Integrated amp for Totem Sttaff

Dmg,

Nice player. How do SACDs sound on your system?

I have some suggestions to dabble your toes in the power cord pool without shocking your wallet. I was agonizing a bit recently over the purchase of a "budget" cord for my CD player and ended up purchasing a Shunyata Diamondback at a discounted price because it would bend around the tight places in my cabinet. I was so impressed with what that did for my CD player, I made a 12 gauge wire for my integrated amp out of parts purchased from Home Depot. Without going all mushy about it, my system really sounds a lot better after adding the two wires.

In purchasing a Power Cable for the 840A, I think you should take a few things into consideration-

1. How much space do you have at the back of your system? If your amp is more than a few inches away from the wall, then you can use a stiffer cable and not have to worry about kinking it. If your amp is fairly close to the back wall or back of the cabinet, then you will need a more flexible cord, and that will limit your options.

2. How long is the run to your AC source? If you are using the stock cable, then you are probably 6ft. or less away. If you can use a shorter cord, you can save a few bucks on each foot of wire you don't buy.

3. Shielding - for an amplifier, you don't really need a shielded cable. In fact you may not want it.

Some suggestions:

Stiff wires-
Signal Cable MagicPower, $59.00 for 3ft.
http://signalcable.com/magicpower.html

VH Audio Flavor 4 Power Cable, $169.99 for 3ft.
http://www.vhaudio.com/flavor4.html

Voodoo Audio Mojo Power Cable, $175.00 for 3ft.
http://www.thecableco.com/product.php?id=6385

Not so stiff wires-
Audio Art Power Cable, $145.00 for 3ft.
http://www.audioartcable.com/Articles.asp?ID=131

JPS Labs GPA 2 Power Cable, $199.00 for 6ft.
http://www.thecableco.com/product.php?id=1136

Kimble Kable Powerkord 10, $210.00 for 4ft.
http://www.thecableco.com/product.php?id=1633

Shunyata Research Diamondback Platinum Power Cable, $250.00 for 5ft.
http://www.thecableco.com/product.php?id=6049

Many of these cables (and many, many more) are available from one vendor, the Cable Company (http://www.thecableco.com/index.php). The nice thing about them is they allow you to borrow and try cables before you buy.

All these cables are considered budget wires - if you can call a $250.00 wire "budget". For this level of product which mostly use similar grade connectors, cable gauge, conductors and geometry, any real differences are usually in the insulating material and any cryogenic treatment. Given the general similarities, I would try the Signal Cable first to see if it does anything for you. $59.00 is a nice dinner out these days - for one.

Thank you very much for this thoughtful reply. Right now I have just separated my audio and video, so my Cambridge and the Sony are resting upon a marble end table, side by side, in my living room. They are about one foot from a wall of glass behind them. That will not change for awhile. I will try the Signal Cable soon for that price.
As for the SACD's, it is much like the difference between HDTV and regular programming. Nothing short of amazing for my ears. I rarely listen to anything but SACD's anymore. They are quite reasonable on Amazon.

Nice choice on the Cambridge 840 integrated. It's an excellent unit and I've heard the combo personally; it was very nice. A reasonable powercord option that performs well with the Cambridge is the Shunyata Venom cord. It's 12ga with good copper, shielding and ends for $99.

Audiobroke,

Thanks for this response. I have looked at the Venom. May I have your opinion on this issue? A friend of mine sent me his preferred method of upgrading, which is a three step process. Here is the cut and paste from his email in response to my saying that I had looked at the Venom and Signal Cable, among others, and would like to stay around $100.00:
First we need to get power to the wall. Forgoing that, I like to begin with an Audience Power Conditioner. Feeding an A Plus 4 square box. Now we can use much shorter cords, and you will find they make little difference if upstream is A Plus, to borrow the term.
I trust this person completely, just want another opinion.
Dmg

After starting this post, i am happy to report that i have purchased a used Simaudio I-5 from the dealer i bought my Sttafs from. I have had the I-5 about a week, and hearing things i didnt notice before. A wonderful experince...Once i fix the buzz from my Denon ( it is the unit, it buzzs at my friends house as well )...ill be selling that. Thanks for the help!