[Redcarmoose]

I just wanted to state that powercords changed my system. After using cheep powercords for a year and guessing in time I woud try some, the change was mind-blowing.(A) Any one here who does not think they make a huge improvement has......................a system that is too LO/FI to tell or has LO/FI tin ears.(B) Maybe have not found a good cord or their amp does not respond to cords.(C) Has never done any testing and just uses their imagination to prove stuff.


There is no reason to use equipment to prove things as it should be all in how it sounds. Most people would be able to do A/B testing in my system to hear the change. This is so far beyond the placebo effect we are safe from that issue.





Cable Inventory

Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Electra Glide Audio Epiphany X2 Power Cord


Maybe some day people will hardwire their amps to the grid or use battery power from an inverter. Until then we need great cords to get the best sound possible. The next change I'm going for is a 240/110 stepdown.

 

[ford2]

It seems there are a few here that should be posting over on the asylum where they have golden eared wonder boys who can tell the differences between makes of hard drives.

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Not me. I've bought several cables that made no difference whatsover. Not in listening and not in testing. I am willing to buy more, as well. Please suggest a cord that you, personally, think makes a clear difference and I'll buy it. Preferably one you have experience with and can describe the sound. Or maybe all of you are just too poor and ignorant to buy test gear. Maybe all of you are just jealous that some of us can buy test gear while you only dream about owning some. And because you're so jealous of those of us who own test gear, you make up all sorts of wild stories about cables just to make it look like we wasted our money.

I don't dream of owning test gear. I honestly don't care about what numbers some machine can spit out. Can you tell me what the measurement is for soundstage width and depth? Is there a SS/r soundstage index? Does a cord that measures 66 on the soundstage scale beat one that only measures 64? Gee, I dunno!

How about the tone of the acoustic guitar, or TAG rating? A cord should at least be able to measure a 16 on that, otherwise its crap! Please.

I'm more than happy to provide some suggestions. The very best cords I've heard are the Synergistic Hologram A and D, Purist Canorus, and the Shunyata Python and Anaconda CX. Buy some, and measure them to your hearts content. Listen to them as well. If you can't tell them apart from each other or a $5 extension cord, consider yourself fortunate to be unable to hear the differences or improvements between cables, you just saved a lot of money.

You should also try plugging your equipment into a Tesla Powercell, Audience Adept Response-T, or Bybee Wire conditioner. Conditioning and power cords go hand in hand.

 

[bowraboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveBSC /img/forum/go_quote.gif Conditioning and power cords go hand in hand.

yep, also with alternative medicine, flying saucers, physic abilities, supernatural beings……………….

 

[tosehee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveBSC /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't dream of owning test gear. I honestly don't care about what numbers some machine can spit out. Can you tell me what the measurement is for soundstage width and depth? Is there a SS/r soundstage index? Does a cord that measures 66 on the soundstage scale beat one that only measures 64? Gee, I dunno! How about the tone of the acoustic guitar, or TAG rating? A cord should at least be able to measure a 16 on that, otherwise its crap! Please. I'm more than happy to provide some suggestions. The very best cords I've heard are the Synergistic Hologram A and D, Purist Canorus, and the Shunyata Python and Anaconda CX. Buy some, and measure them to your hearts content. Listen to them as well. If you can't tell them apart from each other or a $5 extension cord, consider yourself fortunate to be unable to hear the differences or improvements between cables, you just saved a lot of money. You should also try plugging your equipment into a Tesla Powercell, Audience Adept Response-T, or Bybee Wire conditioner. Conditioning and power cords go hand in hand.

I don't think you got the context for which he explains the need for the test equipment.

A + X = C
A + Y = C.

Thus, X = Y

Does that make sense? If the measurement comes out same regardless of changing the power cord, then what does that mean?

I mean, this is all logical and simple math here..

 

[El_Doug]

If conditioning means that much to you, a medical grade isolation transformer costs ~$300. A true sine-wave UPS costs ~$500. I cannot imagine any audiophile voodoo will "purify" power anywhere near the degree of these devices

 

[Currawong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif What I find amazing is that people will spend hundreds, if not thousands, on cables, yet recoil in horror at the prospect of buying a $30 DMM to put their "beliefs" to the test. A good used 'scope is $200-$300, a mere bargain compared to some cables. Go on, believers. Try it.

I second the idea, but I'd need to research first what it is I want to measure and what will measure it for me. My current thought relates to the capacitance of cables or filters and how it might filter out line noise that might affect the gear I use. I'm concerned that while I might be able to measure things, am I measuring the right things?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prog Rock Man /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sifting through this thread and trying to weed out the rubbish; 1 - even if there are physically measurable differences between power cords, how do they relate to alleged differences in sound quality? Buying power cords appears to be very hit and miss as to whether there will be a difference to the sound.

