[xtr4]

I've been down the cable route across power, usb, speaker, interconnect and ethernet. Even if you get the perfect cable set-up, as soon as you introduce another cable it will change the sound of your system.

Start with a superb quality power cable. I recommend the Oyaide TUNAMI GPX – R V2. It's extremely affordable given Japanese yen weakness. It comes with high-end connectors as well. Only downside is it's stiff.

If you're streaming, have your thought of ethernet cables? I've found SOtM's 50cm ethernet cables do a remarkable job, particularly the black and light grey to adjust sound. They're not too expensive at around USD $150 each. If I want detailed sound, I would use SOtM black 50cm -> Baaske MI1005 -> Supra Cat 8 ethernet cable. If you're after neutral, then use the SOtM light grey 50cm. I use the Supra Cat 8 ethernet for longer runs given it's expensive and doesn't degrade sound quality.

Speaking of Ethernet cables, Network Acoustics ENO Streaming cables have some black magic voodoo going on. Don't know how they do it, but I had to part with my money even though they had a money back guarantee on their cables.

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Here they are the cables and power distributor I was talking about :

First iterations, "Ultimate". Then, these are "Absolute".

 

[RobertSM]

So I went with the Oyaide AZ-910, 1m RCA cables. These will run from the Weiss DAC501-4Ch to the ALO Studio Six.

Several factors lead me in this direction including a very favorable USD to JPY exchange rate. I also run a Oyaide Continental 5s USB cable and I'm very happy with it. I had also figured I wasn't totally sure if I wanted to run a silver interconnect from my DAC to my tube headphone amp. I figured the Oyaide AZ-910 would allow me to get my feet wet and to allow me to experiment with my first go with pure silver interconnects.

I've installed the cable and will share impressions later. Thanks for all the suggestions and recommendations that were shared a few weeks ago.

Now, it's time to listen.



Quick note:
Construction and quality is exceptional.

 

[Roasty]

So I went with the Oyaide AZ-910, 1m RCA cables. These will run from the Weiss DAC501-4Ch to the ALO Studio Six.

Several factors lead me in this direction including a very favorable USD to JPY exchange rate. I also run a Oyaide Continental 5s USB cable and I'm very happy with it. I had also figured I wasn't totally sure if I wanted to run a silver interconnect from my DAC to my tube headphone amp. I figured the Oyaide AZ-910 would allow me to get my feet wet and to allow me to experiment with my first go with pure silver interconnects.

I've installed the cable and will share impressions later. Thanks for all the suggestions and recommendations that were shared a few weeks ago.

Now, it's time to listen.



Quick note:
Construction and quality is exceptional.

that looks really well built. is it a stiff cable? I've not tried Oyaide other than their dc plugs (lol).. where did u order these from?

 

[David222]

So I went with the Oyaide AZ-910, 1m RCA cables. These will run from the Weiss DAC501-4Ch to the ALO Studio Six.

Several factors lead me in this direction including a very favorable USD to JPY exchange rate. I also run a Oyaide Continental 5s USB cable and I'm very happy with it. I had also figured I wasn't totally sure if I wanted to run a silver interconnect from my DAC to my tube headphone amp. I figured the Oyaide AZ-910 would allow me to get my feet wet and to allow me to experiment with my first go with pure silver interconnects.

I've installed the cable and will share impressions later. Thanks for all the suggestions and recommendations that were shared a few weeks ago.

Now, it's time to listen.



Quick note:
Construction and quality is exceptional.

Looks awesome. Great investment. Look forward to your impressions on its performance.

 

[RobertSM]

that looks really well built. is it a stiff cable? I've not tried Oyaide other than their dc plugs (lol).. where did u order these from?

So I'd say it's semi stiff. It's definitely manageable. I didn't have to fight with it when I was installing it. Ha! It's a shielded cable which what I wanted. I live in a major city. I believe that we have untold amounts of stray waves in all frequencies coming from our lives in the 21st century. Cell phones, police and government bands, wifi waves, satellite TV, Musk and Starlink, its endless..all over and on and on. I want to do my best to keep all of this out of my Hi-Fi signal. Thus the need to go with a shielded cable.

I ordered with Shopping in Japan. It took seven days from the order day to arrive and clear customs then to my door in Los Angeles. Not bad!

https://www.shoppinginjapan.net/az-910

 

[The Jester]

Interesting question on shielded cables,
With RCA they are either coaxial or multi conductor with an outer shield usually grounded at only one end, these can be termed as “directional” as the common choice is to have the shield connected at the source end of the cable,
Question is, what about a DC powered source component or ones that are powered by 2 core power connectors, neither of those has a physical ground connection to drain the shield, so in that case would it be more correct to have the shield connected at the destination end, assuming of course that component has a 3 core power cord including a ground connection ?

 

[azabu]

So I went with the Oyaide AZ-910, 1m RCA cables. These will run from the Weiss DAC501-4Ch to the ALO Studio Six.

Several factors lead me in this direction including a very favorable USD to JPY exchange rate. I also run a Oyaide Continental 5s USB cable and I'm very happy with it. I had also figured I wasn't totally sure if I wanted to run a silver interconnect from my DAC to my tube headphone amp. I figured the Oyaide AZ-910 would allow me to get my feet wet and to allow me to experiment with my first go with pure silver interconnects.

I've installed the cable and will share impressions later. Thanks for all the suggestions and recommendations that were shared a few weeks ago.

Now, it's time to listen.



Quick note:
Construction and quality is exceptional.

I've had Oyaide custom-make DC power cables from FTVS-910 at their Akihabara store in Tokyo. There's definitely an improvement with a cleaner sound. Like all things it's cumulative.

One of the largest improvements was Stefan AudioArt RCA interconnects, they open up the sound immensely. Wish they had a demo service so people could try them.

 

[RobertSM]

After three weeks of burning in and at least 400 hours I can finally say that the Oyaide AZ-910 RCA cables have been an outstanding investment and definitely an upgrade.

PRaT, micro and macro dynamics, as well as layering and separation have all increased. Where my rig sounded thick it now sounds like it's fit and trim, but with lean muscle. The bass digs deeper and is more taunt and tight. Details have improved. On music that features piano I can hear the pianist shift weight on the piano bench. Indeed I can also hear the pianist press down on the piano foot pedals. Small details that the DAC was rendering but I was missing are now clear and available. I'm getting alot of sound reflections and subtle cues.

