[haloxt]

I have tried using audio-gd power cable for the computer and it appears to improve the sound quality with usb as transport, but the most benefit comes from the power conditioner. And I have also tried using the audio-gd power cable to a pretty good quality LCD (Eizo S1921) and it seems to brighten the color a bit, but it doesn't add another color on top of RGB so I don't think the $75 price tag is really worth it unless you have a $1000+ LCD monitor. If you want power cables for your computer and LCD monitor I'm thinking maybe thick $10-40 ones (or the stock ones that come with audio-gd gear) will suffice. Power conditioner has a much more drastic effect on the LCD monitor than power cable, but they complement each other. If you want to improve your LCD quality or computer as transport, I'd recommend a power conditioner before power cable, or just a power conditioner, imo the benefit is more than sufficient for most people and I think you'd be well-pleased with the results of only getting a power conditioner.

In certain ways (not imaging) I actually much prefer power conditioner+ht omega claro halo sound card over an unpimped out compass.

Just my deranged and possibly placebo-induced two cents. Btw, I really wish power didn't affect audio and video quality, but my observations keep telling me that it does despite the protests of my wallet.

 

[IPodPJ]

The problem with power cord reviews is that they will never be consistent. Each power cord will yield different results on every piece of gear you put it on. What one given cord will do for a DAC it will not do for an amp, transport, or other component. It will not even yield the same results on a different DAC. The reason for this is obvious: different chips, circuitry, power supply sections, and internal wiring. So keep this in mind when reading power cord reviews.

 

[sep90]

actually any1 tried blacksand violet Z1 with oyaide 004 plugs or M1/F1 b4?
i found it very neutral and ruthlessly revealing without any harshness and lean bass

 

[SemiAudiophile]

I’m still waiting for a review of the Signal Cable power cords… So far I’ve tried out a few power cords including the Violet Z1, Zu Birth and Bok, and the VD Power 3. I had the best success so far pairing the Z1 with the PS Audio DLIII and the Zu Bok with the Mapletree.

I love the Violet Z1. I haven’t tried it extensively on any of my amps, but on my DAC it sounds very musical and detailed, so I decided to just keep it there. There isn’t really anything negative about the Z1 that I can point out. It’s a nice built, flexible power cable. Highly recommend this cable for just all-around great performance at an affordable price.

The Zu Birth and Bok cables are excellent well built cables and are of great value especially if you buy them off eBay. I use the Birth to power my computer. They both are great at lowering the noise floor while providing a darker, "blacker background". The Birth I feel has more emphasis on the bass and lower midrange which maybe good when paired with the right amp. Bass is nice and tight and packs a lot of punch. But paired with the wrong amp it may be too much. The Bok is similar to the Birth, but a lot more even all around and much more detail. The Bok doesn’t quite have the bass punch and impact as the Birth, but still has deep and authoritative, tight bass. It’s got a good midrange that sounds very clear without being overly warm and crisp, sparkly highs that sometimes sound a little sweet. On a wrong amp, the Bok does sound a little aluminum-plastic like and the highs can sound somewhat shrill. I find that it sounds great though with tube amps like the Mapletree.

My most recent is the Virtual Dynamics Power 3. I was very disappointed by it. I had high expectations for this cable, but they just didn't seem to lower the noise level very well (or at all even). I agree that the power 3 is a warm, euphonic sounding cable, but it just seems to color the sound and mask the detail; something that any warm sounding interconnect can do. Every amp I paired it with just sounded way to warm and lacked the detail that I was so familiar with. The other thing I can't stand about the VD cable is that it is super unflexible. They are extremely difficult to deal with and a pain to set up. I noticed that it gotten a 3 for flexibility, but i would have given it a 1 at most. Overall, I was not satisfied at all by this cable and think the Power 3 is way overrated.

 

[roadcykler]

Thanks for taking the time to write that review but I wanted to make something known about one of the cables. Bohica is an acronym.

B end
O ver
H ere
I t
C omes
A gain

Just putting it out there.

 

[Paul J.]

Great review! I wish I had the chance to try some fancier cords, but they are out of my budget and I captive wire everything (DIY gear, no IEC is certainly better than a fancy IEC). I did a very, very limited comparison, and I use the Volex 17604 for everything. If you are interested in a substantial upgrade for it, cut off the stock plug and screw on a Pass & Seymour 5266X. They are less than $10 at Home Depot and Menards. I'd be curious to see if the swap moves it up on your list! Of course, replacing the IEC is desirable too, but it is more complicated and more expensive. And, if you are replacing both ends, you may as well spring for the Belden wire (now that the Volex is built in China and not precisely the same as the Belden).

