Audio Grade power cords - all hype?

[rp]

http://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-NRG-WE ... B0055OM9WS
Only 10 left in stock. please don't hurt yourselves in the stampede!

Did you read the reviews?

No, I didn't know you could write fake amazon reviews, at least without having bought something from them. Kinda funny stuff, surprised people have the time. I picked on AQ since once I had a hifi dealer that would let customers home demo cables. The 3 fairly expensive AQ interconnects I tried all made my system sound noticeably worse, first do no harm, no? Anyway, all cable co's have super expensive power cables now, even Kimber who I respect, their PBJ and 8TC is good stuff but can't say about the value their $1400 PK10 Palladian or whether it meets the expectations of Andrea Palladio http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladio

What I want to ask all these companies is: if I have my EC leave a 6' lead of Romex running out from the wall box and I put an IEC on it and plug that into my hifi how will I be better off with their $XXXX.00 power cable? Unless it's really acting like a filter in which case that's a whole other thing.

By the way I have a real bad attitude towards this stuff as I worked as an AV installer for a couple very high-end NYC joints. The shit I've seen. No mas!

[Chad]

http://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-NRG-WE ... B0055OM9WS

Only 10 left in stock. please don't hurt yourselves in the stampede!

Did you read the reviews?

Their are some funny f**kers out there.

[LeftyStrat]

Sorry, my diatribe seemed a little harsh. I just think there are so many products out their that play on two human tendencies. The first is the placebo effect:

"Placebo effect, the tendency of any medication or treatment, even an inert or ineffective one, to exhibit results simply because the recipient believes that it will work"

The second is "The Emperor's New Clothes", in which admitting to not hearing a difference insinuates you have less refined hearing.

Both can be overcome with regard to sound products simply by doing a double-blind test.

Yet you will never see a double-blind test used in any audiophile magazine review, since that would negatively impact their source of revenue (Advertising from the snake oil salesmen).

So what about the receptacle you plan on plugging the $130 AC cable into? Shouldn't you upgrade it too?

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdet ... er=110-439


I try to keep an open mind, especially by not falling into either of the two camps:
- If I can't measure it, it doesn't exist.
- My perceptions are infallible.

But as Lord Kelvin said "If you can not measure it, you can not improve it."

[xtian]

I make up my own power and signal cords.

More for appearence than anything else, but I do use good quality connectors.

John

Awesome!

Brings a great point: The plastic IEC male sockets I've been using in my chassis are the ones with the bolt lugs on the sides, versus the ones that just snap in. Better, but not great. They still wear out quickly, and I ruined one by applying too much heat during soldering, and the pins started to move around!

What's a good upgrade? I still want to keep the IEC cords because they're so convenient, compared to fixed cords.

[rp]

So what about the receptacle you plan on plugging the $130 AC cable into? Shouldn't you upgrade it too?

Yes! And you can spend a lot more than the one you linked too. However, if this is good enough for grandpa's iron lung machine it's good enough for your hifi.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/HUBBEL ... lade-5A084

and really clean them now and then.

[M Fowler]

Having wired up quite a few receptacles in my life time I agree that using higher quality devices pays off.

The budget crap available at the DIY centers breaks in your hands. Pay a little more and be safe.

[katopan]

I ruined one by applying too much heat during soldering, and the pins started to move around!

I've done the same. But you could use crimp spade connectors like what they're actually designed for.

[rp]

They still wear out quickly, and I ruined one by applying too much heat during soldering, and the pins started to move around! What's a good upgrade? I still want to keep the IEC cords because they're so convenient, compared to fixed cords.

I've had that happen soldering too, PITA. The common <$1 ones are sure junk. I haven't tried anything else yet but now that you bring it up...

I'm sure Hubbell and others make medical grade IECs. Googled this right up: http://www.partsconnexion.com/hubbell-53534img.html

But if they're only available for 20A you'll be stuck with a dedicated cables.

[vibratoking]

I looked at the Cardas site. Saw this video:

http://www.cardas.com/insights_current.php

It's a video that illustrates that current through a conductor generates a magnetic field. So why am I supposed to buy a Cardas cable?

[xtian]

This looks good:

http://www.surplus-electronics-sales.co ... 2f77c1c908

At least the soldering heat won't bend the pins! Plus EMI filtering for $1.25 ea!

[Aurora]

Ihttp://www.cardas.com/insights_current.php

Oh - interesting.... Cardas going into physics!
-except that is one of the most basic experiments in electric physics, - about level of junior high, or below....

[billyz]

Amazing, you guys really miss the point of the cardas video. It is basic physics that the current creates these fields and they do cause the cables to vibrate. Cardas goes to great lengths to counter this and many other affects in his cable designs. If you cannot hear the difference then do not buy them. He is not twisting your arm ( pun intended). Many people can hear the difference and I have read many double blind test where the testers go to great lengths to fool the audience as to whether they even made a change or not. Scores are kept and tabulated and results are published whether embarrassing or not.
Cardas also has ideas about wave propagation in the dielectric insulation.
I have talked to my son ,a nuclear research scientist, and he confirms the observations made by Cardas and others.

I do agree there are snake oil salesman, always have been. Just don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

Ok, I 'll try to refrain from trying to convince anyone of anything who does not want to know.
Cheers

[xtian]

I have read many double blind test

Can you please refer me to these so I can read them, too?

[vibratoking]

Amazing, you guys really miss the point of the cardas video. It is basic physics that the current creates these fields and they do cause the cables to vibrate. ...

I didn't miss the fact that the conductors can move in relation to each other when current is passed. Basic physics, as you say. The point that I missed because it was not mentioned AT ALL, is why conductors moving is detrimental to audio quality. Movement really has no bearing on the audio quality as far as I am concerned. I am aware that there could be a mutual inductance present that could affect the audio quality, but that wasn't mentioned in the video either. In fact, NOTHING was mentioned in the video, not even why the wires moved. I am laughing at the video because there is NO discussion regarding the experiment. If you make a video to educate someone, then educate them, otherwise you just look silly. For all of the technical knowledge that Cardas claims to have, he bestowed none of it in that video.

The information in this link at least attempts to explain what may be going on in different cables.

http://www.djsociety.org/Audio%20Cable.htm

[Reeltarded]

People listen to modern music too loud on bowling ball shaped earplugs with leaded chinese speakers in them. They listen to 7 meg mp3s that they download from itunes.

I have been a few feet away from a symphony.

I dunno if the cable is going to make up the distance.