To say that a reasonable investment of less than $600.00 dollars has made a difference would be understating the improvements. To give a an exact figure I'd say that it's a solid 15% improvement sonically. My system now has that uber hi-fi sound that I've heard in 2-channel systems costing into the mid to upper six-figure price range. All this and it's got a clean and refined sort of polish.

I'm very happy.

It needs to be said that the cables sounded downright bad for the first 100-150 hours. Almost unlistenable. The bass was non-existent, the mids were blurred and the highs were piercing frankly. At about 200 hours things started to change for the better. More positive changes from that point till about hour 300 when things began to become special. A few more minor improvements and a more refined polish from hour 300 till 400. I'm thrilled to be getting all of this valuable information that my DAC made available into the headphone amp and headphones and into my ears.

I'm happy, very happy!

 

[Roasty]

After three weeks of burning in and at least 400 hours I can finally say that the Oyaide AZ-910 RCA cables have been an outstanding investment and definitely an upgrade.

PRaT, micro and macro dynamics, as well as layering and separation have all increased. Where my rig sounded thick it now sounds like it's fit and trim, but with lean muscle. The bass digs deeper and is more taunt and tight. Details have improved. On music that features piano I can hear the pianist shift weight on the piano bench. Indeed I can also hear the pianist press down on the piano foot pedals. Small details that the DAC was rendering but I was missing are now clear and available. I'm getting alot of sound reflections and subtle queues.

To say that a reasonable investment of less than $600.00 dollars has made a difference would be understating the improvements. To give a an exact figure I'd say that it's a soild 15% improvement sonically. My system now has that uber hi-fi sound that I've heard in 2-channel systems costing into the mid to upper six-figure price range. All this and it's got a clean and refined sort of polish.

I'm very happy.

It needs to be said that the cables sounded downright bad for the first 100-150 hours. Almost unlistenable. The bass was non-existent, the mids were blurred and the highs were piercing frankly. At about 200 hours things started to change for the better. More positive changes from that point till about hour 300 when things began to become special. A few more minor improvements and a more refined polish from hour 300 till 400. I'm thrilled to be getting all of this valuable information that my DAC made available into the headphone amp and headphones and into my ears.

I'm happy, very happy!

after reading that post, I caved and ordered a set of XLR cables.

 

[RobertSM]

after reading that post, I caved and ordered a set of XLR cables.

Good move! Early next year I'm going to reconfigure my system layout and finally get a proper tiered audio rack. When I do that I'll finally bring my Rogue Audio RH-5 into the my headphone system rack and I'll connect it to the Weiss DAC501-4Ch w/ pair of the Oyaide AZ-910 XLR cables.

 

[lator]

after reading that post, I caved and ordered a set of XLR cables.

I have considered these as well so please share opinions after burn in.

 

[rangerid]

Shunyata Research Sigma V2, Alpha V2, Alpha V1 Power Cords Comparison ​

I recently took ownership of the Shunyata Sigma V2 as an upgrade to the Alpha V2 power cord for my Shunyata Denali V2 power conditioner and this is one that I’ve been really looking forward to. I purchased the Denali and Alpha as a combo a while back and it has made a tremendous improvement in my system holistically. I have my amp, preamp, dac, and streamer all plugged in and it is one of the few power products where every component benefited from being connected to it without any detriments like loss in dynamics and whatnot. The overall improvement is on par if not greater than any amp or dac upgrades I’ve had.

The interesting thing about high end power conditioners is it doesn’t come with a power cord and you’re forced to buy a separate C19 high current compatible version and even though I have multiple aftermarket cords, they are all C15. My Audio Research preamp also uses C19 but as luck would have it, there was a supplied, generic, black power cord so I’ve been using that for better part of a year before I decided to upgrade. Later, I bought a previous generation Shunyata Alpha V1 for it hoping I would notice some improvement and holy crap… I am not exaggerating when I say the improvement from a stock PC to the Alpha V1 sits in top 3 biggest wow moments I’ve had in audio – it was like I got a new preamp, I literally could not believe it when I first plugged it in. My understanding now after some research is there is a definite synergy between ARC and Shunyata products as ARC uses internal wiring in their amps provided by Shunyata and their power cords and distributors in showrooms.

I won’t go any further but the experience was extremely eye-opening as to the difference a high end power cord can potentially have in a system. I have a couple of pcs in the 1-1.5k range for my amps, dacs, and streamer and the Alpha V2 for Denali is by far the most I’ve spent on a pc, but it was highly recommended by pretty much everyone I spoke to, as the minimum required to get the most out of the Denali. Needless to say I was extremely impressed by the Denali Alpha combo and when I had the opportunity to upgrade the Alpha to Sigma, I was intrigued, but also sceptical. It’s the natural next step up, at a steep cost, and some I spoke with say power cord upgrades at this level is on par with component/electronic upgrades. By purchasing the Sigma, I was also indirectly upgrading the Alpha V1 on my preamp since I will be moving the Alpha V2 to my preamp – kind of a 2 for 1 deal so I jumped onboard.


SYSTEM:

Power Distributor: Shunyata Denali 6000/S V2 feeding all other components
Streamer: Aurender W20SE
DAC: Tidal Camira DMC
Tube Preamp: Audio Research Corporation (ARC) Reference 6SE
Power/HeadAmp: KG CFA3, Bakoon Amp-13R
Headphones: Hifiman Susvara, Abysss Ab-1266 Phi TC


Sigma V2 vs Alpha V2 on the Denali 6000/s V2 Power Conditioner

Left: Alpha V2 Right: Sigma V2

Soundstage Width: this was very close, on certain songs the Sigma edges out the Alpha and it is noticeable but on the majority, like 80%, I couldn’t really tell the difference.

Soundstage Depth: unlike the width, Sigma presents a significantly and clearly more holographic, 3D staging – this is one of the first thing I noticed upon making the switch. There is much better depth and layering.

Imaging: I feel due to the better depth, instrument placements within the stage improves noticeably as well. Musician and instruments have a greater sense of groundedness and solidity in space.

Instrument Separation: Sigma once again pulls ahead ever so slightly. This is only apparent on tracks where there’s a lot going on and very busy. If it’s just a singer and maybe one or two instruments, you really can’t tell.

