I'm not sure I can read Stereophile any longer, even for JA's measurements

[Irvrobinson]

When they publish stuff like this: (From Michael Fremer's review of the Ypsilon Hyperion amplifier)

We interrupt this review for a word about power cords . . .
As I listened to that LP of Reiner's Zarathustra, I realized that the piccolo, clarinets, oboes, bassoons, trumpets, and horns all sounded more recognizably "right" than I'd ever heard them. Each was individually well defined without pulling apart the sound of the entire orchestra, and within and among the various sections there was instrumental dimensionality and separation. Succumbing to temptation, I removed my reference power cords, AudioQuest's Dragons, and replaced them with a pair of stock molded-rubber cords. Though the Hyperions have the fairly rare 20A IEC AC jack, they are not supplied with cords.

I gave the Ypsilon amps some time to again warm up and listened again. Anyone who claims that power cords can't possibly make a difference in the sound is wrong. Especially at this level of sound quality, the wrong cord (and/or speaker cable) can ruin everything. In the past few months I've heard two great systems—one costly, one moderately priced—whose sounds were destroyed, tonally and spatially, by unbearably bright- and hard-sounding speaker cables.

The rubber power cords produced a glaring overall brightness that bleached the harmonic structures of instruments and flattened what had been three to little more than two dimensions. The nuanced orchestral balance the Hyperions produced with the AudioQuest Dragons was messed up, and the Ypsilons' convincing reproductions of attacks, sustains, and decays were smeared.

The best I could say for what I heard with the stock cords was that the opening trumpet call was big and gloriously bright, but incongruously so—it sounded as if it had been added in postproduction.


Read more at https://www.stereophile.com/content/ypsilon-electronics-hyperion-monoblock-power-amplifier-page-2#e8qsjGwCXbIIBwbC.99

With speaker cables and analog interconnects I suppose one can have a fanciful discussion that at least has an odor of plausibility, because these types of cables actually carry the analog signals that will be or have been amplified, though the odor is mostly BS, but power cables don't carry audio signals, obviously. There aren't any plausible theories for how they might affect "attacks, sustains, and decays". While I have nothing but respect for JA when he's at his best, when he lets this sort of nonsense into his magazine it makes me think I'm supporting a snake oil store because they also sell lip balm I like.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I’d like to “sustain” an “attack” on him with a power cord...

 

[TLS Guy]

When they publish stuff like this: (From Michael Fremer's review of the Ypsilon Hyperion amplifier)

We interrupt this review for a word about power cords . . .
As I listened to that LP of Reiner's Zarathustra, I realized that the piccolo, clarinets, oboes, bassoons, trumpets, and horns all sounded more recognizably "right" than I'd ever heard them. Each was individually well defined without pulling apart the sound of the entire orchestra, and within and among the various sections there was instrumental dimensionality and separation. Succumbing to temptation, I removed my reference power cords, AudioQuest's Dragons, and replaced them with a pair of stock molded-rubber cords. Though the Hyperions have the fairly rare 20A IEC AC jack, they are not supplied with cords.

I gave the Ypsilon amps some time to again warm up and listened again. Anyone who claims that power cords can't possibly make a difference in the sound is wrong. Especially at this level of sound quality, the wrong cord (and/or speaker cable) can ruin everything. In the past few months I've heard two great systems—one costly, one moderately priced—whose sounds were destroyed, tonally and spatially, by unbearably bright- and hard-sounding speaker cables.

The rubber power cords produced a glaring overall brightness that bleached the harmonic structures of instruments and flattened what had been three to little more than two dimensions. The nuanced orchestral balance the Hyperions produced with the AudioQuest Dragons was messed up, and the Ypsilons' convincing reproductions of attacks, sustains, and decays were smeared.

The best I could say for what I heard with the stock cords was that the opening trumpet call was big and gloriously bright, but incongruously so—it sounded as if it had been added in postproduction.


