Finally, a DBT proves Power Cords affect the audio we hear

[Bucknekked]

AH Brethren,
Finally, we have the Double Blind Test we've all been asking for when it comes to after market Power Cords. The results are in, and yes, unequivocally, power cords do affect the audio we hear from our systems. BEFORE you blow a 50 amp fuse, you have to read the AVS Forum article. If you don't read it, well, you are going to miss the point.

Double Blind ABX Testing Proves All Power Cords have an affect on Audio

 

[John Parks]

Wasn't the original article penned by Sloof Lirpa?

 

[Irvrobinson]

As soon as I saw the posting date of April 1, I knew it was only for entertainment to read any further. Dumb.

 

[lovinthehd]

Still, no dumber than the whole power cords thing in audiophilia to begin with.

 

[MR.MAGOO]

very informative article, Buck! I'm going one further, will experiment with different lengths of power cords on different days; 6 foot on Monday, 8 foot on Tuesday, etc. I'm sure my system will sound different on each day! If I watch the blu-ray movie "Psycho" on Monday it will be "scary" , on Tuesday it will be "chilling". I'm sure Hitchcock used different lengths of power cords on his camera setups, this data has not been found as it's probably "lost" in a vault at Universal or Paramount studios!

 

[Bucknekked]

very informative article, Buck! I'm going one further, will experiment with different lengths of power cords on different days; 6 foot on Monday, 8 foot on Tuesday, etc. I'm sure my system will sound different on each day! If I watch the blu-ray movie "Psycho" on Monday it will be "scary" , on Tuesday it will be "chilling". I'm sure Hitchcock used different lengths of power cords on his camera setups, this data has not been found as it's probably "lost" in a vault at Universal or Paramount studios!

A friend of mine sent it to me. He has invested in some gosh awful expensive aftermarket power cords and is constantly singing their praises and inviting me to try them. When he sent me this article it was all I could do not to reply and be as negative and nasty as many AH members are here. Luckily, I read the article first. I had a good chuckle at my own reaction. I hope I don't ever start shooting first, and aiming later

 

[MR.MAGOO]

A friend of mine sent it to me. He has invested in some gosh awful expensive aftermarket power cords and is constantly singing their praises and inviting me to try them. When he sent me this article it was all I could do not to reply and be as negative and nasty as many AH members are here. Luckily, I read the article first. I had a good chuckle at my own reaction. I hope I don't ever start shooting first, and aiming later

The article was dated April 1, so one could assume it was an "April Fool" joke!

I own Yamaha products, they sent an e-mail on April 1 about their "new" TRACK 8 component, it combines an 8 track tape player with their MusicCast technology. Fun read.

 

[Irvrobinson]

I hope I don't ever start shooting first, and aiming later

I did read the entire article first before I responded, but I still thought it was dumb. I didn't say you were dumb, I thought the article was dumb even though it was intended to be funny. Now if Audioquest published it, THAT would be funny.

 

[Bucknekked]

The article was dated April 1, so one could assume it was an "April Fool" joke!
.

April Fool's joke indeed. I don't read AVS stuff because they tend to support this sort of foolishness around cables on a "for real" basis. When I saw AVS in the Masthead, I feared the worst. But the humor did come around and I could appreciate AVS poking fun at themselves. Any group that will poke fun at themselves still has some promise.

On a serious note, my friend truly believes in the after market power cord nonsense. He laid out an outlandish amount of money for one. He really believes it makes a difference. Even with that, he saw the humor and shared it. All is not lost because it's his audiophool money that's gone not mine.

 

[Swerd]

I'm going one further, will experiment with different lengths of power cords on different days; 6 foot on Monday, 8 foot on Tuesday, etc. I'm sure my system will sound different on each day!

All audiophools know this only works if you use odd numbered cord lengths, not even numbered. Seven, nine, or eleven* foot lengths work miracles. But six, eight, or ten foot lengths fail completely. With metric lengths, none of this applies.