Detail Retrieval: there’s greater low level microdetails with the Sigma, particularly in the low end which is nice since I primarily listen to bass heavy music. Texturing and nuances takes a solid step forward. The midrange and vocals in general have more weight, density, fullness, and body, which leads to a more realistic and lifelike presentation. For the treble region, the Sigma exhibits better air and an almost silkier smoothness.

Dynamic Slam: the Sigma has better extended subbass and forceful exertion. Impact feels more full and satisfying here.

Resolution: this is where it gets interesting and I will touch up on a bit again next in presentation, but overall, there is a sense of calm and “groundedness” to the music. Musical notes have a greater sense of solidity, weight, and presence.

Presentation: One of the very first impressions within couple of minutes listening with the Sigma is that it seems a bit dull compared to the Alpha, I couldn’t put my finger on it yet but it seems less energetic somehow. After a couple of songs, I realized the midrange, vocals in general are slightly pulled back compared to Alpha and treble is more relaxed. It’s interesting since despite this, there’s more information and resolution in the midrange, bass & treble. I did majority of my testing with the Abyss 1266 TC, which has recessed midrange to begin with and I noticed it more with the Sigma. In a sense, I guess you could almost say the Sigma is more neutral or true to source and the Alpha is more coloured in the presentation. The Sigma is overall the superior power cord for technicalities but I feel that the Alpha might actually be more my flavor…


Alpha V1 vs Alpha V2 on ARC Ref 6SE Tube Preamp

Left: Alpha V1 Right: Alpha V2

Soundstage Width: immediately evident, V2 is quite a bit wider than V1

Soundstage Depth: maybe I was distracted by how much the width has improved that I felt depth was extremely close. It’s one of those instances where you can hear it on certain tracks but can’t on the majority.

Imaging: there is a very slight better focus and positional delineation on the V2, again, not much

Instrument Separation: the V2 is definitely superior here – there’s more air between instruments and better controlled during busy tracks

Detail Retrieval: I feel the step up from V1 to V2 is like the step up from Alpha to Sigma previously discussed. There’s greater microdetail, texturing, and realism throughout all frequency range.

Dynamic Slam: okay, this one is impressive. The step up is more significant than Alpha to Sigma on the Denali. Bass is FULL and hits a lot harder. It’s not just bass, the entire frequency spectrum, mids and highs, feel more forceful and energetic. I think this goes hand in hand with presentation.

Resolution: there’s an immediate improvement in resolution, almost a bit exaggerated compared to Sigma – I mostly attribute this to the general characteristic of Alpha, which is more energetic, forward, and coloured. NGL I absolute love this quality. I’m not much one for neutrality, I listen purely for musical enjoyment and holy crap the Alphas bring this…

Presentation: when I first did the comparison and swap between the Alpha and Sigma on the Denali, it was almost a different sound signature all together. The overall presentation of the Alpha is upbeat, energetic, and forceful whereas the Sigma is more pulled back, calm, and neutral. When I replaced the V2 with the V1 on the preamp, that energy that I felt was lacking on the Sigma returned immediately. Vocals have more ‘pop’ to them, which is especially nice with the TCs and trebles is more sparkly. In a sense the sound signature of the Sigma was foreign to me and required a few days for my brain to adjust whereas the moment I inserted the Alpha V2 it was like “oh there it is” and a return to familiarity, no brain burn in/adjustment needed.


How MUCH Better - Defining “Component” level upgrades


It’s easy to say something is better but at this level, a more important question for me is how much better is it. To answer that let’s first put on paper what “component” level improvement means – to me, it’s akin to upgrading the dac or amp. Fortunately, I just happen to have 2 amps, one of which I consider an upgrade to the other in terms of technicalities (soundstage width/depth, imaging, separation, detail, dynamics): the Bakoon 13R and a maxed out KG CFA3. I’ve done a detailed comparison of the two amps in the past which you can read here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hifiman-susvara.853031/post-16752381

The short of it is I consider the CFA3 to be a clear step up and upgrade over the 13R, but the 13R beats it on some “non-technical” parameters such as timbre, liquidity, and smoothness, hence my keeping both and driving different headphones with each. If I had to put it into numbers, I’d say the performance delta between the two amps are as follows:

If CFA3 is a 10 (just an arbitrary starting, relative number for comparative purposes) in all these categories

	CFA3	13R
Soundstage Width Soundstage Depth Imaging Instrument Separation Detail Retrieval Dynamics/Bass Slam Resolution	10 10 10 10 10 10 10	8 8.5 8 8.5 8.5 8.5 8.5

Now that there are some quantifiable and referential points in determining what “component” upgrades are (to me at least), we can do an interesting comparison. If power cord can provide performance increase on par with upgrading an amp, then my system with the Bakoon, Sigma + Denali, and Ref6SE + AlphaV2 should come close, match, or even exceed the performance of my previous configuration with the CFA3, Alpha + Denali and Ref6SE + Alpha V1. I hope this makes sense lol… because I haven’t really seen anyone make this type of comparison before.

Comparison Results

	CFA3 Denali + Alpha V2 Ref 6SE + Alpha V1	13R Denali + Alpha V2 Ref 6SE + Alpha V1	13R Denali + Sigma V2 Ref 6SE + Alpha V1	13R Denali + Sigma V2 Ref 6SE + Alpha V2
Soundstage Width Soundstage Depth Imaging Separation Detail Retrieval Dynamics/Bass Slam Resolution	10 10 10 10 10 10 10	8 8.5 8 8.5 8.5 8.5 8.5	8.5 (+0.5) 10 (+1.5) 9 (+1) 9 (+0.5) 9.5 (+1) 9.5 (+1) 9 (+.5)	9.5 (+1) 10.5 (+0.5) 9.5 (+0.5) 10 (+1) 10.5 (+1) 10.5 (+1) 10 (+1)

Soundstage Width: overall, I felt the Alpha V1 to V2 upgrade on the preamp yielded greater soundstage width improvement than the going from Alpha to Sigma on power conditioner. One of the biggest strengths of the CFA3 is undoubtedly the width and even though in the final setup the 13R made very noticeable improvements, it’s just a tad smaller still than the CFA3, 9.5 vs 10, 5% less if I had to put a number to it.

