• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

AudioQuest NRG-X3 Review (AC Power Cord)

Rate this product:

  • 1. Waste of money

    Votes: 324 89.0%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 29 8.0%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 4 1.1%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 7 1.9%

  • Total voters
    364

Killingbeans

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Messages
4,088
Likes
7,544
Location
Bjerringbro, Denmark.
E - Not sure what that snazzy scope does, but the Shunyata folks claim to have "bamboozled" heart surgeons into using their power cables on their snazzy medical equipment. From their site:

With a science-based approach to peak-current transfer and noise reduction, our power cords have found broad applications: from the system used to remaster Dark Side of the Moon at Astoria Studios to systems used in performing delicate heart surgery at hospitals around the USA.​


So, perhaps there is a role for their cables with your snazzy scope?

Yeeeah.... I bet Shunyata told the people at those hospitals that the filters in their power cables would reduce the risk of getting a BSOD on important equipment in the middel of a critical situation. They probably just thought "better safe than sorry" and bought the damn things. I really doubt anybody believes that the cables will make heart surgery more efficient or more beautifully executed.

It's still completely irrelevant when talking about audio gear. If your amp/DAC/whatever can't do that filtering good enough to avoid audible issues on its own, then it's a piece of trash, and you should simply buy some well-engineered gear instead of wasting money on magical power cables.
 

egellings

Major Contributor
Joined
Feb 6, 2020
Messages
4,004
Likes
3,244
The big problem power cords have is those darn little rectifier diodes (tubes, too) in the power supply. They completely destroy the nice AC waveform the cord so breathlessly tries to provide.
 

theREALdotnet

Major Contributor
Joined
Mar 11, 2022
Messages
1,181
Likes
2,036
The big problem power cords have is those darn little rectifier diodes (tubes, too) in the power supply. They completely destroy the nice AC waveform the cord so breathlessly tries to provide.

They add a lot of DC offset to the power supply output, too.
 

Spkrdctr

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 22, 2021
Messages
2,212
Likes
2,934
Quantum tunneling and harmonic resonators are involved, no doubt.
I believe it has a lot to do with the Turbo Encapsulator. I have been working on getting a Turbo Encapsulator for Amir to test but since they are very expensive we can't agree on a discounted price. They usually sell for around $30,000 and I have them down to $18,000 which is still way out of my price range. So we will never know how the magic performs in some of these wires and other equipment. Last I heard McIntosh was also talking with them about possibly installing them inside the case from the factory. We will see!
 

Killingbeans

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Messages
4,088
Likes
7,544
Location
Bjerringbro, Denmark.
How would a power cord filter anything?

Don't know. Looks like they use some big plugs with room for some caps and coils. Some of them even has a big lump on the middle.

I assume it's nothing more than what you get in a cheap IEC inlet filter.
 

Spkrdctr

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 22, 2021
Messages
2,212
Likes
2,934
Don't know. Looks like they use some big plugs with room for some caps and coils. Some of them even has a big lump on the middle.

I assume it's nothing more than what you get in a cheap IEC inlet filter.
Scam alert. Some of the add on boxes have been dissected and there was nothing in them. I just wanted to give everyone a heads up, problem is I can't remember the brands as it was awhile ago.
 

pkane

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 18, 2017
Messages
5,629
Likes
10,202
Location
North-East
I believe it has a lot to do with the Turbo Encapsulator. I have been working on getting a Turbo Encapsulator for Amir to test but since they are very expensive we can't agree on a discounted price. They usually sell for around $30,000 and I have them down to $18,000 which is still way out of my price range. So we will never know how the magic performs in some of these wires and other equipment. Last I heard McIntosh was also talking with them about possibly installing them inside the case from the factory. We will see!

Oh, I think you meant the Turbo Encabulator -- that's something every power cord should have built-in!

For a number of years work has been proceeding in order to bring
perfection to the crudely conceived idea of a machine that would not
only supply inverse reactive current for use in unilateral phase
detractors, but would also be capable of automatically synchronizing
cardinal grammeters. Such a machine is the "Turbo-Encabulator."
Basically, the only new principle involved is that instead of power
being generated by the relative motion of conductors and fluxes, it
is produced by the modial interaction of magneto-reluctance and
capacitive directance.

The original machine had a base-plate of pre-fabulated amulite,
surmounted by a malleable logarithmic casing in such a way that the
two spurving bearings were in a direct line with the pentametric fan.
The latter consisted simply of six hydrocoptic marzelvances, so
fitted to the ambifacient lunar waneshaft that side fumbling was
effectively prevented. The main winding was of the normal lotus-o-delta
type placed in panendermic semi-boloid slots in the stator, every
seventh conductor being connected by a non-reversible tremie pipe to
the differential girdlespring on the "up" end of the grammeters.

Electrical engineers will appreciate the difficulty of nubing
together a regurgitative purwell and a supramitive wennel-sprocket.
Indeed, this proved to be a stumbling block to further development
until, in 1942, it was found that the use of anhydrous nangling pins
enabled a kryptonastic bolling shim to be tankered.

The early attempts to construct a sufficiently robust spiral
decommutator failed largely because of a lack of appreciation of the
large quasi-piestic stresses in the gremlin studs; the latter were
specially designed to hold the roffit bars to the spamshaft. When,
however, it was discovered that wending could be prevented by a simple
addition to the living sockets, almost perfect running was secured.

The operating point is maintained as near as possible to the
h.f. rem peak by constantly fromaging the bitumogenous spandrels.
This is a distinct advance on the standard nivel-sheave in that no
dramcock oil is required after the phase detractors have been remissed.