* Eleven, of course, is best

 

[slipperybidness]

All audiophools know this only works if you use odd numbered cord lengths, not even numbered. Seven, nine, or eleven* foot lengths work miracles. But six, eight, or ten foot lengths fail completely. With metric lengths, none of this applies.

* Eleven, of course, is best

Actually, working in lengths based on prime numbers is the best! Pesky harmonics can't be generated in cables that are based on prime numbers when measured by the foot.

*Obviously 11 is the best!

 

[Swerd]

Actually, working in lengths based on prime numbers is the best! Pesky harmonics can't be generated in cables that are based on prime numbers when measured by the foot.

*Obviously 11 is the best!

Prime number lengths are OK, but only if the cable is made with OFC. Otherwise, it has to be multiples of the square root of a prime number.

 

[Kvn_Walker]

Prime number lengths are OK, but only if the cable is made with OFC. Otherwise, it has to be multiples of the square root of a prime number.

Wait... wait...

2 is a prime number. What if you take the square root of 2 (feet), and divide it by 2 (conductors)... you get:

.707

Oh. my. gawd. Perfect bass. I'm truncating all my cables tonight.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Very funny article

The only confusing thing about the experiment was that measurements showed an even lower noise floor without a power cord than with one, as well as markedly lower levels of distortion. However, listeners also reported that the power cord-free systems “sorely lacked in dynamics, bass, treble, midrange, imaging and PRAT.” Additional research found that systems with power cords performed at their very best when plugged in.

 

[highfigh]

I own Yamaha products, they sent an e-mail on April 1 about their "new" TRACK 8 component, it combines an 8 track tape player with their MusicCast technology. Fun read.

Someone spent a bunch of time creating that- nice job, too.

 

[highfigh]

All audiophools know this only works if you use odd numbered cord lengths, not even numbered. Seven, nine, or eleven* foot lengths work miracles. But six, eight, or ten foot lengths fail completely. With metric lengths, none of this applies.

* Eleven, of course, is best

If you're referring to the speed of light in any way, remember this-

Raj Koothrappali:
How did you find that?
Sheldon Cooper:
It wasn't difficult. You know how when you see prime numbers they appear red but when they're twin primes they're pink and smell like gasoline?
Raj Koothrappali:
No.
Sheldon Cooper:
Huh, I guess I'm a special boy. You know, sometimes when a boy is special he gets a Fudgsicle. Which, by the way, tastes like the speed of light.

And THAT, people, is how special power cords are created. They have to taste like the speed of light.

 

[Swerd]

If you're referring to the speed of light in any way, remember this-

Raj Koothrappali:
How did you find that?
Sheldon Cooper:
It wasn't difficult. You know how when you see prime numbers they appear red but when they're twin primes they're pink and smell like gasoline?
Raj Koothrappali:
No.
Sheldon Cooper:
Huh, I guess I'm a special boy. You know, sometimes when a boy is special he gets a Fudgsicle. Which, by the way, tastes like the speed of light.

And THAT, people, is how special power cords are created. They have to taste like the speed of light.

That's a much better explanation than I've seen in audio mags . Do you think Sheldon might also be able to hear the difference between PVC or Teflon insulation in speaker cables?

 

[Alex2507]

Do you think Sheldon might also be able to hear the difference between PVC or Teflon insulation in speaker cables?

The plenum rated Teflon dielectric has a higher treble reducing capacitance which as we all know blends very nicely with the horn loaded Klipsch.

 

[highfigh]

That's a much better explanation than I've seen in audio mags . Do you think Sheldon might also be able to hear the difference between PVC or Teflon insulation in speaker cables?

No, he can feel it in the vibrations as he holds them.

 

[John Parks]

Fuel for the Fire! Non April 1 Edition...
https://www.stereophile.com/content/do-power-cords-make-difference-compelling-demo-shunyata