Soundstage Depth: unlike width, the Sigma upgrade I felt provided much greater improvement in soundstage depth than the Alpha V1 to V2. I think this might also be the fact the width on the Alpha V1 to V2 was so much more noticeable that I was distracted a bit there, but nonetheless, one of the very first things I noticed swapping from Alpha to Sigma on the Denali was how much the depth and sense of 3Dness improved. The two power cords combined resulted in the 13R having even better depth now than the CFA3 with the original power cords. I was very pleasantly surprised here.

Imaging: going from Alpha to Sigma on the Denali improved imaging more than the upgrade from Alpha V1 to V2 on the ARC. Here, the 13R still lags the CFA3 behind a bit – I think this is just the nature of the 13R, it’s inherently a softer amp with rounder edges. It’s really close now though, again, 10 on the CFA3 and 9.5 on the 13R setup with new cords.

Separation: this one is interesting, I perceived greater improvements upgrading the Alpha from V1 to V2 on the preamp than the Alpha – Sigma upgrade on power conditioner. I think it has to do with the fact the Sigma signature is more relaxed/calm so I didn’t perceive the separation to improve as much versus when the more energetic Alpha V2 was added on the Ref 6SE. However, the 2 new power cords added brought the 13R’s separation to the level of the CFA3.

Detail Retrieval: I think both power cords brought up detail levels equally, but done so through different means. The Sigma I felt really lowered the noise floor and allowed the really fine details to shine through while the Alpha did so by being more aggressive and pushing more details forward so it’s better perceived. Regardless of the how, the overall result is the 13R is even more detailed than the CFA3… Super impressive.

Dynamics/Bass Slam: admitted this is the category I care most about since I listen to a ton of bass heavy EDM, techno, rap, low end heavy modern music in general. If there was one area I could make the 13R better it would be this one since compared to the CFA3 it is softer. So you can imagine that I’m extremely pleased to find both power cord upgrades improved dynamics very noticeably. The bass improved in not only sense of slam, punch and visceralness, but also in body, richness, and fullness. I wanted the 13R to be able to match the CFA3 but damn… I’d be lying if I said it didn’t punch harder than the CFA3 now.

Resolution: this is something I’m always anxious about since to me, resolution usually equates to brighter and harsher sounds, as it has been my overall experience with estats vs non estats, and similar leveled oversampling and NOS DACs. I’d love more resolution, but in a non fatiguing and offensive manner. The Sigma V2 upgrade here did just that, it was a calm, gentle lift of veil(s), it allowed a clearer window into the music without harshness. The Alpha V2 did things differently, I felt it pushed resolution at you, be it good or bad. The 13R’s resolution with the Sigma and Alpha V2 now in play has equivalent resolution than the CFA3 on the original setup. However, it is very slightly more forward overall and I think it’s mostly attributed to the Alpha V2 power cord. It’s not too much, but it borderlines it. I think if I had 2 Alpha V2s it’s going to be too much, but if I had 2 Sigmas, it might be too relaxed… quite a balancing act.


Closing Thoughts

In conclusion, I found the 2 upgrades in power cords to be indeed equivalent of ‘component’ level improvements. Individually (1 power cord) didn’t quite reach there, but with both, I was pleasantly surprised and to be honest, a bit relieved given the cost, at the level of leap forward in performance. The CFA3 scaled similarly as the 13R but man, comparing the 13R with the new power cords in play against the original setup with CFA3 was eye opening at how much a difference better power can bring to your system. Performance in nearly every category matched and in some cases even exceeded the CFA3.

Each of these power cords have a ‘signature’ and needs to be matched appropriately, just like amps or dacs. Technical performance wise, the Sigma V2 is a step up from the Alpha V2 but the Sigma is a lot more relaxed in its presentation than the Alpha. As mentioned previously, I think I lucked out having one of each since having two of the same in the system might have thrown my system too far in either direction. This is my first rodeo in this level of power cords and has been a ton of fun comparing and listening to the improvements. There will definitely be more to come…

 

[RobertSM]

Shunyata Research Sigma V2, Alpha V2, Alpha V1 Power Cords Comparison ​

I recently took ownership of the Shunyata Sigma V2 as an upgrade to the Alpha V2 power cord for my Shunyata Denali V2 power conditioner and this is one that I’ve been really looking forward to. I purchased the Denali and Alpha as a combo a while back and it has made a tremendous improvement in my system holistically. I have my amp, preamp, dac, and streamer all plugged in and it is one of the few power products where every component benefited from being connected to it without any detriments like loss in dynamics and whatnot. The overall improvement is on par if not greater than any amp or dac upgrades I’ve had.

The interesting thing about high end power conditioners is it doesn’t come with a power cord and you’re forced to buy a separate C19 high current compatible version and even though I have multiple aftermarket cords, they are all C15. My Audio Research preamp also uses C19 but as luck would have it, there was a supplied, generic, black power cord so I’ve been using that for better part of a year before I decided to upgrade. Later, I bought a previous generation Shunyata Alpha V1 for it hoping I would notice some improvement and holy crap… I am not exaggerating when I say the improvement from a stock PC to the Alpha V1 sits in top 3 biggest wow moments I’ve had in audio – it was like I got a new preamp, I literally could not believe it when I first plugged it in. My understanding now after some research is there is a definite synergy between ARC and Shunyata products as ARC uses internal wiring in their amps provided by Shunyata and their power cords and distributors in showrooms.

I won’t go any further but the experience was extremely eye-opening as to the difference a high end power cord can potentially have in a system. I have a couple of pcs in the 1-1.5k range for my amps, dacs, and streamer and the Alpha V2 for Denali is by far the most I’ve spent on a pc, but it was highly recommended by pretty much everyone I spoke to, as the minimum required to get the most out of the Denali. Needless to say I was extremely impressed by the Denali Alpha combo and when I had the opportunity to upgrade the Alpha to Sigma, I was intrigued, but also sceptical. It’s the natural next step up, at a steep cost, and some I spoke with say power cord upgrades at this level is on par with component/electronic upgrades. By purchasing the Sigma, I was also indirectly upgrading the Alpha V1 on my preamp since I will be moving the Alpha V2 to my preamp – kind of a 2 for 1 deal so I jumped onboard.


