Power cables

[Claus]

I just ordered the Tacima power strip from Amazon. It will be interesting to see if I can hear any difference with it... I still want to borrow the quantum stuff from Cloney just to hear if I can hear a difference...

[james]

Some DIY stuff from tnt-audio.com

http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/merlino.html


http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/hydra_e.html

[DaveF]

The mains power supply is no longer as clean and pure as it was even twenty years ago. Mobile phones, computers, Internet routers, Sky boxes, Switched Mode Power Supplies everywhere and so on all contribute, in my honest opinion, to a worsening mains power supply quality. I believe that this worsening mains power supply has a negative effect on the sound of our hi-fi systems. Most people agree that their system sounds better late at night [when everyone else is gone to bed]. It is likely that a lot of the mains pollutants are switched off thus not adding to the mains pollution. This is pure speculation on my part but the theory seems to support the observation.

I'd certainly agree with the above Tom. Noisy mains, voltage drops etc can affect some equipment, no doubt about it. In that case a separate ring/spur may very well help as would AC regeneration.

But I still disagree with the notion that a special power chord improves things over that last metre or two. What is it technically about a 500Euro power that differs from a 1000Euro one? Extra conductors I think but a standard kettle lead has more than enough conductors, afterall these are safety critical devices that must ahere to strict BS standards.

For something thats relatively straightforward to understand from a technical point of view, 'differences' between powerchords are completely down to placebo in my opinion.
In other pieces of electrical equipment that are very sensitive to power supply you dont come across special power chords. The idea would simply be laughed at.

[DaveF]

The kind of thinking that brings us "we know everything about audio already" is the kind of thinking that gave us "bits is bits, so all transports MUST sound the same". Well yes, until somebody figured out the jitter was a problem. Then there were the THD claims for amplifiers that "prove" the amplifier is perfect, etc.

I get where you're coming from alright but jitter was a well known phenomenon in digital electronics before it became 'known' in audio. Part of the early problems there was poor DAC implementation I believe.

As for the all amps sounding the same, well I believe that an amp has to be considered along with the load its driving. Figures on a spec sheet wont tell you how the amp will interact with every speaker out there. There are technical reasons why an amp will behave differently from one speaker to another.

[Diapason]

To be honest, I'm just doing the Devil's Advocate thing. I don't disagree with you at all.

[DaveF]

You're still gonna look at the Russ Andrews and Nordost catalogues arent you! ;-)

[jaybee]

Simon's more of a top shelf magazine guy...

It'll be "Big Plugs"

[Diapason]

Big plugs and long cables? This thread is not going well for me.

[DaveF]

a new low for a cable thread

[Diapason]

a new low for a cable thread

Objectively speaking.