Read more at https://www.stereophile.com/content/ypsilon-electronics-hyperion-monoblock-power-amplifier-page-2#e8qsjGwCXbIIBwbC.99

With speaker cables and analog interconnects I suppose one can have a fanciful discussion that at least has an odor of plausibility, because these types of cables actually carry the analog signals that will be or have been amplified, though the odor is mostly BS, but power cables don't carry audio signals, obviously. There aren't any plausible theories for how they might affect "attacks, sustains, and decays". While I have nothing but respect for JA when he's at his best, when he lets this sort of nonsense into his magazine it makes me think I'm supporting a snake oil store because they also sell lip balm I like.

That bloke Fremer has always been a nutter and they have had their share on that outfit. Remember the green marker CD nonsense years ago.

Just go straight to the measurements and avoid the unmedicated psychotic confraternity that he lets hang out there.

 

[its phillip]

Fremer stinks.

 

[TLS Guy]

Fremer stinks.

Did you get a whiff of his socks or something?

 

[j_garcia]

Somehow I figure that if there was some validity to power cords, there would be a dozen Southeast Asian companies churning thousands of them out right now.

 

[Mikado463]

I take it your not a fan of aftermarket power cords............

 

[TLS Guy]

Another thing, unless he has an original 1962 or thereabout LP, or one made from an original stamper it won't sound right.

RCA had their own tape equalization curve. It was not NAB, DIN or CCIR.
Unfortunately the specification of the curve was dumped into barges on the Delaware River along with a lot of other important and historic documents and artifacts when their old headquarters was demolished. So you have to guess the playback curve. A lot of very interesting equipment, especially some of their unique microphones and tape machines also ended up in the dumpster barges.

RCA were a big part of the development of magnetic tape recording. They invented the stacked tape head for one thing which ended the staggered head stereo tape head and made multitrack recording possible. For them this made possible selling tapes that were "two sided" and could be run though twice. These were the four track prerecorded tapes.

I have some of these old RCA tapes. Unless you tweak the Eq they do not sound quite right. You have to do it by ear though.

I can tell the RCA CDs of those Fritiz Reiner recordings have been mastered from tapes played back with NAB equalization. They are not quite right and you have to Eq them a little.

Then Michael Framer waxes on about power cords!

 

[Mikado463]

TLS, you like tape, feast your eyes on this beast ............

http://www.ballfinger.de/tape-recorder-m-063

serious 5 figures I suspect !

 

[lovinthehd]

I take it your not a fan of aftermarket power cords............

So we're to take it that you are a fancier of such power cords? You collect them? Analog magic results?

 

[TLS Guy]

TLS, you like tape, feast your eyes on this beast ............

http://www.ballfinger.de/tape-recorder-m-063

serious 5 figures I suspect !

That machine looks as if is strongly related to the Studer A 80 and Revox/Studer A700. It seems to have Studer heads..

This is a Studer A 80.

One of my Revox A 700s

Brenell Mk 6 and three Revox A77s

I don't know if I like tape machines. Love/hate would be a better description. It was not so long ago that was the only practical way of making a decent recording. Maintenance was very high, and so were running costs.

All I know is I love my DAW.

You can hear the tape machines here with live recordings made on them on location.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Did you get a whiff of his socks or something?

It's the smell of his power cables.

 

[Irvrobinson]

I take it your not a fan of aftermarket power cords............

Actually, I do like aftermarket power cords, since most of the time I make my own. And I generally over-spend by using a lower gauge cable than I need to and big, fat Hubbell plugs. What I dislike about Fremer's discussion is his claim that power cords make an audible difference, with very obvious and specific effects on the audio presentation, and that anyone who disagrees with him is "wrong".

 

[Mikado463]

Actually, I do like aftermarket power cords, since most of the time I make my own. And I generally over-spend by using a lower gauge cable than I need to and big, fat Hubbell plugs. What I dislike about Fremer's discussion is his claim that power cords make an audible difference, with very obvious and specific effects on the audio presentation, and that anyone who disagrees with him is "wrong".

agreed, I was merely 'busting your stones' a wee bit !

