[No Deal]

Is there any evidence that tube amps benefit from the use of upgraded power cords? Has anyone been impressed by a particular cord?

 

[PascalT]

Wouldn't the only reason to upgrade a power cord is if you have noise/ground loop issues? I doubt it increases or changes sound quality otherwise. correct me if i am wrong

 

[nautikal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PascalT /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wouldn't the only reason to upgrade a power cord is if you have noise/ground loop issues? I doubt it increases or changes sound quality otherwise. correct me if i am wrong

Have you heard any after market power cables? If not you really shouldn't comment. I don't mean to sound harsh, but it's the truth.

 

[royalcrown]

There's no real solid (i.e. scientific/peer reviewed/DBT) evidence that any amp benefits from power cord upgrades. Some believe that a difference exists. Some don't, and hold out for scientific proof. You're kind of on your own here. If you want to experiment, I'd suggest buying the lowest end from a manufacturer that offers some sort of money back guarantee. Of course, I'd also check the forums to see if that money back guarantee actually means something (sometimes that guarantee means squat)

 

[No Deal]

I have seen the debates on this issue go on for more years than I can remember. Believe me it was not my intent to start one here. I recently received an amp that came without a power cord. As I rummaged through a box in the garage to find something black and generic to use, I wondered again if the quality of the cord would really make a difference and further, if it would make a difference on a tube amp.

There is also a review posted here that made me wonder. The low end cord that I was going to buy (PS Audio) is the one that the reviewer hated. Maybe if it doesn't make a difference anyway I should just buy it and move on.

Yes. I know what is inside the wall. ROMEX!

 

[Pangaea]

Try a iron lung jelly fish- 30 bucks. I just got an Arietta which came without a power cord as well and decided instead of getting a radio shack special I would put a little more money behind it. Unfort. without a generic one to A/B I can't really comment on the differences, but it does sound good. I would bet this has much more to do with the Arietta than the cord.

 

[milkpowder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pangaea /img/forum/go_quote.gif Try a iron lung jelly fish- 30 bucks. I just got an Arietta which came without a power cord as well and decided instead of getting a radio shack special I would put a little more money behind it. Unfort. without a generic one to A/B I can't really comment on the differences, but it does sound good. I would bet this has much more to do with the Arietta than the cord.

I would certainly hope so!

Personally, I've yet to see the light. My dad got a PS Audio xStream Statement SC a few months ago to replace the stock cord on his CD spinner. Didn't hear a darned difference at all. Luckily, it cost no more than $600. I'd be royally pissed off (and I'm sure my dad would too) if he got a fancy multi-thousand dollar Nordost/VD/[insert-company] cable and heard no differences. Understandably, neither of us will be venturing into the world of fancy aftermarket cables any time soon. Speaker/headphone cables and interconnects make a more significant impact IMHO.

(small confession: Howard, owner of the late Simply Stax and Listen Carefully, sells Cassiel power cables for Stax amplifiers which look quite intriguing

They are reasonably priced considering what most manufacturers charge nowadays.)

 

[No Deal]

Right now I am leaning towards the Moon Audio silver interconnect and the iron lung jellyfish. I will revisit the power cord issue when the jellyfish wears out.

 

[markl]

Quote:

My dad got a PS Audio xStream Statement SC a few months ago to replace the stock cord on his CD spinner.

That's because it's a lousy cord. I think it made the sound worse in my system (slooooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwww....)


Quote:

Is there any evidence that tube amps benefit from the use of upgraded power cords? Has anyone been impressed by a particular cord?

I don't know what you mean by "evidence", but yes, virtually any audio device, tubed or otherwise, can benefit from a better cord.

You might want to use my survey of cords as a jumping off point:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f22/it...7/#post2651170

 

[dave-g]

I'm in agreement, I've heard the difference, and it's nice to know that more expensive doesn't always equal better sound. I've even made a few cables of my own that allows some of my gear to sound better. Is it better insulation, different capacitance, more conductors, better conductors, better solder, more surface area on the blades? I've got no idea, but listen for yourself and see if different cables make a difference in your own systems. Most "real" hi-fi places will have loaner cables so you can try them out in your system, so you've got nothing to lose.
Enjoy,

Dave-G

 

[No Deal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by markl /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's because it's a lousy cord. I think it made the sound worse in my system (slooooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwww....) I don't know what you mean by "evidence", but yes, virtually any audio device, tubed or otherwise, can benefit from a better cord. You might want to use my survey of cords as a jumping off point: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f22/it...7/#post2651170

I read the survey. That is one of the things that caused me to give this more consideration. After reading your post I am now wondering again if the best thing to do is purchase a highly rated cord from your survey or go low bid. Then there's the jellyfish.

 

[takezo]

i've owned a $150+ power cord and made myself another using
oyaide tunami cryo treated cable with marinco ends...they all
sounded good but really didn't stand out in my set up...

but when i tried the cheap $9 volex cable, it was the equivalent
of blowing out ones congested sinus...it really opened up the mids
and complimented the wa-6 maxed, a tube amp with an output
transformer...

i'm not certain if this will work in all set ups because my dac is a
very analytical and dynamic one and the diy oyaide cord made
little difference for the wa-6, most probably because it has similar
characteristics of the dac that was feeding it...but the
volex really opened up the mids and made the tube characteristics
of the wa-6 more pronounced...meaning that the tubes are more
euphonic with that robust and weighty resonance that really
shows up in vocals... without affecting the dynamics that i can
discern...the soundstage and resolution is now more tube
dependent than ever before...the wa-6 now compares competently
with the singlepower mpx-3 slam se that i have...

i'm now aware that power cords do make a significant difference
and that it is very much set-up dependent...if you have a tube based
dac or signal source that is warm, then utilizing a power cord of opposite
characteristics is the way to go and vice versa...and in the same way,
you should utilize the power cord that will compliment your amp, solid
state or tube based...

i would suggest you try the jellyfish, volex17604 and a computer cord
with the system you have, to see for yourself which makes
the most impact in your set up and then go from there...good luck

 

[OverlordXenu]

There is absolutely no evidence supporting power cords improving (or even changing) sound. In fact, there is evidence against it.

Don't waste your money. If you don't like a component, return/sell it and get something else.

 

[markl]

Quote:

Then there's the jellyfish.

No harm in starting with a Jellyfish. Kick the tires, see if it does anything for you. If it does, know that there are more gains to be had by moving up. OTOH, you don't want to end up with $700 of power cable on $400 worth of amp, that makes no sense. You're better off upgrading your amp.

Good luck!

 

[No Deal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by markl /img/forum/go_quote.gif OTOH, you don't want to end up with $700 of power cable on $400 worth of amp, that makes no sense. You're better off upgrading your amp.

Well, I have $1000 worth of amp if that adds anything to the conversation. I probably would be willing to spend a couple of hundred for a cord but for what is the question. I am still leaning towards the jellyfish. If the cord makes no difference, I haven't lost much. If it does make a difference and I decide to carry this further, I won't feel bad about putting the jellyfish in a box.