Testing Different Power Cords

[janmike]

The following power cords were tested on my Esoteric SACD player. All cables had at least 200 hours of burn-in time.

1) 6Sons Audio Thunderbird with Oyaide Poo4 plug and IEC.
2) PS Audio xStream Statement SC power Cable (latest version)
3) Virtual Dynamics David Series 1.0 (not the latest David Series version)


Music Selections:

1) Sarah McLachlan – Angel
2) Dire Straits – So Far Away
3) Loreena McKennitt – The Mystic’s Dream
4) Moody Blues – Tuesday Afternoon
5) Murray Perahia / Radu Lupu – Mozart: Concert For Two & Three Pianos

I asked my wife, the best tester outside of my ears, to sit down and pick four or five songs to listen to. I did not tell her what I was changing and randomly interchanged the power cords on the Esoteric. So I played the first song 5 times and then I let here tell me which sound she preferred and why. Then the second song and so on and so on.

Going into this I knew that I liked the sound of the Virtual Dynamics cable. I had tested it alone a week before and thought the music sounded more natural. The instruments seem to be very definitive and flowed together much better. While the other two cables may have brought forward individual detail on each instrument (what I would call sharpness), the harmonizing of the instruments together was not as appealing. Yes it does carry the highest MSRP and I was actually thinking that she would not be able to tell the difference and at the end the study would result in being non-conclusive. In other words, she would be all over the map in her selections.

Well, I will jump right to the chase. She picked the Virtual Dynamics power 100% of the time. It actually floored me that she had done this. I secretly wanted her to pick the cheap one to save me a few bucks. At one point, I think it was the 3 song, she told to stop as she did not like the sound. I am not sure what cable was connected at the time, but it was not the VD. The music in her words was richer, full-bodied and more natural. The other cables presented a level of sharpness that was actually harsh sounding. Déjà vu.

I agreed with her assessment so much so that I worked a deal with VD to trade in my other cables and purchase 3 Nite Platinum power cords. The Nites are actually one level higher that the David Series. This company may not appeal to everyone, but they are very aggressive with there sale prices and trade-in allowance for competitive products. The deal was too good to pass up and I like what their products do to my system. Will I swap out the speaker cables and ICS’s? Not sure. They are all MIT Shotgun S1’s but future testing will determine the outcome.

This hobby always amazes me. I go into a test thinking that I will not be able to differentiate between different products and BAM – it hits me. I am just glad that I can tell the difference.

[ShinAce]

Not even a power hungry device; it's interesting.

[Gadabout]

Interesting review. I'm curious as to the original power cable configuration of the wires vs the new power cable. It's not unusual for CD players to have just a safety ground. Meaning the shielding is wired on the wall plug ground but is not wired to the IEC plug ground. If you have a meter, a simple continuity check on the ground of the power cables will answer this question.

While the CD player has a IEC termination point, does it have one or two pins in the socket.

Getting ready to make some power cables is why I'm curious.

Scott

--- Damn Yellowknife, it still must be crazy cold there.

[F1nut]

Nice write up with interesting results. Thanks.

[Zero]

Cool write up.

Tell you what Jan.. do me a favor.

Tell the wife to swap out the VD cord for the stock Belden after a few weeks... Make an agreement where she wont tell you when she's done it. It'll be interesting to read about the results.

[venomclan]

Not even a power hungry device; it's interesting.

I have found that some power cords that are specifically made for digital gear (extra shileding, etc.) can make a nice difference on cd players and other gear that do not pull a lot of power, while other "garden hose" cables do better with amps and the power hungry stuff.


Nice write up Jan, now you are going to make me do a shootout of the PC's I have on hand (Tara Labs, Ps Audio Prelude and Shunyata Venom). Thanks for the extra work :(
Venom

[sb_caribou]

Yes, thanks for the write up. I'm still working on the components. Maybe some day I'll explore swapping power cables from stock. That said, there is no way my wife will have the patience to sit through an audition and give me "reality check" input!

[janmike]

Yes, thanks for the write up. I'm still working on the components. Maybe some day I'll explore swapping power cables from stock. That said, there is no way my wife will have the patience to sit through an audition and give me "reality check" input!

Too bad, I had that written into the prenupt agreement before we got married. She is obligated to dedicate a minimum of 5 hours per month to critical audio analysis. :D

[dorokusai]

You are now, officially, a cable heretic....cool.

[pearsall001]

Nice write up...even if I don't believe a word of it!!! Nah, only kidding! Aren't wives great for this sort of thng, they don't have any pre conceived notions which can cloud their observations They simply know what they hear & call accordingly. They don't need any explanation they just let you know what sound they prefer, & it doesn't matter how you arrived at it, nor do they care.

I'm on board 110% that PC's & cables can & do make a difference. It's just that it can drive us crazy until we settle on a nice synergy match.

PS-Thanks again for the hat, pretty cool!

[Midnite Mick]

I've always had a curiosity for VD but they are just so damn expensive.

(oh jeez, I think your thread is about to get longer and a little off topic...lol)

Mike

[ben62670]

Interesting review. I'm curious as to the original power cable configuration of the wires vs the new power cable. It's not unusual for CD players to have just a safety ground. Meaning the shielding is wired on the wall plug ground but is not wired to the IEC plug ground. If you have a meter, a simple continuity check on the ground of the power cables will answer this question.

While the CD player has a IEC termination point, does it have one or two pins in the socket.

Getting ready to make some power cables is why I'm curious.

Scott

--- Damn Yellowknife, it still must be crazy cold there.

