane sounds vastly superior to my old 2m Hurricane. In comparison the older cord compresses the soundstage depth. I don’t know if the differences are due to the differences in length, or if it’s due to a design change by Audioquest.
Very interested in learning of others experiences with power cord lengths.
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Wow @pennfootball71 , thanks. Impressed you have those recommended lengths by vendor at your fingertips! Would you know of the ideal length for Audioquest? And, how those recommended lengths might vary if you have one cord for a conditioner and a second from the conditioner to your components? Would it be the vendor’s recommended length, or half that because there are effectively two in series? |
So no for Audioquest…They use the least amount of copper I mean we are talking. 13 gauge stuff. It’s very expensive for the little amount of material they give you. My favorite affordable power cable is $550 Shunyata Venom V10. audioquest is like the Chevy of this game unless you spend big money for their solid silver 10 grand Dragon cables. They are nice. |
As a follow up. I switched back to my Audio Research REF 160s. First listening to my 1 meter Audio Quest Hurricane power cord for a couple hours. Then switched to the 2 meter Audio Quest Hurricane. I was really hoping not to hear a difference… since I own the 1 meter power cord. But I do. The shorter cord provides a bit more immediate and forceful sound but a little reduced soundstage and soundstage depth. The longer is overall better sounding. I would call the longer more detailed and refined. Darn. So, of course, is it worth the extra cost and extra cord in back? I have to say, absolutely yes for me.
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