SYSTEM:

Power Distributor: Shunyata Denali 6000/S V2 feeding all other components
Streamer: Aurender W20SE
DAC: Tidal Camira DMC
Tube Preamp: Audio Research Corporation (ARC) Reference 6SE
Power/HeadAmp: KG CFA3, Bakoon Amp-13R
Headphones: Hifiman Susvara, Abysss Ab-1266 Phi TC


Sigma V2 vs Alpha V2 on the Denali 6000/s V2 Power Conditioner


Left: Alpha V2 Right: Sigma V2

Soundstage Width: this was very close, on certain songs the Sigma edges out the Alpha and it is noticeable but on the majority, like 80%, I couldn’t really tell the difference.

Soundstage Depth: unlike the width, Sigma presents a significantly and clearly more holographic, 3D staging – this is one of the first thing I noticed upon making the switch. There is much better depth and layering.

Imaging: I feel due to the better depth, instrument placements within the stage improves noticeably as well. Musician and instruments have a greater sense of groundedness and solidity in space.

Instrument Separation: Sigma once again pulls ahead ever so slightly. This is only apparent on tracks where there’s a lot going on and very busy. If it’s just a singer and maybe one or two instruments, you really can’t tell.

Detail Retrieval: there’s greater low level microdetails with the Sigma, particularly in the low end which is nice since I primarily listen to bass heavy music. Texturing and nuances takes a solid step forward. The midrange and vocals in general have more weight, density, fullness, and body, which leads to a more realistic and lifelike presentation. For the treble region, the Sigma exhibits better air and an almost silkier smoothness.

Dynamic Slam: the Sigma has better extended subbass and forceful exertion. Impact feels more full and satisfying here.

Resolution: this is where it gets interesting and I will touch up on a bit again next in presentation, but overall, there is a sense of calm and “groundedness” to the music. Musical notes have a greater sense of solidity, weight, and presence.

Presentation: One of the very first impressions within couple of minutes listening with the Sigma is that it seems a bit dull compared to the Alpha, I couldn’t put my finger on it yet but it seems less energetic somehow. After a couple of songs, I realized the midrange, vocals in general are slightly pulled back compared to Alpha and treble is more relaxed. It’s interesting since despite this, there’s more information and resolution in the midrange, bass & treble. I did majority of my testing with the Abyss 1266 TC, which has recessed midrange to begin with and I noticed it more with the Sigma. In a sense, I guess you could almost say the Sigma is more neutral or true to source and the Alpha is more coloured in the presentation. The Sigma is overall the superior power cord for technicalities but I feel that the Alpha might actually be more my flavor…


Alpha V1 vs Alpha V2 on ARC Ref 6SE Tube Preamp


Left: Alpha V1 Right: Alpha V2

Soundstage Width: immediately evident, V2 is quite a bit wider than V1

Soundstage Depth: maybe I was distracted by how much the width has improved that I felt depth was extremely close. It’s one of those instances where you can hear it on certain tracks but can’t on the majority.

Imaging: there is a very slight better focus and positional delineation on the V2, again, not much

Instrument Separation: the V2 is definitely superior here – there’s more air between instruments and better controlled during busy tracks

Detail Retrieval: I feel the step up from V1 to V2 is like the step up from Alpha to Sigma previously discussed. There’s greater microdetail, texturing, and realism throughout all frequency range.

Dynamic Slam: okay, this one is impressive. The step up is more significant than Alpha to Sigma on the Denali. Bass is FULL and hits a lot harder. It’s not just bass, the entire frequency spectrum, mids and highs, feel more forceful and energetic. I think this goes hand in hand with presentation.

Resolution: there’s an immediate improvement in resolution, almost a bit exaggerated compared to Sigma – I mostly attribute this to the general characteristic of Alpha, which is more energetic, forward, and coloured. NGL I absolute love this quality. I’m not much one for neutrality, I listen purely for musical enjoyment and holy crap the Alphas bring this…

Presentation: when I first did the comparison and swap between the Alpha and Sigma on the Denali, it was almost a different sound signature all together. The overall presentation of the Alpha is upbeat, energetic, and forceful whereas the Sigma is more pulled back, calm, and neutral. When I replaced the V2 with the V1 on the preamp, that energy that I felt was lacking on the Sigma returned immediately. Vocals have more ‘pop’ to them, which is especially nice with the TCs and trebles is more sparkly. In a sense the sound signature of the Sigma was foreign to me and required a few days for my brain to adjust whereas the moment I inserted the Alpha V2 it was like “oh there it is” and a return to familiarity, no brain burn in/adjustment needed.


How MUCH Better - Defining “Component” level upgrades


It’s easy to say something is better but at this level, a more important question for me is how much better is it. To answer that let’s first put on paper what “component” level improvement means – to me, it’s akin to upgrading the dac or amp. Fortunately, I just happen to have 2 amps, one of which I consider an upgrade to the other in terms of technicalities (soundstage width/depth, imaging, separation, detail, dynamics): the Bakoon 13R and a maxed out KG CFA3. I’ve done a detailed comparison of the two amps in the past which you can read here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hifiman-susvara.853031/post-16752381

The short of it is I consider the CFA3 to be a clear step up and upgrade over the 13R, but the 13R beats it on some “non-technical” parameters such as timbre, liquidity, and smoothness, hence my keeping both and driving different headphones with each. If I had to put it into numbers, I’d say the performance delta between the two amps are as follows:

If CFA3 is a 10 (just an arbitrary starting, relative number for comparative purposes) in all these categories

	CFA3	13R
Soundstage Width Soundstage Depth Imaging Instrument Separation Detail Retrieval Dynamics/Bass Slam Resolution	10 10 10 10 10 10 10	8 8.5 8 8.5 8.5 8.5 8.5

Now that there are some quantifiable and referential points in determining what “component” upgrades are (to me at least), we can do an interesting comparison. If power cord can provide performance increase on par with upgrading an amp, then my system with the Bakoon, Sigma + Denali, and Ref6SE + AlphaV2 should come close, match, or even exceed the performance of my previous configuration with the CFA3, Alpha + Denali and Ref6SE + Alpha V1. I hope this makes sense lol… because I haven’t really seen anyone make this type of comparison before.