The tough one on this is it may have 3 pins, but only 2 being used. You would have to do a continuity between the chassis, and the ground pin.

Ben

[treitz3]

Not even a power hungry device; it's interesting.
The first time I ever heard a change in the end result was with a CDP. This is not surprising to me, actually expected. Nice writeup there Mike!

[treitz3]

I have found that some power cords that are specifically made for digital gear (extra shileding, etc.) can make a nice difference on cd players and other gear that do not pull a lot of power, while other "garden hose" cables do better with amps and the power hungry stuff.
Ditto for the most part. There are exceptions I have run into but for the most part, I'll echo what you have stated.

[venomclan]

Ditto for the most part. There are exceptions I have run into but for the most part, I'll echo what you have stated.

Yup, YMMV.

[DarqueKnight]

I just ran across this while doing research on power cables. Thanks for the insights and the review.

[disneyjoe7]

Nice review :)



I secretly wanted her to pick the cheap one to save me a few bucks.

What are you worried about you use her CC don't you now ;)

[marvda1]

nice review mike, just ran across this today also. i have found that different power cords sound better with different components. i have the 6sons windigo power cord and it sounds best on my power amp. what are the other components of your system and did you try the cables on other components?

[BB3]

janmike, thank you for your time efforts concerning this matter. I will give it a try myself. Thank You, BB3

[george daniel]

Very good review Mike :)

[janmike]

nice review mike, just ran across this today also. i have found that different power cords sound better with different components. i have the 6sons windigo power cord and it sounds best on my power amp. what are the other components of your system and did you try the cables on other components?

I am in the process of burning in all 4 power cords as I upgraded to the Masters LE 2.0 series. I am using the 4 power cords on the following devices

1) Audio Research LS26 Pre
2) Proceed Amp5 (soon to be replaced with ARC VS115 Amp)
3) Esoteric X-03 SACD player (as stated above)
4) Shunyata Hydra Model-8 conditioner

So far so very good.

[george daniel]

I am in the process of burning in all 4 power cords as I upgraded to the Masters LE 2.0 series. I am using the 4 power cords on the following devices

1) Audio Research LS26 Pre
2) Proceed Amp5 (soon to be replaced with ARC VS115 Amp)
3) Esoteric X-03 SACD player (as stated above)
4) Shunyata Hydra Model-8 conditioner

So far so very good.

Hey Michael,, that's some serious gear you got there ;):)

[ben62670]

Cables don't make a difference:p

[mjhughes]

What you have with power cables is placebo effect. They are just snake oil. Have a look at this thread about these VD cable.http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f21/my-cat-tore-up-my-virtual-dynamics-power-3-a-293165/

[F1nut]

mjhughes, so do you have any personal experience trying out different power cords in your system?

[RuSsMaN]

He's got AQ in his sig for interconns - maybe he's just partially biased Jesse? RCA's make a difference, but stop there? ;)

Why are we even looking at this thread bro?

[F1nut]

LOL.....yeah, I made note of that Russ.

Bored, I guess.

[janmike]

Here we go again. Someone with all kinds of personal experience with a product. The regurgitation of some else’s material does not qualify as experience.

[disneyjoe7]

If nothing else loved seeing what made that cable tick. But I would kill the cat if mine (and I should state own two cats but I have my limits) and when he was asked what he thought of the cable before his cat destroyed it he didn't responded to it I wonder then if his cat really tore it up or he was trying to put down the cable.

[reeltrouble1]

Here we go again. Someone with all kinds of personal experience with a product. The regurgitation of some else’s material does not qualify as experience.

the boy just wants to straighten us all out, we know nothing, maybe he should get a sand dollar reward.

RT1

[DarqueKnight]

the boy just wants to straighten us all out, we know nothing...

I could use a little straightening out. In the mean time, I'll be spending some time evaluating some PS Audio Statement SC power cords (five :))that the FedEx man delivered today.

First I'll try them on my mono blocks, then on the preamp, then the phono preamp, and finally the SACD player.

As usual, I'll let you guys know how well the placebo effect worked.

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/darqueknight88/StatementSC-Boxes-s.jpg

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/darqueknight88/StatementSC-Closeup-s.jpg

I'm such a sucker for slick marketing and pretty packaging.:(


------------------------------
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/darqueknight88/wink.gifAwwww...you're not that bad. Really. I've got some people buying diamond necklaces for poodles.
------------------------------
Thanks for putting things in perspective. I feel better now.~DK

[Face]

DK, if they don't live up to your expectations, I may be willing to take a couple off your hands. Because they're pretty and all, no other reason of course. :D

[reeltrouble1]

I have some of the Original PS Audio Statement PC, sure not as purty as those are. I do like what they did for the sound of the rig. I like mine on the mono amp.

RT1

[AndyGwis]

damn, those cables look thick. . . almost as thick as my. . . thumb.

[treitz3]

Here we go again. Someone with all kinds of personal experience with a product. The regurgitation of some else’s material does not qualify as experience.
What? Are you kidding me? It's experience for someone that's never tried the placebo effect...or was it something else? Wait, I'm off to go find a link to back my experience up.

In the meantime, just sit back and think really hard about what you said here man. I mean, seriously.

Seriously.

[janmike]

I did.

[treitz3]

.... ;)

[janmike]

Amazing, love that placebo effect. Darn those UoT 70's students.

[Deadof_knight]

Sometimmes a an untrained ear will tell you the truth...... my wife really could tell the difference when I brought my 1.2s online she loved them !!!!