[doctorjazz]

@hansotek
I should have a no name power cord somewhere, this will be a GREAT WAY to spend my New Years, I'm going to do the comparisons, by golly, come hell or high water, BECAUSE THAT'S THE KIND OF GUY I AM!!!!!

 

[Hansotek]

@hansotek
I should have a no name power cord somewhere, this will be a GREAT WAY to spend my New Years, I'm going to do the comparisons, by golly, come hell or high water, BECAUSE THAT'S THE KIND OF GUY I AM!!!!!

You really are a scholar and a gentleman, Dr. Jazz.

 

[sahmen]

Yeah, I'm kinda wondering how a cord like the Pangea or Audioquest compares to the typical $10 monoprice. On some stuff it doesn't matter so much, but if I could squeeze out just a little extra performance in terms of microdynamics I'd be very pleased.

It tends to become slightly greyer at lower volume (which is all Class-A operation), hence my theory that the cable may be the remedy.

I'll probably just end up buying a better cable anyway.

*edit - I said "macro" by mistake. I meant microdynamics.

Not to be a smartazz or know it all, but my question about the claims of special power cords has always been this : how can a boutique power cord leading from a wall plug to a component make a significant difference if the entire set of in-wall electrical wirings inside of the given household remain the same and generic, assuming that any power signal can only be as strong as the weakest link in the entire chain of wirings in a given household?
 
That "weakest link" argument seems compelling, and yet the "magic" of cords from the Pangeas and Audioquests of the Audiophile world seems to rest on the assumption that they (the cords) can generate some special "voodoo" between the wall-socket and the component they're feeding, a special "voodoo" that the in-wall generic wirings are by definition unable or ill-equipped to transport...  That is the conundrum I cannot wrap my mind around...  I would be happy to have that piece of magic explained to me...
 
This is a question I am asking with respect... I am not trying to rile anyone up.  Thanks.

 

[Stillhart]

  Not to be a smartazz or know it all, but my question about the claims of special power cords has always been this : how can a boutique power cord leading from a wall plug to a component make a significant difference if the entire set of in-wall electrical wirings inside of the given household remain the same and generic, assuming that any power signal can only be as strong as the weakest link in the entire chain of wirings in a given household?
 
That "weakest link" argument seems compelling, and yet the "magic" of cords from the Pangeas and Audioquests of the Audiophile world seems to rest on the assumption that they (the cords) can generate some special "voodoo" between the wall-socket and the component they're feeding, a special "voodoo" that the in-wall generic wirings are by definition unable or ill-equipped to transport...  That is the conundrum I cannot wrap my mind around...  I would be happy to have that piece of magic explained to me...
 
This is a question I am asking with respect... I am not trying to rile anyone up.  Thanks.

 
It's a question that won't be answered in this thread because it's against forum rules.  There should be a thread in the Sound Science forum to discuss these things and I suspect this question has been asked and answered many times.
 
What is okay to discuss here is whether you personally heard a difference with a cable that you personally own on this particular amp.  Hope this helps!

 

[coastal1]

  Not to be a smartazz or know it all, but my question about the claims of special power cords has always been this : how can a boutique power cord leading from a wall plug to a component make a significant difference if the entire set of in-wall electrical wirings inside of the given household remain the same and generic, assuming that any power signal can only be as strong as the weakest link in the entire chain of wirings in a given household?
 
That "weakest link" argument seems compelling, and yet the "magic" of cords from the Pangeas and Audioquests of the Audiophile world seems to rest on the assumption that they (the cords) can generate some special "voodoo" between the wall-socket and the component they're feeding, a special "voodoo" that the in-wall generic wirings are by definition unable or ill-equipped to transport...  That is the conundrum I cannot wrap my mind around...  I would be happy to have that piece of magic explained to me...
 
This is a question I am asking with respect... I am not trying to rile anyone up.  Thanks.

 
I don't have enough personal experience with power cords to have a strong opinion -- the $70 Pangea cord that I got for the LC is the only somewhat special cord I own.
 
