When a power cord could obviously affect SQ


I have been a bit of a non-believer in power cords having magical effects on SQ but I have been discussing with Frank Ng a pair of PP 2A3 amps I am purchasing from TriodeLab.  He is supplying a pair of his preferred cables and he points out that the  2A3s’ cathodes are fed directly from the mains transformer.

The amps (UPS willing) arrive tomorrow - this should be quite an experience - it has been quite a game finding great tubes.

 

 

retiredaudioguy

@richardbrand 

It’s proprietary. I couldn’t find any official info on the construction of the WyWires Digital Power Cords Juice II Silver Series. So I finally turned to AI.

Here’s what I got...

I first asked,

How does WyWires shield their power cords from EMI and RFI?

 

I got this answer.

QUOTE;

WyWires manages Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) through a combination of proprietary wire geometry, material selection, and specialized noise-absorption technology rather than relying solely on traditional, heavy physical shielding. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Their shielding and noise mitigation techniques include: [1]
  • Asymmetrical Litz Wire: All of their cables—including the Power Cord Juice II—use custom Litz copper conductors, which reduce skin effect and proximity losses. This geometry is designed to prevent external interferences from passing into the cable. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
  • Air-Dielectric Design: WyWires prioritizes "air over dielectric" and uses natural materials like cotton, which minimizes capacitance that can cause transient masking and time-delay smearing. This passive approach relies on optimal geometry to naturally block interference without adding synthetic mass

END OF QUOTED MATERIAL.

/   /   /   

Then I asked this question:

Can you provide a wiring illustration of the design of the digital juice II silver series power cord?

I got this answer.

QUOTE:

"WyWires does not publish blueprints, schematics, or wiring diagrams of their proprietary, hand-crafted cable architectures." [1, 2, 3]
"However, technical data sheets and details from designer Alex Sventitsky reveal the specific physical anatomy and internal cross-section parameters of the Digital Power Cord Juice II Silver Series:"
"Anatomy of the Cross-Section
  • Conductors (Hot & Neutral): 10 AWG total gauge standard asymmetrical Litz copper bundles. Rather than a single fat conductor, each pole is comprised of multiple varying-gauge, individually insulated copper strands braided to suppress the skin effect. [1, 2]
  • Grounding Wire: 14 AWG ground conductor, geometrically decoupled from the main current-carrying bundles to prevent high-frequency noise bleeding. [, 2]
  • Dielectric Layer: A "pure air" primary dielectric where the Litz copper strands are wrapped loosely in organic, unbleached cotton. This leaves microscopic air pockets around the strands, pushing the capacitance down to a very low 8.1 pF per foot (at 60Hz). [, 2, 3, 4]
  • Shielding Strategy: 100% Unshielded design. The Silver Series explicitly omits heavy braided copper or Mylar foil shielding wrappers to avoid the energy absorption and time-delay signal smearing they cause. Instead, the asymmetrical braiding geometry acts as a passive noise rejector. [1, 2]
  • Outer Sheathing: Finished in a flexible, recognizable gray/silver textile outer mesh jacket." [1, 2]

*End of quoted material.

AI Link

    /       /      /      / 

It sounds like multiple Litz copper conductors are braided together for each Hot and Neutral conductor. That’s pretty common construction now days. Seems it is more effective in controlling EMI than just twisting the hot and neutral conductor together.

I’m pretty sure after braiding multiple Litz wires together, making an equivalent wire gauge of  #10awg copper, the conductor is then covered with a suitable insulating covering material. Might be 300V rated or 600V rated. ???.  

AI doesn’t say, (at least I didn’t see anything), are the two current carrying conductors then twisted together??? One way or the other I imagine they are intertwined in some fashion. I am pretty sure the actual hot and neutral Litz conductors are not braided together with one another. I wouldn’t trust the thin Lintz insulation covering the bare copper wire.

It is possible groups of litz wire are braided together then covered with a suitable 300V or 600V insulation. Then the made up groups, that make an equivalent wire gauge of a #10 for each Hot and Neutral conductors groups are braided/woven together.  

I just scratched the surface on how the cable might be made. 

And,  Audiophiles wonder why audiophile Power Cords can be so expensive.

/ / /

The Late Alex Sventitsky.

WyWires with Alex Sventitsky, Zesto and TAD

 

```````````

Labor intensive?  

Have you read this white paper?

Iconoclast Cable TIME...  

Here’s a great Youtube video interview with Galen Gareis formerly of Belden Wire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tgi7njiRSM   

.

@invalid : The  2A3 cathode is AC-coupled through the power transformer. So that isolates it from the wall  AC. IMO I wouldn't worry about this.

@jea48 : My gear is all connected on the same AC line. I don’t hear any bleed-through from the switching power supplies on some of the gear. IMO this is much-ado-about- nothing!

That $499 WyWires Juice II Silver Series power cord is nice-looking audio jewelry!

@jasonbourne71 

From someone who states this: 

jasonbourne71's avatar

jasonbourne71

1,873 posts

 

Yes, the A - S1200 is a fine match. For the $3K+ you spent it better be! 

All amps of low noise, distortion and low output impedance will sound indistinguishable.

A Fosi V3 would suffice and save you a lot of money, though lacking the bragging rights of the A - S1200.

I don’t think anyone is shocked you don’t hear how clean or dirty your electricity is. 

Nice to see you loiter in another cable thread though.