Comparison Results

	CFA3 Denali + Alpha V2 Ref 6SE + Alpha V1	13R Denali + Alpha V2 Ref 6SE + Alpha V1	13R Denali + Sigma V2 Ref 6SE + Alpha V1	13R Denali + Sigma V2 Ref 6SE + Alpha V2
Soundstage Width Soundstage Depth Imaging Separation Detail Retrieval Dynamics/Bass Slam Resolution	10 10 10 10 10 10 10	8 8.5 8 8.5 8.5 8.5 8.5	8.5 (+0.5) 10 (+1.5) 9 (+1) 9 (+0.5) 9.5 (+1) 9.5 (+1) 9 (+.5)	9.5 (+1) 10.5 (+0.5) 9.5 (+0.5) 10 (+1) 10.5 (+1) 10.5 (+1) 10 (+1)

Soundstage Width: overall, I felt the Alpha V1 to V2 upgrade on the preamp yielded greater soundstage width improvement than the going from Alpha to Sigma on power conditioner. One of the biggest strengths of the CFA3 is undoubtedly the width and even though in the final setup the 13R made very noticeable improvements, it’s just a tad smaller still than the CFA3, 9.5 vs 10, 5% less if I had to put a number to it.

Soundstage Depth: unlike width, the Sigma upgrade I felt provided much greater improvement in soundstage depth than the Alpha V1 to V2. I think this might also be the fact the width on the Alpha V1 to V2 was so much more noticeable that I was distracted a bit there, but nonetheless, one of the very first things I noticed swapping from Alpha to Sigma on the Denali was how much the depth and sense of 3Dness improved. The two power cords combined resulted in the 13R having even better depth now than the CFA3 with the original power cords. I was very pleasantly surprised here.

Imaging: going from Alpha to Sigma on the Denali improved imaging more than the upgrade from Alpha V1 to V2 on the ARC. Here, the 13R still lags the CFA3 behind a bit – I think this is just the nature of the 13R, it’s inherently a softer amp with rounder edges. It’s really close now though, again, 10 on the CFA3 and 9.5 on the 13R setup with new cords.

Separation: this one is interesting, I perceived greater improvements upgrading the Alpha from V1 to V2 on the preamp than the Alpha – Sigma upgrade on power conditioner. I think it has to do with the fact the Sigma signature is more relaxed/calm so I didn’t perceive the separation to improve as much versus when the more energetic Alpha V2 was added on the Ref 6SE. However, the 2 new power cords added brought the 13R’s separation to the level of the CFA3.

Detail Retrieval: I think both power cords brought up detail levels equally, but done so through different means. The Sigma I felt really lowered the noise floor and allowed the really fine details to shine through while the Alpha did so by being more aggressive and pushing more details forward so it’s better perceived. Regardless of the how, the overall result is the 13R is even more detailed than the CFA3… Super impressive.

Dynamics/Bass Slam: admitted this is the category I care most about since I listen to a ton of bass heavy EDM, techno, rap, low end heavy modern music in general. If there was one area I could make the 13R better it would be this one since compared to the CFA3 it is softer. So you can imagine that I’m extremely pleased to find both power cord upgrades improved dynamics very noticeably. The bass improved in not only sense of slam, punch and visceralness, but also in body, richness, and fullness. I wanted the 13R to be able to match the CFA3 but damn… I’d be lying if I said it didn’t punch harder than the CFA3 now.

Resolution: this is something I’m always anxious about since to me, resolution usually equates to brighter and harsher sounds, as it has been my overall experience with estats vs non estats, and similar leveled oversampling and NOS DACs. I’d love more resolution, but in a non fatiguing and offensive manner. The Sigma V2 upgrade here did just that, it was a calm, gentle lift of veil(s), it allowed a clearer window into the music without harshness. The Alpha V2 did things differently, I felt it pushed resolution at you, be it good or bad. The 13R’s resolution with the Sigma and Alpha V2 now in play has equivalent resolution than the CFA3 on the original setup. However, it is very slightly more forward overall and I think it’s mostly attributed to the Alpha V2 power cord. It’s not too much, but it borderlines it. I think if I had 2 Alpha V2s it’s going to be too much, but if I had 2 Sigmas, it might be too relaxed… quite a balancing act.


Closing Thoughts

In conclusion, I found the 2 upgrades in power cords to be indeed equivalent of ‘component’ level improvements. Individually (1 power cord) didn’t quite reach there, but with both, I was pleasantly surprised and to be honest, a bit relieved given the cost, at the level of leap forward in performance. The CFA3 scaled similarly as the 13R but man, comparing the 13R with the new power cords in play against the original setup with CFA3 was eye opening at how much a difference better power can bring to your system. Performance in nearly every category matched and in some cases even exceeded the CFA3.

Each of these power cords have a ‘signature’ and needs to be matched appropriately, just like amps or dacs. Technical performance wise, the Sigma V2 is a step up from the Alpha V2 but the Sigma is a lot more relaxed in its presentation than the Alpha. As mentioned previously, I think I lucked out having one of each since having two of the same in the system might have thrown my system too far in either direction. This is my first rodeo in this level of power cords and has been a ton of fun comparing and listening to the improvements. There will definitely be more to come…

Great review and comparisons.

I also run Shunyata Research exclusively for my power distributor/conditioner as well as power cords. I'm at the entry level though but still very happy with the performance increases.

 

[Roasty]

Shunyata Research Sigma V2, Alpha V2, Alpha V1 Power Cords Comparison ​

I recently took ownership of the Shunyata Sigma V2 as an upgrade to the Alpha V2 power cord for my Shunyata Denali V2 power conditioner and this is one that I’ve been really looking forward to. I purchased the Denali and Alpha as a combo a while back and it has made a tremendous improvement in my system holistically. I have my amp, preamp, dac, and streamer all plugged in and it is one of the few power products where every component benefited from being connected to it without any detriments like loss in dynamics and whatnot. The overall improvement is on par if not greater than any amp or dac upgrades I’ve had.

The interesting thing about high end power conditioners is it doesn’t come with a power cord and you’re forced to buy a separate C19 high current compatible version and even though I have multiple aftermarket cords, they are all C15. My Audio Research preamp also uses C19 but as luck would have it, there was a supplied, generic, black power cord so I’ve been using that for better part of a year before I decided to upgrade. Later, I bought a previous generation Shunyata Alpha V1 for it hoping I would notice some improvement and holy crap… I am not exaggerating when I say the improvement from a stock PC to the Alpha V1 sits in top 3 biggest wow moments I’ve had in audio – it was like I got a new preamp, I literally could not believe it when I first plugged it in. My understanding now after some research is there is a definite synergy between ARC and Shunyata products as ARC uses internal wiring in their amps provided by Shunyata and their power cords and distributors in showrooms.

