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need warm and LAID BACK hi-rez/focused power cord

I posted several months ago seeking recommendations for hi-rez, highly focused power cords in the tradition of the TG Audio Silver but with greater warmth or body. I did acquire a pair of Fusion Audio Enchanters and a VD Nite Platinum from the responses to my inquiry. However, after changes in amps, cd player, interconnects, and new Porter Ports, I find myself in need of advice again on the same matter. My system presently is: A Consonance Droplet 5.0 run directly into a Wyred 4 Sound ST 500 driving a pair of custom Legacy Focus clones using Eton drivers/midbass, metal dome mids & tweeters/NHT woofers. Both components are plugged into a PS Audio P 600 equipped with Porter Ports.
I have an Enchanter plugged into both the power regenerator and the CDP and a Wolff Gain with Oyaide Palladium/Gold plugs on the amp. Interconnects (balanced) are either Sunny Cables 1000's or Jungson Golden Dragons.
Speaker cables are Anti-Cables which I run directly into the speakers/crossovers bypassing binding posts.

My system is very detailed with very good focus and staggering dynamics. With good recordings, all is well and I'm quite satisfied. However, on some (many) recordings, horns, piano, and some guitar can some across aggressively. It has been recommended I replace the Oyaide plugs. Perhaps I will. What I would like are some recommendations on hi-rez, highly focused power cords that are to the laid back and warm side. I really liked the VD Nite Platinum but, it was too upfront for my system. Price is a factor in that I would like to spend $600 or less on the used market. Thanks in advance.
lcherepkai
rfogel8's avatar
rfogel8
192 posts
 
Lcherepkai, No, I really don't take issue with cables as tone controls to "sculpt" the sound. I personally find them quite necessary to bring out the best in a system and look at them as a means to do a little fine tuning. That is, after putting together components and speakers that already work reasonably well together no matter what cables are used.

Some components and/or speakers may never sound good, no matter what cable you throw at them. Changing a wall outlet or the end of a power cord strikes me as something akin to grabbing at straws.

Sorry to offend but after reading your trials and tribulations with power cords, plugs and wall sockets, hoping to tame aggressive sound, I can't help but think you're spending your money, and lot's of it, on the wrong things.

Regards
Post removed 
lcherepkai OP
277 posts
 
I would really like to upgrade the crossovers. It's been on my "to do" list for quite some time. I even shipped them up to Meniscus Audio a couple years back and they said they were just fine the way they were. That doesn't inspire me. Perhaps one of you know a good and affordable shop or individual who would be interested in upgrading my crossovers. Also, could someone take a rough guess as to what it would cost? The speakers are 4-way, six-driver. If possible, try to give me a best case/worst case scenario. Thanks!
lcherepkai OP
277 posts
 
Rfogel8---If I came across as offended, sorry. I can be rather direct but I wasn't offended; perhaps frustrated though. These speakers replaced a pair of Von Schweikert
VR 4 Gen II's and, after I lined them with Dynamat (damping) and wired them internally with Anti-cables, they've been better in almost every way (the VR 4's had a tighter image though much smaller). I was driving the mid-bass, mids, & tweeters with an 805/300B tube amp and the woofers with a Consonance Calaf (bad reputation but excellent bass) and the source was a Consoance SACD 2.0.
The sound was warm and full-bodied though not quite so extended on top and certainly lower rez. I gave up the tube amp because the heat was a killer and I couldn't possibly waste that kind of money on tubes again. I know these speakers can do magic. I've heard it.

I don't believe my components are a bad match either. It may just take a little more work to get "there". Changing cables, plugs, and outlets is easy. I'd much rather ship these cross country than components. I'm not really spending much on them either as I usually sell what doesn't work and buy something of similar price (although this economy has made that difficult) and the $100 I spent on the Oyaide R1 was a minimal investment which, as I indicated in a previous post, has taken me about 80%+ toward where I wanted to go. I may try the Oyaide M1/F1 plugs and see if that finishes my work (for now!!!)

Tvad is right about lasagna. My recipe is just a little more work than yours. Thanks and enjoy.
sns
3,003 posts
 
The only reasonable cost way your going to upgrade the crossovers is to either change out the capacitors yourself, or find a local tech to change them out. Speaker crossovers aren't dangerous from a voltage standpoint so you could change them out safely. If you're handy with a soldering gun (which I assumed having a DIY design speaker)do it yourself.

To keep costs down I would only change out the tweeter caps to start with (maybe the mids as well). Boutique caps cost, how much depends on values. I would expect caps alone would cost anywhere from $100 to maybe 1k, all depends on values, cap chosen and who does it. To do all my Merlin caps with Duelunds will end up costing somewhere around 2.5k, well worth the money in my estimation.
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