[applebook]

Would it be cheaper just to buy a Signal Cable cord with Marinco terminations? Signal Cable's specs for its basic 3 ft. power cord is very impressive for $60. In fact, to build one of equal quality might cost just as much. Additional questions that I have include --

1. Do Furutech and Wattgate connections really improve the SQ as much as their prices suggest?
2. What's the minimum gauge size for a quality wire? Any DIY shielded wire recommendations? Oyaide's Tsunami is too expensive.
3. Does making the cabling under 3 ft. long degrade SQ?

 

[Sovkiller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by applebook /img/forum/go_quote.gif Would it be cheaper just to buy a Signal Cable cord with Marinco terminations? Signal Cable's specs for its basic 3 ft. power cord is very impressive for $60. In fact, to build one of equal quality might cost just as much. Additional questions that I have include -- 1. Do Furutech and Wattgate connections really improve the SQ as much as their prices suggest? 2. What's the minimum gauge size for a quality wire? Any DIY shielded wire recommendations? Oyaide's Tsunami is too expensive. 3. Does making the cabling under 3 ft. long degrade SQ?

With that money why not getting a cheap hospital grade 14AWG from Quail or any other similar, that will be better terminated, UL aproved in case of a fire (LOL), and will cost you around 15-20 bucks...

 

[applebook]

You're right. Thanks.

 

[Garbz]

Think of it this way. There are some hundred metres of wire in your wall between various power outlets and you distribution box, there are many more hundres of metres of cable then going over the lines. That should answer the question of cable over 3ft. My hifi runs on an extension cord sounded as good as it did before I ran out of power sockets.

As for the gauge you should re-word the question to say what is the minimum gauge size for safty reasons. I think our cords here are somewhere around the 14-16GA mark but do not quote me on that, and we do run on different voltages. Search the american saftey standard on the net. As for shielding this is the only reason I would consider making my own cord. This doesn't make a difference to the power cable, but it does help if you run the interconnect along beside it.

As for the connectors. No. They do not justify the cost. Plug your existing cable into the wall and listen to music for a while. When you're done unplug the cable and feel the prongs. If they are not hot then they are making more than enough of a conection to get the power across. Hospital grade plugs are designed to make a more solid connection, but other than that there's no difference any plug here can make.

 

[Sovkiller]

Quail does nice cords, beefy enough for any application, the plugs are really solid (and I do not think that any boutique brand will do any better there, other than a hole in your wallet) also you can choose from a huge variety of those, shielded, or non shielded, ferrite cores or not, in both ends or in one, right angled plugs, you can get them black or gray, and the most important thing the price, please save the money and get better ICs, or any other stuff you may need, BTW our amps and sources are less demanding while talking about power, than any hospital equipment...so IMO 14AWG will be more than enough for them....

 

[Andrew*Debbie]

I'd go ahead and spend the $50 or so it would cost to get the parts and build the cord myself. Marinco connectors work very well. I use Marinco for reliability and durability, not for any sonic improvement. I don't bother with the Hospital Grade plug, the 5266BL works just as well for less money.

Price of wire has sure gone up. I think it is because of the copper price increase.


I make enough cords that I hit the price break on the connectors. My cost to build a 3ft 5-15 to IEC cable would be about $30.00.


If you haven't done it yet, you should change out your wall outlets. Replace the $.69 junk with a $2.00 spec grade outlet. Replacing a worn, low quality outlet with a spec grade or hospital grade part can make a real improvement for only a few dollars. No need for boutique parts. I'd do that before considering putting any money at all into a power cord.