I won’t go any further but the experience was extremely eye-opening as to the difference a high end power cord can potentially have in a system. I have a couple of pcs in the 1-1.5k range for my amps, dacs, and streamer and the Alpha V2 for Denali is by far the most I’ve spent on a pc, but it was highly recommended by pretty much everyone I spoke to, as the minimum required to get the most out of the Denali. Needless to say I was extremely impressed by the Denali Alpha combo and when I had the opportunity to upgrade the Alpha to Sigma, I was intrigued, but also sceptical. It’s the natural next step up, at a steep cost, and some I spoke with say power cord upgrades at this level is on par with component/electronic upgrades. By purchasing the Sigma, I was also indirectly upgrading the Alpha V1 on my preamp since I will be moving the Alpha V2 to my preamp – kind of a 2 for 1 deal so I jumped onboard.


SYSTEM:

Power Distributor: Shunyata Denali 6000/S V2 feeding all other components
Streamer: Aurender W20SE
DAC: Tidal Camira DMC
Tube Preamp: Audio Research Corporation (ARC) Reference 6SE
Power/HeadAmp: KG CFA3, Bakoon Amp-13R
Headphones: Hifiman Susvara, Abysss Ab-1266 Phi TC


Sigma V2 vs Alpha V2 on the Denali 6000/s V2 Power Conditioner


Left: Alpha V2 Right: Sigma V2

Soundstage Width: this was very close, on certain songs the Sigma edges out the Alpha and it is noticeable but on the majority, like 80%, I couldn’t really tell the difference.

Soundstage Depth: unlike the width, Sigma presents a significantly and clearly more holographic, 3D staging – this is one of the first thing I noticed upon making the switch. There is much better depth and layering.

Imaging: I feel due to the better depth, instrument placements within the stage improves noticeably as well. Musician and instruments have a greater sense of groundedness and solidity in space.

Instrument Separation: Sigma once again pulls ahead ever so slightly. This is only apparent on tracks where there’s a lot going on and very busy. If it’s just a singer and maybe one or two instruments, you really can’t tell.

Detail Retrieval: there’s greater low level microdetails with the Sigma, particularly in the low end which is nice since I primarily listen to bass heavy music. Texturing and nuances takes a solid step forward. The midrange and vocals in general have more weight, density, fullness, and body, which leads to a more realistic and lifelike presentation. For the treble region, the Sigma exhibits better air and an almost silkier smoothness.

Dynamic Slam: the Sigma has better extended subbass and forceful exertion. Impact feels more full and satisfying here.

Resolution: this is where it gets interesting and I will touch up on a bit again next in presentation, but overall, there is a sense of calm and “groundedness” to the music. Musical notes have a greater sense of solidity, weight, and presence.

Presentation: One of the very first impressions within couple of minutes listening with the Sigma is that it seems a bit dull compared to the Alpha, I couldn’t put my finger on it yet but it seems less energetic somehow. After a couple of songs, I realized the midrange, vocals in general are slightly pulled back compared to Alpha and treble is more relaxed. It’s interesting since despite this, there’s more information and resolution in the midrange, bass & treble. I did majority of my testing with the Abyss 1266 TC, which has recessed midrange to begin with and I noticed it more with the Sigma. In a sense, I guess you could almost say the Sigma is more neutral or true to source and the Alpha is more coloured in the presentation. The Sigma is overall the superior power cord for technicalities but I feel that the Alpha might actually be more my flavor…


Alpha V1 vs Alpha V2 on ARC Ref 6SE Tube Preamp


Left: Alpha V1 Right: Alpha V2

Soundstage Width: immediately evident, V2 is quite a bit wider than V1

Soundstage Depth: maybe I was distracted by how much the width has improved that I felt depth was extremely close. It’s one of those instances where you can hear it on certain tracks but can’t on the majority.

Imaging: there is a very slight better focus and positional delineation on the V2, again, not much

Instrument Separation: the V2 is definitely superior here – there’s more air between instruments and better controlled during busy tracks

Detail Retrieval: I feel the step up from V1 to V2 is like the step up from Alpha to Sigma previously discussed. There’s greater microdetail, texturing, and realism throughout all frequency range.

Dynamic Slam: okay, this one is impressive. The step up is more significant than Alpha to Sigma on the Denali. Bass is FULL and hits a lot harder. It’s not just bass, the entire frequency spectrum, mids and highs, feel more forceful and energetic. I think this goes hand in hand with presentation.

Resolution: there’s an immediate improvement in resolution, almost a bit exaggerated compared to Sigma – I mostly attribute this to the general characteristic of Alpha, which is more energetic, forward, and coloured. NGL I absolute love this quality. I’m not much one for neutrality, I listen purely for musical enjoyment and holy crap the Alphas bring this…

Presentation: when I first did the comparison and swap between the Alpha and Sigma on the Denali, it was almost a different sound signature all together. The overall presentation of the Alpha is upbeat, energetic, and forceful whereas the Sigma is more pulled back, calm, and neutral. When I replaced the V2 with the V1 on the preamp, that energy that I felt was lacking on the Sigma returned immediately. Vocals have more ‘pop’ to them, which is especially nice with the TCs and trebles is more sparkly. In a sense the sound signature of the Sigma was foreign to me and required a few days for my brain to adjust whereas the moment I inserted the Alpha V2 it was like “oh there it is” and a return to familiarity, no brain burn in/adjustment needed.


How MUCH Better - Defining “Component” level upgrades


It’s easy to say something is better but at this level, a more important question for me is how much better is it. To answer that let’s first put on paper what “component” level improvement means – to me, it’s akin to upgrading the dac or amp. Fortunately, I just happen to have 2 amps, one of which I consider an upgrade to the other in terms of technicalities (soundstage width/depth, imaging, separation, detail, dynamics): the Bakoon 13R and a maxed out KG CFA3. I’ve done a detailed comparison of the two amps in the past which you can read here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hifiman-susvara.853031/post-16752381

The short of it is I consider the CFA3 to be a clear step up and upgrade over the 13R, but the 13R beats it on some “non-technical” parameters such as timbre, liquidity, and smoothness, hence my keeping both and driving different headphones with each. If I had to put it into numbers, I’d say the performance delta between the two amps are as follows:

If CFA3 is a 10 (just an arbitrary starting, relative number for comparative purposes) in all these categories

	CFA3	13R
Soundstage Width Soundstage Depth Imaging Instrument Separation Detail Retrieval Dynamics/Bass Slam Resolution	10 10 10 10 10 10 10	8 8.5 8 8.5 8.5 8.5 8.5

Now that there are some quantifiable and referential points in determining what “component” upgrades are (to me at least), we can do an interesting comparison. If power cord can provide performance increase on par with upgrading an amp, then my system with the Bakoon, Sigma + Denali, and Ref6SE + AlphaV2 should come close, match, or even exceed the performance of my previous configuration with the CFA3, Alpha + Denali and Ref6SE + Alpha V1. I hope this makes sense lol… because I haven’t really seen anyone make this type of comparison before.

