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 

Ya, I am pretty sure it’s a ferrite ring. Installed at the IEC connector end.

Electrical connectors are Furutech.

I wish cable manufacturers would supply more technical information, but I can think of two reasons why they don’t.

two reasons why they don’t.??

.

two reasons why they don’t

  1. If the cable really works, other manufacturers could more easily copy it, given the technical specifications
  2. The 'technical information' does not hold up under scrutiny

Call me cynical angry but I won't buy a specialist cable unless there is a plausible explanation for why it might be worthwhile

@richardbrand 

Call me cynical angry but I won't buy a specialist cable unless there is a plausible explanation for why it might be worthwhile

You don't need to buy anything to find the answers. Borrow it.

Stop thinking and start listening. 

 

@retiredaudioguy very cool! I did as you said and learned that filamentary triode tubes like the two a three can be powered with either AC or DC to the filament. Here’s a little exerpt from the AI explanation. Thanks for prompting this little learning experience!

AC Filament Heating

  • Standard Specifications: 2.5 Volts AC at 2.5 Amperes. [12]
  • How it is used: It is powered directly from a dedicated low-voltage winding on an amplifier's power transformer. [12]
  • The Challenge: Because the filament is also the cathode, the 60Hz (or 50Hz) mains frequency alternating through it can cause audible "hum" in the speakers. [12]
  • The Fix: Designers use a hum potentiometer or a center-tapped transformer winding to find an electrical balance point, canceling out most of the AC hum. Many audiophiles prefer AC because they believe it yields a more organic, open soundstage. [12]

DC Filament Heating

  • Standard Specifications: 2.5 Volts DC at 2.5 Amperes. [123]
  • How it is used: The AC from the transformer is passed through a rectifier bridge and smoothing capacitors (and often a voltage regulator) to turn it into pure, flat DC before entering the tube.
  • The Advantage: It completely eliminates AC-induced background hum, making it ideal for high-efficiency speakers where background noise is highly noticeable. [12]
  • The Tradeoff: One side of the filament will always be slightly more positive than the other, causing a tiny imbalance in electron wear across the filament over time