HIFI POWER CABLES - a thought

[CDMC]

This cracks me up!
After the AC travels through untold miles of wire and numerous transformers, they think the last 4 feet makes a difference? What kind of drug induces such a fantasy? And where can I get some?

This is why I am now off the grid, with pure sine wave generators and Cardas cable wiring my entire home’s electrical system. The sound is amazing, those generators spinning away.

 

[Palladium]

This is why I am now off the grid, with pure sine wave generators and Cardas cable wiring my entire home’s electrical system. The sound is amazing, those generators spinning away.

Have you tried all silver PCB leads and solder yet?

 

[Galliardist]

My Marantz PM-16 also had just a normal power cable. It wasn't even removable if I recall correctly. I don't know what they are doing now though.

My stuff came with moulded black IEC leads.
A dealer (not the one I bought from) told me that the leads with the Reference items "look normal but are special leads".
They certainly look normal, though the one for the SA-10 has a ferrite bead on it, so does that qualify as audiophile?

The SA-10 has no earth pin (floating earth). Nor does the Ruby disc player or several of the others. This leads to one of the classic questions asked everywhere except here... "I have a Marantz disc player and there is no earth pin. Can I replace/Is it safe to replace the power lead with a proper audiophile one?"

They could just use their eyes. The plug on the supplied lead is perfectly normal three pin IEC. Idiots twice over!

 

[Galliardist]

I see. Add a Shunyata cord to that baby and I'm in!

In what?

 

[egellings]

In what?

Audiophile Nirvana!

 

[symphara]

I think a discussion with Luxman/Accuphase representatives about the above issue could finally put a nail in the coffin of high end power cables.

Nothing will put a nail in this particular coffin, or the cable mortuary in general. Too much of a zombie in it. For every lack of credibility, there's a surplus of naivety. Perhaps it's the looks. While I'd never - even if I become a billionaire - spend too much money on an audio cable (I'm too miserly for that) - I have to admit that some just look awesome.

I really don't get angry about it and don't understand why people get angry about it. Other's people's money.

 

[CDMC]

Have you tried all silver PCB leads and solder yet?

Getting there. Current rebuilding all my circuit breakers with Cardas Cable that George himself has blessed twice and was transported to my house from the factory by elves wearing hazmat suits so they didn’t contaminate it.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

"Resolving" is one word that needs to leave the home hifi vernacular. It's just more audiophile narcissism (not accusing the OP of that). I ask the PS Audio crowd that all the time. What is it that your system resolves that mine doesn't? Is my amp refusing to reproduce the bass guitar notes or something? And is it doing it on purpose? Like out of spite?

Out of spite. -Your amplifier is masking the word "peasant" into every track you play because it's being held back by your puny stock RCA connectors.

 

[Dismayed]

I'm not aware of extension cords being marketed in an "audiophile" format, the way power cords are.

I'm not aware of extension cords being marketed in an "audiophile" format, the way power cords are.

It’s an untapped market!

 

[AaronJ]

Nothing will put a nail in this particular coffin, or the cable mortuary in general. Too much of a zombie in it. For every lack of credibility, there's a surplus of naivety. Perhaps it's the looks. While I'd never - even if I become a billionaire - spend too much money on an audio cable (I'm too miserly for that) - I have to admit that some just look awesome.

I really don't get angry about it and don't understand why people get angry about it. Other's people's money.

People get annoyed because there are far better philanthropic uses for money than falling victim to a con that’s so easily avoidable, especially now that their claimed improvements have been disproven.

 

[symphara]

People get annoyed because there are far better philanthropic uses for money than falling victim to a con that’s so easily avoidable, especially now that their claimed improvements have been disproven.

It sounds arrogant and presumptuous to loudly voice one's annoyance about that. If it doesn't affect you, the best you can do is make the case. Beating anyone with a rhetorical bat over their heads isn't going to do anything except establish your bad reputation.

And do the "people" get similarly annoyed at audiophile snakeoil such as the Roon Nucleus, where you probably pay >$1k for the case?

 

[AaronJ]

It sounds arrogant and presumptuous to loudly voice one's annoyance about that. If it doesn't affect you, the best you can do is make the case. Beating anyone with a rhetorical bat over their heads isn't going to do anything except establish your bad reputation.

And do the "people" get similarly annoyed at audiophile snakeoil such as the Roon Nucleus, where you probably pay >$1k for the case?

I don’t and wouldn’t tell someone what they should do with their money, but there is nothing wrong with being either silently or vocally annoyed by decisions made through ignorance or hubris.

 

[fpitas]

I don’t and wouldn’t tell someone what they should do with their money, but there is nothing wrong with being either silently or vocally annoyed by decisions made through ignorance or hubris.

It's kind of our job here, frankly.

 

[symphara]

It's kind of our job here, frankly.

I disagree, the job is to make the case, make it convincingly and let it be judged on its quality - not to berate or be annoyed, or bully others.

 

[fpitas]

I disagree, the job is to make the case, make it convincingly and let it be judged on its quality - not to berate or be annoyed, or bully others.

Well fair enough.

 

[mhardy6647]

I dunno -- people pay for financial advice, and here we offer it gratis.
Pretty eleemosynary of us, I'd opine.

Example:

Q: I want to spend $20,000 for an IEC power cord.
A: Don't.

I mean, who can put a price on counsel like that?

 

[Ricardus]

Out of spite. -Your amplifier is masking the word "peasant" into every track you play because it's being held back by your puny stock RCA connectors.

My amp is totally pissed that I don't have an "AC Regenerator" in front of it.

 

[mhardy6647]

My amp is totally pissed that I don't have an "AC Regenerator" in front of it.

And rightly so!
That said, you're fortunate to possess an amplifier of such redoubtable bandwidth -- extending all of the way, no doubt, from DC to dudgeon.
Many less fortunate souls must make due with systems incapable of that level of resolution.

 

[fpitas]

We should try not to berate people, of course. The arguments do get overheated at times.

And rightly so!
That said, you're fortunate to possess an amplifier of such redoubtable bandwidth -- extending all of the way, no doubt, from DC to dudgeon.
Many less fortunate souls must make due with systems incapable of that level of resolution.

Right? The ignorant designers of my amps installed all kinds of huge capacitors and filtering in the supplies.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

My amp is totally pissed that I don't have an "AC Regenerator" in front of it.

Better not turn your back to it. You never know what that thing is plottin'.