Comparison Results

	CFA3 Denali + Alpha V2 Ref 6SE + Alpha V1	13R Denali + Alpha V2 Ref 6SE + Alpha V1	13R Denali + Sigma V2 Ref 6SE + Alpha V1	13R Denali + Sigma V2 Ref 6SE + Alpha V2
Soundstage Width Soundstage Depth Imaging Separation Detail Retrieval Dynamics/Bass Slam Resolution	10 10 10 10 10 10 10	8 8.5 8 8.5 8.5 8.5 8.5	8.5 (+0.5) 10 (+1.5) 9 (+1) 9 (+0.5) 9.5 (+1) 9.5 (+1) 9 (+.5)	9.5 (+1) 10.5 (+0.5) 9.5 (+0.5) 10 (+1) 10.5 (+1) 10.5 (+1) 10 (+1)

Soundstage Width: overall, I felt the Alpha V1 to V2 upgrade on the preamp yielded greater soundstage width improvement than the going from Alpha to Sigma on power conditioner. One of the biggest strengths of the CFA3 is undoubtedly the width and even though in the final setup the 13R made very noticeable improvements, it’s just a tad smaller still than the CFA3, 9.5 vs 10, 5% less if I had to put a number to it.

Soundstage Depth: unlike width, the Sigma upgrade I felt provided much greater improvement in soundstage depth than the Alpha V1 to V2. I think this might also be the fact the width on the Alpha V1 to V2 was so much more noticeable that I was distracted a bit there, but nonetheless, one of the very first things I noticed swapping from Alpha to Sigma on the Denali was how much the depth and sense of 3Dness improved. The two power cords combined resulted in the 13R having even better depth now than the CFA3 with the original power cords. I was very pleasantly surprised here.

Imaging: going from Alpha to Sigma on the Denali improved imaging more than the upgrade from Alpha V1 to V2 on the ARC. Here, the 13R still lags the CFA3 behind a bit – I think this is just the nature of the 13R, it’s inherently a softer amp with rounder edges. It’s really close now though, again, 10 on the CFA3 and 9.5 on the 13R setup with new cords.

Separation: this one is interesting, I perceived greater improvements upgrading the Alpha from V1 to V2 on the preamp than the Alpha – Sigma upgrade on power conditioner. I think it has to do with the fact the Sigma signature is more relaxed/calm so I didn’t perceive the separation to improve as much versus when the more energetic Alpha V2 was added on the Ref 6SE. However, the 2 new power cords added brought the 13R’s separation to the level of the CFA3.

Detail Retrieval: I think both power cords brought up detail levels equally, but done so through different means. The Sigma I felt really lowered the noise floor and allowed the really fine details to shine through while the Alpha did so by being more aggressive and pushing more details forward so it’s better perceived. Regardless of the how, the overall result is the 13R is even more detailed than the CFA3… Super impressive.

Dynamics/Bass Slam: admitted this is the category I care most about since I listen to a ton of bass heavy EDM, techno, rap, low end heavy modern music in general. If there was one area I could make the 13R better it would be this one since compared to the CFA3 it is softer. So you can imagine that I’m extremely pleased to find both power cord upgrades improved dynamics very noticeably. The bass improved in not only sense of slam, punch and visceralness, but also in body, richness, and fullness. I wanted the 13R to be able to match the CFA3 but damn… I’d be lying if I said it didn’t punch harder than the CFA3 now.

Resolution: this is something I’m always anxious about since to me, resolution usually equates to brighter and harsher sounds, as it has been my overall experience with estats vs non estats, and similar leveled oversampling and NOS DACs. I’d love more resolution, but in a non fatiguing and offensive manner. The Sigma V2 upgrade here did just that, it was a calm, gentle lift of veil(s), it allowed a clearer window into the music without harshness. The Alpha V2 did things differently, I felt it pushed resolution at you, be it good or bad. The 13R’s resolution with the Sigma and Alpha V2 now in play has equivalent resolution than the CFA3 on the original setup. However, it is very slightly more forward overall and I think it’s mostly attributed to the Alpha V2 power cord. It’s not too much, but it borderlines it. I think if I had 2 Alpha V2s it’s going to be too much, but if I had 2 Sigmas, it might be too relaxed… quite a balancing act.


Closing Thoughts

In conclusion, I found the 2 upgrades in power cords to be indeed equivalent of ‘component’ level improvements. Individually (1 power cord) didn’t quite reach there, but with both, I was pleasantly surprised and to be honest, a bit relieved given the cost, at the level of leap forward in performance. The CFA3 scaled similarly as the 13R but man, comparing the 13R with the new power cords in play against the original setup with CFA3 was eye opening at how much a difference better power can bring to your system. Performance in nearly every category matched and in some cases even exceeded the CFA3.

Each of these power cords have a ‘signature’ and needs to be matched appropriately, just like amps or dacs. Technical performance wise, the Sigma V2 is a step up from the Alpha V2 but the Sigma is a lot more relaxed in its presentation than the Alpha. As mentioned previously, I think I lucked out having one of each since having two of the same in the system might have thrown my system too far in either direction. This is my first rodeo in this level of power cords and has been a ton of fun comparing and listening to the improvements. There will definitely be more to come…

that's a great review and comparison man. must have taken u quite a while to do it. u have some really nice gear to accompany it. that ref 6se is on my wish list!

haven't taken the plunge into cables in that price range. am trying to keep the cord prices within a certain percentage of the components I'm connecting it to.

ended up selling my shunyata venom x-ef cords as they were a bit too forward in my system.