Question for Atma-sphere, will expensive power cables improve your amplifiers?
The reason I am asking is I feel manufacturers of high quality components include all that is ever needed, power cable wise. Sure, some people buy power cables because they need special lengths or have some out of the ordinary "noise" issues that need extra insulation. Some even like the visual aspect of the aftermarket cables. I’m just curious why many spend thousands of dollars on such when the manufacturer has taken the power cable into account when producing the product. I cannot see a High-quality audiophile component maker (especially some that sell volume) pass on a few dollars for a better sounding power cable if indeed the cable improved their product. I cannot see a person buying that $7000 amp is not going to balk if the product was introduced at $7100 (with the better cable).
I wonder if Luxman, Accuphase, McIntosh, Gryphon...you name it "dressed" their power cables up to look like expensive aftermarket cables, owners would be so quick to "upgrade"?
I’d be curious to hear Ralph’s opinion on the subject
@westcoastaudiophile As I explained earlier the wiring in the walls is far higher performance than most power cords so Voltage drops in it are less of a problem unless you're really drawing some current. Some audiophiles have 20Amp circuits installed on this account. |
@audition__audio +1 My sentiments exactly. |
I easily hear differences in interconnects and speaker cable on my mid level system. All my power cables are lower/ middle level Cullen and one Zavfino. They are the only power cords I use and I don’t have the energy or desire to compare to any others. Those who also have challenges getting behind their rigs will understand. I know this has been discussed to death. I can understand why cables in the music signal path will impact sound. But I still do not understand how two similar gauge cables of different purity metals and qualities, both delivering equal power to a transformer, can impact sound. EXCEPT if one has some sort of gizmo to filter noise out of the electricity if the power is "dirty" and the unit’s transformer can’t filter it |
@atmasphere with all my respect to you and your wonderful creations, I like to add more details to this, somewhat important, discussion: 1) I think it’s pointless do discuss effects caused by “most cables/cords/wirings” without bringing up technical parameters, such as R/L/C per foot or meter, for specific parts. Power cables in my usage are better than my house wiring, thus have less voltage drop per length. Other important variables in power interconnects are connections between wires and terminals, and between mics. contacts. 2) Amplifiers with transformers/rectifiers/capacitors in a power supply, draw current at very short time over sine wave. Worse, the better the amp is the shorter time/phase segment current is drawn. The best power block designs I’ve seen and worked on, current drawn only 1..5% of time. Such circumstances make even 20A certified wiring/outlets not enough to reduce IR drop over AC supply, which can exceeds 10 Volts! Thats why house wiring shuld be the first step to improve sound system power delivery, to reduce IR drop caused by 50A or more short current spikes. 3) Transformers’ used in the amp’s power supply are the most IR-dropping devices in the chain, that’s why top brands use very expensive, well performing, heavy ones. Priciest part of Parasound JC1 for example is transformer! |
@westcoastaudiophile Usually the power transformer is one of the most expensive parts in any amp, unless SMPSs are used. Its very difficult to measure the RLC (especially the R) on a lot of power cords (you need a really good meter), but its fairly easy to measure the Voltage drop across it. You can measure how it behaves with those current spikes we both mentioned too. |
