Upgraded power cables - the truth

[selby]

Seeing the post earlier about the TSS for sale with a different power cable installed has made me want to ask mainly the doc but also the forum your opinion and reasons for and against these cables.

There is obviously a huge market for so called "upgraded" power cables, plugs and connectors ranging from £30 to thousands. Popular choices seem to be Mark Grant, The Missing Link, Russ Andrews and others.

Now to me I don't understand how a better constructed power cable can improve sound. To my limited knowledge power is power, it's more important to get the power in good shape (Balanced Mains and/or dedicated spur) before it reaches your equipment than via a cable. I also know the doc doesn't bother with these cables in his products. However the other forums are full of people claiming they make a big difference, I've also got friends who swear by it.

So what is the truth?

Is it just mind tricks where people's brains are telling them it must sound better because they've spent money on something or is there any real science in better power cables. I remember reading a while a go where it was highlighted the best plug was an old 15amp non fused plug, so based on this it would indicate the plug and power delivery does make a difference.

I'm confused by it all, but then so many of these so called "upgrades" leave me confused.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Use the archive I have explained it enough times.

[selby]

What is the link to the archive? Had a look around and can't find it, but then I wondered if that was one of the site some wanker deleted and you just mean use the search feature on this site.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

1/ it is a waste of time
2/ it is a waste of money
3/ it is just another industry bullshit
4/ nva is built to classII appliance regulations so must have a fixed mains lead.
5/ don't do it

That is all you need to know.

[alfer]

Had you notice yesterdays fun filled AoS thread http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthre ... wer-Cables
it is interesting how some people of that friendly forum hear improvements from so much, then there are the silent majority. One wonders what consistency these hearers adopt in hearing the difference. Are they equally sober or lubricated. Are sound levels exactly matched, play the same source and music or do they just trust their sense implicitly as Marco preaches.

I played with enhanced cables but for me made zero difference. I'd be facinated to sit with someone who does hear mains cable difference and have myself educated to what I have been missing.

Every person has their own truth

[selby]

That's exactly what I'm talking about alfer. There seems to be two camps, believers and non-believers. I personally don't understand how a power cable can make a difference as to me it's the quality of the power not the cable but I'm not technical.

I'd certainly think that Docs Class 2, hard wired cables are already an improvement over IEC as surely the less connections the better.

[applemarc]

Let me pass this on I have used some of the most expensive mains cable you can buy I did buy these used from the US so I did not pay new prices I have tried in my old very expensive system these cables

Purist Audio design Dominus,Proteus Provectus and Colossus
Shunyata Research Phyton,King Cobra and Black Mamba
Synergistic Research Designers Reference and Resolution Reference

The only real difference between these cables and NVA cables is the cost

So now I use standard cable from NVA or a slightly heavier duty main cable ALL with 15 amp plugs on

[_D_S_J_R_]

I said before how you can get 'attuned' to the tiniest, or even imaginary, differences. Having said that, I use a Mark Grant mains cable on the downstairs setup, which is a high current rating type of the type I don't think you can buy in a hardware shop. It was worth the £45 or so I paid for it and he's a good chap to deal with, so no bother here. Of course now for work, I bought a drum of the cable NVA use and don't have need for foo cables now The BMU comes with an even heavier gauge cable, so ample for the task of powering several items at once.

Seriously chaps, if you have loads of rf coming down your mains, then a fancy shielded type wired properly *may* possibly help. The Doc's right though, the only reason these add-ons exist is for hobbyists who try to 'improve' what a competent designer has already specified - and not all of it is done so heavily down to a price ime.

[selby]

Thanks for the info, favourite cable name has to be 'black mamba'

I think the route I'm personally going to take is a NVA BMU to take my AP70, transport, streamer and dac.

Hopefully others find this thread from other forums and question their decision to invest in cables.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Don't confuse cables with just mains cables. Speaker and interconnect cables can make LARGE differences. Mains cable changes can make SMALL difference. I don't bother as the benefit is far less that getting rid of the bloody awful IEC plug and socket. When you have a fixed mains cables it would be a nightmare to have alternatives.

The introduction of CE forced EU manufacturers of ClassI appliance products to change to IEC (long explanation) so it was a legal regulatory requirement that made things worse. AND typical of the slurping bullshitters in this industry like Russ Andrews and MCRU they saw it as an opportunity for bullshit and to rip you off.