However, I can say that I've plugged a headphone amp straight into the wall and there was an audible hiss without any music playing.  Not sure if it was the socket or the wifi router or other electronics in the same room or what.  I then tried plugging the amp into a cheap surge protector and (after trying a couple different surge protectors) the hiss was eliminated.  So if a cheap surge protector can make that much of a difference, it doesn't seem completely crazy that power cords can make a difference.  That said, at some point I'm going to A/B the Pangea with a monoprice cord and may sell the Pangea depending on what I hear; I won't be spending more than the Pangea for a cord on a $600 amp unless there are waves of positive credible reviews to try something else.

 

[doctorjazz]

Yeah, I'm kinda wondering how a cord like the Pangea or Audioquest compares to the typical $10 monoprice. On some stuff it doesn't matter so much, but if I could squeeze out just a little extra performance in terms of microdynamics I'd be very pleased.


It tends to become slightly greyer at lower volume (which is all Class-A operation), hence my theory that the cable may be the remedy.


I'll probably just end up buying a better cable anyway.


*edit - I said "macro" by mistake. I meant microdynamics.

Not to be a smartazz or know it all, but my question about the claims of special power cords has always been this : how can a boutique power cord leading from a wall plug to a component make a significant difference if the entire set of in-wall electrical wirings inside of the given household remain the same and generic, assuming that any power signal can only be as strong as the weakest link in the entire chain of wirings in a given household?

That "weakest link" argument seems compelling, and yet the "magic" of cords from the Pangeas and Audioquests of the Audiophile world seems to rest on the assumption that they (the cords) can generate some special "voodoo" between the wall-socket and the component they're feeding, a special "voodoo" that the in-wall generic wirings are by definition unable or ill-equipped to transport...  That is the conundrum I cannot wrap my mind around...  I would be happy to have that piece of magic explained to me...

This is a question I am asking with respect... I am not trying to rile anyone up.  Thanks.

I know it is slightly OT, but what you say has some validity. Which is why many audiophiles DON'T plug directly into the wall. Some redo the wiring and outlets with high grade electrical components. Personally, my main stereo IS plugged into a Fuhrman power conditioner, and the outlets are hospital grade (and you thought I was a scholar...). And, my computer rig is also plugged into a power bank, and the amp (the MicroZOTL is in the computer system at present) is also plugged into a Fuhrman power conditioner. Talk about OCD...I actually have the LC, in the bedroom system, just plugged into a regular wall outlet for now (only so much one can do).

 

[Maconi]

Without going too far off-topic, from what I can gather it's all about distortion. A lot of people will say a cable or something like a USB cleaner makes everything sound "better" when in reality it's just adding distortion that is pleasant to their ears (similar to tubes in a way).
 
Unless you have a lot of money to spend I'd just avoid it all as it gets ridiculously expensive trying to "perfect" the entire chain. Focus on the main components (like the Liquid Carbon) IMO. 

 

 

[Hansotek]

I've been playing with the LC and HD800 (balanced) for most of the day. A few quick impressions, because I know a lot of folks were asking. Chain: MacBook Pro running Tidal via Amarra > Bimby > LC

Impressions:
Nice warm sound for HD800. Similar in someways to AGD Master-9. A little less polite in the treble compared to the M9, which is uber smooth (but costs nearly 3x as much with shipping and extras). Better overall macro impact on the LC. Never going to be a bass head can, but if you're already familiar with the HD800, it satisfies. Slight bit of warmth from LC helps the mids for sure.

Soundstage is very 3D, especially when it comes to height. Very good bubble shape - not the widest or deepest I have heard the 800, but very hard to complain because it is staged so evenly.

I know the big questions are probably still around the treble, so I'll add a couple of extra notes here...

Will the amp substitute for an Anax mod or some EQ? No. Not really... But it depends on how sensitive you are. I made impressions above stock, but I've been playing with EQ for a bit now, and this combo gets even better with a little parametric TLC. FWIW, I have mine EQed down a little bit on the treble peak (-3.5db) and boosted a touch in the bass (slow rise of +0 at 100hz to +2.5db at 32hz) and I couldn't imagine wanting more out of a sound sig. I mean, with a little touch of EQ, this is about as good as it gets!