Myself, it's pretty simple really, power cords 'can ' make a difference, if the one being used is not sufficient to properly conduct the required amount of current and electro mechanically sound at it's point of connection (s) then yes it can be improved upon !

I like your DIY approach, all good !

 

[Mikado463]

So we're to take it that you are a fancier of such power cords? You collect them? Analog magic results?

for sure, 'sounds great, more filling ' !!

 

[gene]

I think Michael Fremer actually believes the spew that comes out of his mouth and it's entertaining while also frustrating to hear such nonsense. What makes it even less palatable is over sense of self-importance.

Though if you're going to discard everything a magazine says just bc of one writer's opinions on cables or other snake oils, then you'd also have to do the same with AVS Forum and this disgraceful interview:

That being said, I do think John Atkinson is a stand-up guy and his loudspeaker measurements are generally excellent. Every magazine has their strengths and weaknesses (Audioholics included). So it's probably sound advice to take what you find useful from each publication and discard the rest as nonsensical.

 

[Irvrobinson]

That being said, I do think John Atkinson is a stand-up guy and his loudspeaker measurements are generally excellent. Every magazine has their strengths and weaknesses (Audioholics included). So it's probably sound advice to take what you find useful from each publication and discard the rest as nonsensical.

I agree, Gene, and this is what I've been doing for many years. It just got very difficult when I read that review, and I know that JA edited it. My disgust has cooled down now, so I'll keep reading JA's measurements. (And I'm hoping for more of yours!)

 

[TLS Guy]

I think Michael Fremer actually believes the spew that comes out of his mouth and it's entertaining while also frustrating to hear such nonsense. What makes it even less palatable is over sense of self-importance.

Though if you're going to discard everything a magazine says just bc of one writer's opinions on cables or other snake oils, then you'd also have to do the same with AVS Forum and this disgraceful interview:

That being said, I do think John Atkinson is a stand-up guy and his loudspeaker measurements are generally excellent. Every magazine has their strengths and weaknesses (Audioholics included). So it's probably sound advice to take what you find useful from each publication and discard the rest as nonsensical.

What makes it even less palatable is over sense of self-importance.

Gene, that is part and parcel of psychosis. Its called delusions of grandeur.

 

[highfigh]

That bloke Fremer has always been a nutter and they have had their share on that outfit. Remember the green marker CD nonsense years ago.

Just go straight to the measurements and avoid the unmedicated psychotic confraternity that he lets hang out there.

I went to visit with the people at a local stereo store and as we talked about things, we got to the topic of cables, so I mentioned the AQ models with batteries. I prefer to know something about a product that I'm disparaging and he wanted to convince me that they actually do what AQ says and since there's no current, they really can't do anything. We met when I worked at a different store and he had been a customer- I thought I had taught him better than to believe this garbage. I then made a comment about the green marker and he tried to convince me that it prevents the error correction from working too hard. That's when I reminded him that we used to demonstrate CD players's ability to play when the surface had defects by putting a wedge-shaped piece of electrical tape on the bottom, roughly 3/4" wide at the outer edge and the tip just covering the table of contents.

 

[slipperybidness]

I went to visit with the people at a local stereo store and as we talked about things, we got to the topic of cables, so I mentioned the AQ models with batteries. I prefer to know something about a product that I'm disparaging and he wanted to convince me that they actually do what AQ says and since there's no current, they really can't do anything. We met when I worked at a different store and he had been a customer- I thought I had taught him better than to believe this garbage. I then made a comment about the green marker and he tried to convince me that it prevents the error correction from working too hard. That's when I reminded him that we used to demonstrate CD players's ability to play when the surface had defects by putting a wedge-shaped piece of electrical tape on the bottom, roughly 3/4" wide at the outer edge and the tip just covering the table of contents.

Let's not over-work that error correction