• 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!

GR Research B24 AC Cord Review

Rate this AC Cable

  • 1. Waste of money (piggy bank panther)

    Votes: 373 95.4%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 4 1.0%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther

    Votes: 1 0.3%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 13 3.3%

  • Total voters
    391
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,597
Likes
239,674
Location
Seattle Area
I barely skimmed this thread (because, why?) but in general think testing a large-low-resistance cord would be best done using a power amp and high output than a preamp (maybe I missed something, sorry).
As I noted in the review, company claims that the 24 wire cable is better for source components. And that their 16 wire cord is better for amps. Don't ask me to explain their logic. I just work here. :)
 

DonH56

Master Contributor
Technical Expert
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 15, 2016
Messages
7,880
Likes
16,667
Location
Monument, CO
Why you should do this? If you have 40m of cabels in the wall with high resistence, what should than the last meter with lower resistance change? Do the math, no need for tests. Ohms law is well established.
I can do math, the point was to counter the inevitable "wrong use case" counter-arguments that are likely to flood in from subjective supporters.

I think there "Could" be more of a possibility of an improvement, in a high current draw device......BUT.....as to whether it would actually translate into anything audible, very questionable.

I could also emulate this, for a lot less, as far as the low resistance part for sure.
I really doubt there would be an audible difference except under extraordinary circumstances, if even then. There are numerous examples of high-power amplifiers not attaining full rated output due to voltage sag, but root cause is usually more than the cable from wall to amp...

Allow me to repeat the important line from my post: That is NOT an argument in favor of spending $349 on a power cord.

Or anything more than getting one good enough for the job. As has been shown over and over, the power supply in your components rejects noise to a much higher degree than a power cord, and if the power cord is inducing voltage drop more significant than all the wires before it, then it was severely undersized to begin with, such that a $20 cable of say 10 AWG would likely fix the problem.

I will say that the U-shaped ground is pretty common IME, as are plugs having the ground sticking out a little more than the line/neutral pins. I am not sure why the ground shape, perhaps just to provide greater contact area to the socket while being cheaper than a larger solid pin? The ground connection is to ensure safety ground is present before power is applied to a component, and remains in place until after power is removed as the plug is pulled out of the socket. Common in commercial/hospital/industrial environments for safety reasons IIRC.

And AGAIN you don't need to spend $349 to get those plugs...
 

uwotm8

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2020
Messages
406
Likes
464
If you don't hear how cables sound it's either bad system or ears - or both:p
True audiophiles easily detect all stages of AC sockets burn-in, not even mentioning cables and other major things (speakers etc).
 

DonH56

Master Contributor
Technical Expert
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 15, 2016
Messages
7,880
Likes
16,667
Location
Monument, CO
As I noted in the review, company claims that the 24 wire cable is better for source components. And that their 16 wire cord is better for amps. Don't ask me to explain their logic. I just work here. :)
Ah, I missed that. Hmph. "Logic"? :)
 

FrantzM

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
4,372
Likes
7,864
Hi

I wonder what would be the motivations of an individual who voted "Great" for this item? :rolleyes:.

Peace.

P.S. Five (!!!!) "great" votes:eek:
 

Captain-X

New Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2022
Messages
2
Likes
9
When I worked in the industry in the UK, a 'respected' cable brand made in the south of the UK offered a 60% profit margin for stocking their range of cables - purchase a £350 GPB retail cable for 116 GBP trade price ex-VAT and made a profit margin (not mark-up) of £175 GBP ex-VAT on every cable you sold. If you asked for a discount you would first be offered a mega discount on the cables or offered them free as that was where the obscene profit margins were.

The sales team would push the most revenue making items, to be honest they were not rubbish but were severely over-priced, the What-Hi-Fi type magazines did us a all a favour and spread the myth that at least 10 - 20% of a hi-fi budget should be spent on cables etc.
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,597
Likes
239,674
Location
Seattle Area
I will say that the U-shaped ground is pretty common IME, as are plugs having the ground sticking out a little more than the line/neutral pins.
This is common. But as I noted, this one sticks out more than regular AC cables I compared it to, including AudioQuest, etc. Had it not been stiff to push in, it would not be a big issue. But it is, making you think you have inserted the AC cable when you have not.
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,597
Likes
239,674
Location
Seattle Area
Hi

I wonder what would be the motivations of an individual who voted "Great" for this item? :rolleyes:.

Peace.

P.S. Five (!!!!) "great" votes:eek:
Motivation is to make trouble. Gives us an indication of level of "noise" in the polls.
 

uwotm8

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2020
Messages
406
Likes
464
a 'respected' cable brand made in the south of the UK offered a 60% profit margin for stocking their range of cables
60% is such a low margin lol. Some boutique PHAT KABLZ such as NBS are being selled withing community by a small individual sellers and 50-60% is a typical "disconut" from some RRP but I believe that's just a made-up sales model. And, the second one, MapleShade... Worth to have a dedicated thread here. Epic brand. So I think real margin on these is 95+% of RRP at least
 
Last edited:
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,597
Likes
239,674
Location
Seattle Area
I agree.


I agree.

No, you can't just overlay the curves like this.

Level (dBrA) is measured with a volt meter.

Threshold of hearing is measured on a SPL scale with a calibrated microphone.

We are talking apples and oranges.


View attachment 218141
What? dB is a relative scale. It works just as well in electronics as it does in acoustics with a microphone. If the playback system acoustically supports 120 dBSPL, then electronic system will have to support the same dynamic range.

It is also a mistake to bring up masking as that mains driven hum will be active even during silence in music.
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,597
Likes
239,674
Location
Seattle Area
At a certain stage I actually would be eager to know those names who voted that.
I could make these votes public. :)
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,597
Likes
239,674
Location
Seattle Area
You did what? Vote great? If so, how much will you pay me for this cable? Remember, you will have a heck of a time just plugging it into the wall outlet.
 

uwotm8

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2020
Messages
406
Likes
464
If so, how much will you pay me for this cable?
It's too great for my system of flawed Dynaudios and AudioQuests so I'll try to get JBL 305s first. Also I need EU plug:)
 
Last edited:

Steve Rogers

Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2022
Messages
76
Likes
68
I think most members know not to waste money on this kind of thing so isnt it a waste of Amir's time not to mention 350 dollars?
 
Top Bottom