It's Done! Power Cord Shoot-Out-- 22 Power Cords Reviewed!

[sbulack]

markl,

I want to add my thanks for all of YOU that went into your review of all of those power cables - the rig-twiddling, the buying and swapping, the burn-in periods, the critical listening and the writing. Piggy-backing on your work, I added two Black Sand Violet Z1's to my main rig for a surprisingly large (and really cost-effective) improvement in overall sound quality / listening experience enhancement. Given the point to which I had my audio path prior to the Z1's, nearly any improvement I was going to make would mean pulling a piece of the path out, and replacing it with something else. It surely pinches a whole lot less when the items being pulled out cost $7 apiece instead of hundreds of $$. And, I've read the reviews of folks who've spent the same amount of money that I spent for the Z1's to upgrade their CD player, or DAC or IC's from where I am - and, generally, they speak of the result as "the last few percent" order of magnitude. For the same amount of money, the changes I've experienced are "take the sound to the next level or two" order of magnitude. That I didn't have to search for years to find the Violet Z1's - that you just plopped the credible reference into my lap, so to speak, is simply incredible. So, along with the others, "Thank You, Thank You, Thank You."

[mlhm5]

Every single recording studio has one of these, yet they don't have expensive power cords. That's something they don't spend their money on.

Why do they use an isolation transformer?

Well because it is a surge supressor, a line conditioner and on top of that it eliminates all ground loop problems, all EMI/RFI noise, equipment generated odd harmonics and takes care of all the problems between the power plant and the studio.

For less than $200, you can rest assured that all those problems will be solved, something an expensive power cord cannot do.

You can buy 250W, 500W and 1000W depending what you plug into it. The 250W is as cheap as $90 and the 500W for $149 + shipping. That's more than enough for most systems.



Isolation Transformer

[PhilS]

Originally Posted by mlhm5

Every single recording studio has one of these, yet they don't have expensive power cords. That's something they don't spend their money on.

Why do they use an isolation transformer?

Well because it is a surge supressor, a line conditioner and on top of that it eliminates all ground loop problems, all EMI/RFI noise, equipment generated odd harmonics and takes care of all the problems between the power plant and the studio.

For less than $200, you can rest assured that all those problems will be solved, something an expensive power cord cannot do.

You can buy 250W, 500W and 1000W depending what you plug into it. The 250W is as cheap as $90 and the 500W for $149 + shipping. That's more than enough for most systems.

Originally Posted by elrod-tom

I just want to remind everyone of a couple of things:

1) We have rules about thread crapping that it appears were being ignored here. Let's not ignore it any more please.

What part of the phrase "thread crapping" do you not understand? Your previous craps we're deleted; why don't you give it a rest.

[chesebert]

I just received the Violet, had it on the Saturn and didn't quite think it was that big of an improvement, little excessive high-energy (I assume this will subside after burn-in), but the bass is much improved and feels whole. Now here is the cool part, I put it on the Ayre amp and HOL#@$ !C#@$ the power cord made the Ayre sound like a real SET amp, where the voice and instrument just PULL themselves from rest of the soundstage and landed right in my room..amazing.. So in my case the better power cord on my amp is def more beneficial, contrary to the common sense procedure (when I have little more free $$ I will get another one for Saturn).

Nice !!! Thank John! Thanks OP, Thanks Grover (yeah..even he says Blacksand cable is the one to get for the $$)

[markl]

You're welcome sbulack and chesebert. The Violet is one killer cord for the dough. When you upgrade sources and amps, then start looking at the Wolff and VD stuff, it's the next level above the Black Sand. Cheers.

[tev]

I've had the Michael Wolff Bohica in my system for about two weeks and agree with Markl's review. It's a fantastic power cord that is very similar to the earlier Wolff cords but with added weight and tightness in the lower frequencies. I actually prefer the Bohica in my CD source, rather than in my amp, where I still use an earlier version of the same cord. When I reverse the two, the sound gains a bit more speed, but looses a bit of ease and air. Either way they do a great job in my system. I've tried many pc's over the past several months and really have settled on these Wolff products. They bring my CD experience closest to the ease and organic quality of fine analog.

[Ooztuncer]

Markl,
I also want to thank you for the great write-up. After I read your review and without any experience with different power cords, I kind of planned my upgrade steps (based on cost):

iron lung jellyfish
black sand violet z1
probably nothing else until I make my $1e6

I am wondering if you had a chance to try another power cord since January?

[markl]

I am wondering if you had a chance to try another power cord since January?

It never ends, does it?

Yes, now that I have upgraded sources and amps, I have one more cord in-house and am contemplating getting another. Once I have something solid to say, I'll follow up.

[trose49]

markl,

I have a power cable that I use with my HR-2 amp that I got it from work. It comes with a 40,000 color copier system. I can not find any info on the net about it and as fas as I can tell I can not order on seperatly from the manufacturer. I am working on this just incase.

If I were to send you one do you think that you could review it? Even if you dont publish the results and just provide me with some feedback that would be great.

Although I think it might be a fun read! LOL

Let me know!

[markl]

Hi, trose49, right now I've got too many irons in the fire review-wise, and on power cables I'm more likely to focus more at the high-end from here on out. Thanks for the offer, though. Cheers.