Undoubtedly, the turbo-encabulator has now reached a very high
level of technical development. It has been successfully used for
operating nofer trunnions. In addition, whenever a barescent skor
motion is required, it may be employed in conjunction with a drawn
reciprocating dingle arm to reduce sinusoidal depleneration.
 

BDWoody

Chief Cat Herder
Moderator
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 9, 2019
Messages
6,948
Likes
22,625
Location
Mid-Atlantic, USA. (Maryland)
Oh, I think you meant the Turbo Encabulator -- that's something every power cord should have built-in!

Such a classic.

The story behind it in the description under the video is pretty close to how I feel around here when some of our BSD's start talking in languages I don't speak.

For those who haven't seen it:

 

Hart

Active Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2021
Messages
152
Likes
348
Location
Bay area
So, about a year ago, I decided to check out a new local audio store, where they sell Paradigm speakers, since I never heard them.

As I was demoing a few speakers, the sales guy asked for my budget, and I said $2000.
Then, a few minutes later, he suddenly switched topics from helping me choose a speaker and started talking about power cables.
Then, he recommended that I spend $1000 on speakers and the other $1000 budget to buy their premium "brand" power cable, because that's where the difference is heard.
This was just after I told him that I have an AVR already.
I was just shocked and said "You just lost my respect and all opportunities for future business." and walked out.

I don't remember the company they sold, but I'm sure it was AudioQuest, considering that they still advertise it on their website.
I can see people falling for this garbage in the 1990's, but in the year 2021?
Really?
:facepalm:

Oh yes, I'll publically shame them.
I once used cheap power cables, you need to spend at least 5k to get a really good one. Especially ones that have a magic box in the middle of the cable which sorts the electrons by keeping the good ones and discarding the bad. During particular loud passages you can get a shock from the discards, steer clear. The really good cables will also make sure the electrons are going into your amp the long way and not sideways. Any sideways electrons will make your music sound tinny and less musical. Also important is to get a set of four pads for your amp's feet to sit on. If you shop around you can get a good set for a few thousand. Without these pads the amp's molecularity will mix with your shelf molecularity causing all kinds of issues. When I remove the molecular stabilizing pads off my amp the music sounds like it is under water, the singers sound depressed and downhearted. This is a particular problem when playing the blues. In short, you get what you pay for, trust the ads.
 
Last edited:

theREALdotnet

Major Contributor
Joined
Mar 11, 2022
Messages
1,181
Likes
2,036
Especially ones that have a magic box in the middle of the cable which sorts the electrons by keeping the good ones and discarding the bad.

Those bad electrons are a real scourge, aren’t they? There should be a law against them.
 
Last edited:

Spkrdctr

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 22, 2021
Messages
2,212
Likes
2,934
I have posted many times on ASR. You can't trust electrons and they lie a lot!
 

Hart

Active Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2021
Messages
152
Likes
348
Location
Bay area
Well, one thing you need to montitor is the quality of the electricity that the power company is sending you. Last month I wrote to them telling I was not paying the last months bill as the quality was abysmal. If you value good sound try to get the very best, which is usually diverted to the very best neighborhoods. Another improvement is using 8 gauge speaker wire. Never mind that the wiring inside the speaker may only be 18 gauge, you want to make sure there are plenty of electrons built up in the wire, so when the speaker calls for them they are stored in reserve, and ready to go.
 

Spkrdctr

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 22, 2021
Messages
2,212
Likes
2,934
Well, one thing you need to montitor is the quality of the electricity that the power company is sending you. Last month I wrote to them telling I was not paying the last months bill as the quality was abysmal. If you value good sound try to get the very best, which is usually diverted to the very best neighborhoods. Another improvement is using 8 gauge speaker wire. Never mind that the wiring inside the speaker may only be 18 gauge, you want to make sure there are plenty of electrons built up in the wire, so when the speaker calls for them they are stored in reserve, and ready to go.
Best scientific explanation I have heard in a long time. A breath of fresh air!
 

JSmith

Master Contributor
Joined
Feb 8, 2021
Messages
5,153
Likes
13,211
Location
Algol Perseus
Those bad electrons are a really scourge, aren’t they? There should be a law against them.
You can't trust electrons and they lie a lot!
all-of-the-b8gotd.jpg



JSmith
 

C. Cook

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2021
Messages
362
Likes
184
"The AudioQuest NRG-X3 delivered more music, made more sense of the music, managed to more fully convey the artists' intentions, and made me a happy guy."

Making more sense of music? Fully convey artists' intentions? Good grief.
Stereophile is just another industry shilling publication whose existence depends on pumping high margin products by manufacturers who buy ad space at their site.

I didn't check, but I highly doubt they subjected this cable to any actual electrical tests like they do with other components (one of the few reasons to trust them over rags like WhatHiFi).
 

Hart

Active Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2021
Messages
152
Likes
348
Location
Bay area
I wish some publication/site would get maybe five or six people in a room that have very educated ears and do real blind tests. That's where the rubber meets the road I think. With a very high end setup, test 14 gauge Home Depot wire against $30,000 interconnects. Test a new and frankly incredible $2,000 D-class amps against some 125 lb. A-Class mono blocks. Tube vs. solid state. I really appreciate the work Amir has done to find out what is real, I think another site that just did blind tests would be the whole enchilada. I grew up on those 80's stereo rags and looking back they were mostly full of it, trying not to fall out with advertisers; they basically said everything was great. Everything was not great.
 

JSmith

Master Contributor
Joined
Feb 8, 2021
Messages
5,153
Likes
13,211
Location
Algol Perseus
that have very educated ears
Anyone with decent hearing can be trained to listen to obtain "educated ears";
There is data on comparison of interconnects (although this thread is about a power cable), including one from a fair while ago where the test subjects could not distinguish expensive interconnects and coat hanger wire. ;)


JSmith
 
Top Bottom