I think the problem here is too many people look at it as black-and-white: Either they work or they don't. Very few are willing to consider that there may be a number of factors involved, varying from the power supply up to the wall socket to the limitations of audio memory. Even those people who are interested in considering some, wont consider all it seems. Most importantly, I don't see people seeking this for the knowledge that it might help people get better sound from their rig, just people interested in broadcasting their beliefs.

Quote:

2 - the argument that why does only the last few feet of cable make a difference when you have miles of mains before that does not work for me. All that is of concern to any electrical equipment is the state of the power as it enters. Hence all the PCs I have ever seen have transformers and sometimes ferrite cores with their power cables. That is all that is needed. In the same way all a power cord neeeds to do is have an affect on the mains directly into the equipment.

Same here. Connecting my rig to a power point on a different fuse from other gear made a difference to me. After trying three points, the two that were on a separate circuit from other equipment seemed to result in the best sound quality. I have no evidence to back this up, but if I had the time, money and inclination I might investigate to see what might be responsible for this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by El_Doug /img/forum/go_quote.gif If conditioning means that much to you, a medical grade isolation transformer costs ~$300. A true sine-wave UPS costs ~$500. I cannot imagine any audiophile voodoo will "purify" power anywhere near the degree of these devices

I might have to give one of the above a go in the future myself. For the cost of some of the more insane power cords, if I had a house, I'd invest in having a battery-powered power supply built just for my hi-fi.

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tosehee /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't think you got the context for which he explains the need for the test equipment. A + X = C A + Y = C. Thus, X = Y Does that make sense? If the measurement comes out same regardless of changing the power cord, then what does that mean? I mean, this is all logical and simple math here..

No, I understand it exactly. MY point is that if you judge sound quality purely by numbers from a machine, you're missing out on a huge amount of factors. Again I ask, what is the measurement that shows differences in perceived soundstaging. What is the measurement that shows naturalness of instrumental timbre. What is the measurement that shows attack and decay of notes, or air and separation between vocalists and instruments, etc.

Show me the machine that measures any of that stuff, and I'll use it. Or, just keep pointing to L/R/C as the end all, be all, and I'll keep ignoring you.

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by El_Doug /img/forum/go_quote.gif If conditioning means that much to you, a medical grade isolation transformer costs ~$300. A true sine-wave UPS costs ~$500. I cannot imagine any audiophile voodoo will "purify" power anywhere near the degree of these devices

Show me a $300 transformer or a $500 UPS that doesn't limit current, and has lower distortion at the outlet than from the wall, and I'll buy it. I've never seen a UPS that can handle a Krell.

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowraboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif yep, also with alternative medicine, flying saucers, physic abilities, supernatural beings……………….

Just curious, do you believe that there can be sonic differences between amps, cd players, DACs, etc. or are all of those things flying saucers as well?

 

[linuxworks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveBSC /img/forum/go_quote.gif No, I understand it exactly. MY point is that if you judge sound quality purely by numbers from a machine, you're missing out on a huge amount of factors.

no, I don't think you understand it.

the concept of a delta is that if there is a DIFF then it will show. subtract out what changed and it will show as SOME kind of wiggle if you add (and invert) the thing you are comparing against.

it does not matter what the diff is. take it as binary: there is a diff or there is not. with more and more sensitive gear (more than your and my ears; as we're only human) the diff will be more easily found (and more repeatable) with test gear.

so if there is a diff between your cord and mine, it will surface in the subtractive test.

its really simple. and its done all the time, even if you don't know why there's a diff, at least you can see that 'something changed'.

start there. show us disbelievers that 'something changed'. then we'll dig deeper.

but show us that something does really change, in the observable audio spectrum.

 

[linuxworks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveBSC /img/forum/go_quote.gif Show me a $300 transformer or a $500 UPS that doesn't limit current, and has lower distortion at the outlet than from the wall, and I'll buy it. I've never seen a UPS that can handle a Krell.

isn't krell supposed to be a high end brand?

you telling me that high end brands can't design proper power supplies?

seriously?

 

[linuxworks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveBSC /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't dream of owning test gear. I honestly don't care about what numbers some machine can spit out. Can you tell me what the measurement is for soundstage width and depth?

in engineering circles, there is no mention of testing for 'sound stage'

that's an emotive content-free term. sorry. there's no way to test for it since its a compound. you get 'sound stage' when you have accurate playback (low distortion, etc etc). if the 'real numbers' are good, you get good sound.

if you want fancy words, seek the lit or creative writing fields. science and engineering don't deal in touchy-feely things like sound-stage. its not 'measurable' since its not a single thing.

I just love it when audiophiles have to invent words and descriptions.

"it sounds like the flavor 'green'"

 

[mrarroyo]

Power cords make a difference, look at the pic bellow and the power cord is an aftermarket one. It allow the griding wheel to spin 12.3% faster, lower the noise of the tool by 3.1%, and the motor is running 4.7% cooler. My motor on the other hand is burnt!

 

[linuxworks]

is she wearing enough protective gear?

(looks again)

oh, right. has approved hardhat. and some other hard things...

carry on.