 

[Hansotek]

A few quick notes on the LC and TH-X00 pairing:

This can go either way on you. For whatever reason, the TH-X00 seems to be oddly finicky amps, particularly those of the warmer variety. It sounds great with the Creative X7 and the Burson HA-160 (both brighter sounding amps) but gets a bit uneven with warmer amps like the LC and AGD Master-9. Subbass can lose control at times. On other songs, it is absolutely fine and there is no problem at all. Quite odd.

 

[Hansotek]

And here are a couple of impressions with the HE-400 (running balanced with Moon Audio Silver Dragon):

Absolutely superb pairing. The mids! The bass! Attack and decay are just wonderful and the warm, impactful nature of the LC leads to a very textured and tactile experience. I've been yammering on for weeks about how this (now discontinued) headphone is a sleeping giant that can really excel when paired with a good cable and a flagship TOTL amp. The LC definitely starts to show you what it can do. I wouldn't mind just a touch more in terms of microdynamics (this prompted my question earlier), compared to TOTL offerings, but it's hard (and probably unfair) to complain much when the LC gets so close for $599. I really like this pairing!

 

[x RELIC x]

Without going too far off-topic, from what I can gather it's all about distortion. A lot of people will say a cable or something like a USB cleaner makes everything sound "better" when in reality it's just adding distortion that is pleasant to their ears (similar to tubes in a way).

Unless you have a lot of money to spend I'd just avoid it all as it gets ridiculously expensive trying to "perfect" the entire chain. Focus on the main components (like the Liquid Carbon) IMO.   

This is exactly what Rob Watts was saying about different cables with his Hugo and Mojo. It's more about RF noise and distortion than technical improvements.

With my lowly leftover PC power cord and non-über interconnect cables I find the Liquid Carbon to be very enjoyable. :wink_face:

 

[f0oster]

Yeah, I'm kinda wondering how a cord like the Pangea or Audioquest compares to the typical $10 monoprice. On some stuff it doesn't matter so much, but if I could squeeze out just a little extra performance in terms of microdynamics I'd be very pleased.

It tends to become slightly greyer at lower volume (which is all Class-A operation), hence my theory that the cable may be the remedy.

I'll probably just end up buying a better cable anyway.

*edit - I said "macro" by mistake. I meant microdynamics.

To be honest I really doubt you will notice any difference at all with an upgraded power cable. My opinion on the topic is obviously quite clear from saying that, but IMO the money is better spent elsewhere. I bought a thick, nice quality handmade power cable (solely for the visual aspect) and have not observed any difference at all. In saying that, I never expected to observe any differences in the first place.
 
I suppose I could say YMMV, but in this instance I don't actually think it will at all. I would highly doubt the wiring in your house is of an 'audiophile grade'. If anything was going to be providing any improvement in that area at all I would suggest it may be power cleaning, but I wouldn't expect you will notice significant audible difference, if any at all. Very expensive with lots of uncertainties IMO.

 

[ying]

I have had an early impression with the LC but after the 200 hr burn in can make a conclusion. Gear is the same as the previous post.

Teac UD 301
Liquid Carbon
Audioquest Cinnamon usb
Furutech DIY Xlr refer to my previous for part.

Burn in 200hrs and more now

as mentioned in previous post how happy I was with the LC, it just got even better. If any of you guys own an Etymotic Er4 definitely pair it with the LC. The LC soundstage for the er4 is incredible now. It keeps me reaching for the er4 instead of my HD800. The er4 soundstage has improve incrediblly now it sounds 3D in a way and it has smooth and gave more warmth to it. I mean that pairing is great with the HD800 and it sounds awesome but the increase in performance for the er4 is just unbelievable. I am not quite sure how it sounds with higher iems but for the er4 it does heck of a job.

Enjoy guys!!!

 

[tha_dude]

Can anyone comment on how the LC compares to the Beta 22?

 

[cskippy]

Man I'm at or past the 150 burn in but am still apprehensive about using single ended headphones.  I've tried the HD650 and the TH-X00 and both sound fantastic with the Carbon but I still wonder if there is an issue using only part of the amps circuitry and getting uneven aging of components?