I just scanned the thread and I didn't see any talk of outlets. $7 replacing a crappy outlet may make you happier than a few hundred on a cord. The bad news is that decent outlets are hard to find. Look for the Pass & Seymour 5342, 5352 and 5362. The '42 is best (most brass) the '52 and '62 have more steel, but are easier to find. Home Depot doesn't carry them. Menards does, as do electrical supply companies.

If you want to get fancier still, Acme outlets are AFAIK, silver plated versions of the desirable P&S pieces. They are likely a better deal than many other boutique brands, which are often just relabeled mass market stuff. BTW, don't think that "hospital grade" means it'll sound good. Of course, if you have a tendency to hit your outlets with harsh solvents, then it'll make sense. Otherwise, try and find the P&S.

Generally, you ain't gotta' spend too many bucks for a serious upgrade from stock cables and standard issue outlets. The law of diminishing returns hits hard and fast. Do be careful with AC. Unlike a botched interconnect, a botched power cord will kill you (or your family) dead. Cords and outlets are neither complicated or difficult so long as you know what you are doing.

Paul

 

[Fairbanks]

I agree that changing outlets makes a big difference.I'm using a furutech outlet for my headphone rig.There are many to choose from at CryoParts Cryo Treated Audio Parts for DIY, PS Audio, Oyaide, Furutech Receptacles and AC Plugs

 

[Paul J.]

I think a good chunk of what one hears with any cable swap is the difference in connection quality between cables. A plug can only improve things so much. Some outlets provide a terrible connection. The P&S outlet I recommended grabs that P&S plug like nothing else. I pulled one of those outlets out of an old plaster wall in my old house while trying to unplug my outlet box. I hate trying to vacuum in my current house, because the plug literally falls out of the wall on several outlets! From what I've read, I believe that all of those crap connections are making noise that radiates throughout the circuits.

Of course, there is more to it than "grip". Steel conductors always sound bad. Many plating methods aren't that great either. Some plastics are better dielectrics than others. Keep in mind that price doesn't always equate with quality. There are some pretty fancy AC parts out there available for 1/4 the price if you don't mind the OEM's stamp instead of an audio boutique silk screen!

I'd like to try Oyaide someday. First I need to replace a few more $2 outlets with $7 ones.

Paul

 

[minimus]

According to a post on Audiogon by his wife, Michael Wolff recently died. So alas the top-ranked cables in this review will only come up for sale used.

I personally have found that Rob Fritz's Audio Art power cables are excellent at about $200 new. I demo'd his IC-3SE interconnects, which I did not like all that much as they were too forward for my taste, but the great reviews of his Power 1 cord with Furutech plug I think are definitely warranted. They really improve dynamics, extension, but are slightly warm rather than bright. And given insane pricing of power cables and interconnects, they are priced reasonably. They rarely seem to come up for sale used, which is also telling.

 

[dura]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif The problem with power cord reviews is that they will never be consistent. Each power cord will yield different results on every piece of gear you put it on. What one given cord will do for a DAC it will not do for an amp, transport, or other component. It will not even yield the same results on a different DAC. The reason for this is obvious: different chips, circuitry, power supply sections, and internal wiring. So keep this in mind when reading power cord reviews.

Agreed! My former CDP was a Rega Apollo, with was completely ab solutely faqntastic with a van den Hul mainsserver PC.
Then I sold the CDP and got myself a Havana DAC instead; without thinking about it I inserted the mainsserver; the sound was completely sterile, dead! Took me weeks of puzzling until I chanced the PC to a simple Belden: bingo, suddenly the Havana gave a lovely full vibrant sound.
I would never have believed the difference could be so big if I wouldn't have heart it myself.

 

[music_man]

i have a van den hul mainsstream. i bought it from an authorized dealer. van den hul's website is not very clear on the issue of fakes. then there is some dealers website that shows a fake one apparently that looks just like a real one but they claim it is more flexible. i would not say mine is very flexible. they have me wondering what i have. the problem is that what they say is signs of a fake appear on the real one many people have stated. sometimes van den hul used a small "v" sometimes a big one and other minor things. i guess i can just rest assured that i bought it from an authorized dealer then. i saw the ones in hong kong on ebay. that is certainly not what i have and those are the fakes. van den hul should be more clear on what is actually a fake imo. mine is gold not yellow/green i don't know if that alone comfirms it is real.

