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JPS LABS DIGITAL AC-X AC CORD Review

Rate this power cord:

  • 1. Waste of money (piggy bank panther)

    Votes: 239 98.4%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 1 0.4%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 3 1.2%

  • Total voters
    243

AudioSceptic

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Last night I was looking up Joe Skubinski online to see what his background is. I was not involved in this discussion below, nor can I confirm it is correct. But this showed up in my searches:

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/l09imb
Please forgive my ignorance, but what does it take for shysters like this to be tried in court for fraud? Shouldn't it be enough to report them to Trading Standards (or whatever the US equivalent is)?
 

phoenixdogfan

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I must have missed a memo along the way, in that I can't conceive of a luxurious power cord, or any cable for that matter. They're just...wires.
Maybe if these wires could also be used as bondage gear, they might be worth the cost to some people, but otherwise I would certainly have to agree with you.
 

BDWoody

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And I don't understand all the hatred for something that costs 10x as much as a competent alternative.

The issue is more with those who take advantage of the ignorance of their customer base to enrich themselves than with those who don't know any better.
 

AudioSceptic

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I just found someone selling sound quality fuses (for UK power plugs) at £595 - jezzzzzzz

Indeed, and somehow they've managed to do this for years.
 

Multicore

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The issue is more with those who take advantage of the ignorance of their customer base to enrich themselves than with those who don't know any better.
That's distasteful for sure. At the same time I'm inclined to think that on the demand side there's more willingness to believe than in a straightforward swindle or con. Consumers seek vendors of ridiculously expensive cables and compare them. They are deliberate and thoughtful. It's not the same as cold calling old folk, scaring them with inflation, and selling them junk investments as a supposed hedge.
 

CedarX

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I did not realize this was actually a "low-end" AC cable from JPS Labs products line. The "Super Aluminata" is on sale at $12,500, a bargain compared to the regular $14,999 price! That cable is custom-made. I assume length is an obvious orderable option (can I get a 150 miles length to connect my amp directly to the Power Plant?), but I suppose you can also tailor it to whatever "sound signature" you want...

1678372807703.png


JPS "Cable Design Philosophy" is one of these snake oil gems: "JPS Labs produces a line of cables which have an absolute neutrality never before heard, even beyond the most expensive and exotic cable designs available to date." I suppose the Super Aluminata cable is more neutral than the already absolutely neutral AC-X reviewed here.
They actually did some research as shown by this high-school or freshman college chart (no scale, unit, or anything... copied from a text book?):
1678374881699.png

To me, the price of these cables is not the most shocking aspect--everyone values luxury, exclusivity, brand recognition, etc. differently--the unsustained, BS, audio claims are shocking... So, THANK YOU Amir for debunking this crap !!!
 
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While I understand the reason and importance of testing also useless audiophoolia I would also vote for

1. Waste of ASR resources and Amir's time (piggy bank panther)


and instead of such or another 100+ SINAD China DAC review would rather see measurements of decent loudspeakers or headphones where audibility really matters, especially since Erin cannot review them since some last months.

I apologise for the whining but it's the way I feel.
Thank you! Exactly my thoughts. No more DAC reviews from companies we know can use their audio analyzers...
 

fordiebianco

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Multicore

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That's my favourite portable bluetooth speaker. Amazing thing (even though it's from B***e).
I got mine refitted a year ago. It's 7 years old now. Well made little gadget.

 

Multicore

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Kudos to the member who spent nearly $2500 on three cables so @amirm could test them. I sincerely hope that you will be returning them for a full refund.
Yeah, I guess, sorta ... Either the member wanted the cables and wanted them tested by Amir, or the member wanted them tested by Amir and was willing to go to all this trouble to get test results and return them. Which of these possibilities is more amazing? The latter case is arguably the more amazing. The tests have given us no new knowledge and that's exactly what we would expect. So what is the real ROI?

It's like there are two kind of highly specialized, niche audio fanatics that perfectly complement each other. The first kind spends thousands on cables and the second kind spends thousands (maybe less, maybe more, idk) on trying to demonstrate that the first kind is acting foolishly. Clearly the second kind of audio fan depends on the first, but I wonder if the first kind isn't emboldened and encouraged by the antics of the second.
 

Ken Tajalli

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Come on mates!
Send something to Amir, actually worth his time and effort.
He must be so bored, wasting his time on mains cables!
I rather he reviews $20 kettles instead.
Let those who think a $600 mains cable, improves their sound, burn their cash.
Everybody's got to eat.
:)
:cool:
 

Ken Tajalli

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It is better to build a small cable with an RF/EMI filter to which to splice the power cable or the powerstrip.

An old picture, with my first try (teflon+duct tape).

View attachment 270407



[ RF/EMI Schaffner has the greater attenuation graphs. Years ago I researched deeply and that was my conclusion. Schurter, for the IEC connectors without filters is my other choice.

As Mark says, you have to choose the one with the tightest amperage because the attenuation is greater. I have a lot of 1A and 3A. And one of 6A and other of 8A (power strip). Spain: 230 Vac, 50 Hz. With 115 Vac you need double amperage.

Schaffner FN9244B with B = medical ]

View attachment 270408

[PDF] https://www.schaffner.com/fileadmin/user_upload/pim/products/datasheets/FN9244.pdf
If you want to go down that way, and for poweramps, you may want to consider high power versions, with multiple filtering.
Such as these:

Can buy them for nothing on ebay.
 

the_brunx

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If the cable literally looks like a snake and the manufacturer behaves like one, What else can it be, except snake oil?
 

Fidji

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I just found someone selling sound quality fuses (for UK power plugs) at £595 - jezzzzzzz

even better - there are people that are able to write an essay on audiophile sites about significant differences between said fuses being placed in the right or wrong direction.

I call some of those my friends. intelligent people, able to earn enough money to afford such stuff.Figure that.
 

Mnyb

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The price is actually closer to 100 times more than for a normal cable not 10 times , ands it’s a fraud basically.
Was it 649$ ? And this was the cheap end of JPS ac cables ?
 

pseudoid

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I suspect there is good bit of air in that oversized jacket.
Thank you for the review, @amirm,
Would you be kind enough to describe the type of that "air" inside the oversized jacket.
Per chance; is it over 100C or pressurized?;)
 
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