The Real Truth About Power Cords

[avliner]

Dear fellow AH's,

the sole purpose of this, maybe, "dèja-vu" thread is to discuss the so called advantages in having upgraded power cords in your A/V systems, though. Have been searching for a specific thread in here and just couldn't find any so far...

As we all know, once in a while we hear people raving about their hi-end power cords and so on; in the other hand, there's a lot of people swearing by God that there's no any improvements at all (copper is copper anyway).

For instance, some people say the standard power cords supplied just do "the basics" and there's plenty room for huge improvements, though...

Sometimes I do compare these kinda discussion as a "Good against Evil" battle though, so let's avoid the flaming-out comments and let's technically discuss whether or not this is true.

We might as well call the Myth Busters to help us out finding the truth

 

[gmichael]

Put me on the right side of the fence. I know that power cables …..

 

[zumbo]

All I did was provide my system with a dedicated 20amp circuit, along with a 20amp outlet. From there, I use a Cyberpower UPS. It covers many critical system needs.

As far as this topic, it maintains constant voltage.

From features page:
Full AVR - Boost/Buck - Boost/Buck topology will both increase low voltages and decrease high voltages, without switching to battery-mode. This conserves battery life, and delivers a more stable signal to your connected equipment.

http://www.cyberpowersystems.com/products/ups-systems/smart-app-ups/pp-series/PR2200LCDRT2U.html?selectedTabId=featuresAndBenefits&imageI=#tab-box

 

[zumbo]

As far as power cords for my equipment, pretty sure the engineers who designed them for each component are smarter than me.

Is just a spark ok?

 

[avliner]

Wise words, IMHO Zumbo

 

[mtrycrafts]

...As we all know, once in a while we hear people raving about their hi-end power cords and so on; in the other hand, there's a lot of people swearing by God that there's no any improvements at all (copper is copper anyway).

.....We might as well call the Myth Busters to help us out finding the truth

Don't have to rave or swear as this can be tested and found out.

 

[avliner]

Got you, but...

...what about the comments from the Dark Side of the Moon...???

 

[zumbo]

Got you, but...

...what about the comments from the Dark Side of the Moon...???

 

[highfigh]

I want all of my power cords to look like they came from a 1950s toaster, with the braided cloth and accent colors. I just know they would sound better if they looked like that!

 

[JerryLove]

As far as power cords for my equipment, pretty sure the engineers who designed them for each component are smarter than me.

Well, here's an engineer now: http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

Look also at Floyd Toole or Earl Geddes. Engineers building equipment.

Here's a particularly interesting quot from Russell

Despite the effectiveness of Gordon's cable demonstration and the truth about speaker wire, people visiting the McIntosh room at the shows, who had not experienced the cable demonstration, were disturbed that we were using ordinary heavy zip cord instead of one of the popular brands of speaker wire. Instead of listening to the McIntosh speakers and electronics, they recalled "bad" things they had been told about "common" speaker wire and this promoted questions about the "inferior" wire being used. When we changed the wire to a popular brand of wire, customers were happy with the setup, and directed their attention to the McIntosh equipment.

So fancy wire is used because:
1) It makes them a profit, and
2) Customers expect it.

 

[avliner]

Good posting Jerry!

So, the very same philosophy applies to both, speaker wires & power cords, right? It has to be so anyway.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Got you, but...

...what about the comments from the Dark Side of the Moon...???

Not sure what you are referring to, must have missed it somehow.
But, don't forget subjective comments without an objective protocol, DBT, statistically sufficient strength, etc, comments are very subjective and unreliable.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Well, here's an engineer now: http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

Look also at Floyd Toole or Earl Geddes. Engineers building equipment.

Here's a particularly interesting quot from Russell
So fancy wire is used because:
1) It makes them a profit, and
2) Customers expect it.

I would put that #2 first And, depending on who uses them how, it may be a profit maker.

Even John Dunlavy created a speaker cable for audiophiles because they wanted one regardless that no one could differentiate them in a DBT that he perfored time after time.

 

[JerryLove]

So, the very same philosophy applies to both, speaker wires & power cords, right? It has to be so anyway.

In the link provided he mentions power cords specifically (though not at length).

Where there is certainly a convergence is in why a company would use expensive cables (whether for mains power or speaker power) when there was no functional advantage... because it is expected and profitable.

In fact: there's far more relationship between aberrations in speaker cable and sound than there is between aberrations in power cables and sound. The power-supplies do a great deal to normalize power... speakers don't.

 

[avliner]

...The power-supplies do a great deal to normalize power...

I totally agree with you on that one Jerry and considering the majority of people uses power supplies (or power centers) in their systems, who really needs high-end-fancy power cables anyway? A total waste of $$, IMHO