anyhow i like this cable. another strange thing is it says it handles 30 amps or something. it is a 15awg cable! maybe van den hul is not that great? just something for me to worry about. it has powered a amp that draws 9 amps for over 2 years so i figure if it was going to explode it would have happened already. it sounds good for it's price.

edit: i take it if it is bright green it is fake. also if it comes in a plastic bag. mine is gold/brown and came in a nice plastic padded box. to make matters worse van den hul sells bulk cable. you can have a legit cable that someone terminated. i have seen them with schurters. then the specs state 2x line+2x neutral+ 1x ground. the cable they show has 3x line+3x neutral + 1x ground. i saw one that i am pretty sure is real and the colors of the dielectrics are different than the ones on abay from hong kong. mine has the real colors as well. it is confusing but i am pretty sure mine is real. i wish van den hul would be more clear about all of this.

music_man

 

[SleepyOne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by music_man /img/forum/go_quote.gif i have a van den hul mainsstream. i bought it from an authorized dealer. van den hul's website is not very clear on the issue of fakes. then there is some dealers website that shows a fake one apparently that looks just like a real one but they claim it is more flexible. i would not say mine is very flexible. they have me wondering what i have. the problem is that what they say is signs of a fake appear on the real one many people have stated. sometimes van den hul used a small "v" sometimes a big one and other minor things. i guess i can just rest assured that i bought it from an authorized dealer then. i saw the ones in hong kong on ebay. that is certainly not what i have and those are the fakes. van den hul should be more clear on what is actually a fake imo. mine is gold not yellow/green i don't know if that alone comfirms it is real. anyhow i like this cable. another strange thing is it says it handles 30 amps or something. it is a 15awg cable! maybe van den hul is not that great? just something for me to worry about. it has powered a amp that draws 9 amps for over 2 years so i figure if it was going to explode it would have happened already. it sounds good for it's price. edit: i take it if it is bright green it is fake. also if it comes in a plastic bag. mine is gold/brown and came in a nice plastic padded box. to make matters worse van den hul sells bulk cable. you can have a legit cable that someone terminated. i have seen them with schurters. then the specs state 2x line+2x neutral+ 1x ground. the cable they show has 3x line+3x neutral + 1x ground. i saw one that i am pretty sure is real and the colors of the dielectrics are different than the ones on abay from hong kong. mine has the real colors as well. it is confusing but i am pretty sure mine is real. i wish van den hul would be more clear about all of this. music_man

There is also one HK guy posting of "loose vdh mainsstream" on UK ebay, I am guessing it is the same person. It does look very suspect. Unless vdh did a major revempt, it looks nothing like it inside lol! Wires colours are wrong, no carbon fiber shielding inside the wires, stranger spacer etc. Messy!

 

[music_man]

i am almost postitve those hk ones are fake. i am also almost positive my cord is real. the problem i think is someone started making better fakes then those you see on ebay that are now surfacing. that is a real problem for vdh. now they cannot even tell you how to check! plus vdh has made some mistakes thmeselves. for instance some of their real cords have a small v and some have a capital v! that does not help things. if you look at their own picture it has asmall v but it says it must have a capital v to be real! gee whiz.

i do think it is a nice cable and i do think mine is real. the fake ones should be obvious, they are supposed to be worse quality than home depot.

i wanted to mention about that post above. do not use the pass and seymour plug ends. they grip the cable in a manner that crushes the cable. not unsafe with a heavy cable but very bad for sound. get a bryant or hubbbel at a mom and pop hardware store. alos, leviton outlets are very good and better than p&s. the industrial grade is a fine outlet. my entire home has them.

music_man

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by minimus /img/forum/go_quote.gif According to a post on Audiogon by his wife, Michael Wolff recently died. So alas the top-ranked cables in this review will only come up for sale used.

That's really too bad, Mike made some excellent products. Unfortunately several of the companies from the original roundup are now out of business or were already out of business at the time.

What I would like to see is a new roundup featuring the current champs - Synergistic Research, Stealth, Purist Audio Design, Kubala Sosna, Audio Magic, Aural Symphonics, Dream State, Elrod, JPS, Shunyata, and Nordost.

 

[Seamaster]

Thanks Markl for the hard work that make other people's life much easier.

I bought 2 Black Sand Cable Violet ZII with two different grade ATL end, one is @ $260 upgrade option. Got both cables used in like new condition for $550 shipped and paypaled, great deal. They are very flexble and very easy to work with, and craftmanship is right on. Every thing in your reviews pretty much right on. But there is only two thing I would like to add. The vocal with ZII could be just little more sweet, and little more forward, would be nice. But for the price I paid, they are very good cables. They improve sound more on amp that CDP. Thanks again.