Buying a better Power cable. Is it worth it?

G

Gorecon

Guest
Thought I would post here as this relates specifically to Hi-Fi.
Is it worth spending out on a better power cables?
I am willing to spend out upto £70 on a "decent" power cable.

Currently running a bog stand kettle lead into my Meridian CD player (506-20)
(would look at doing the same with my AMP if I went for it)
I was looking at a Russ Andrews PowerKord for £55. They offer a 60 day return trial period so if you don't want it you send it back and get a full refund. Which sounds reasonable to me.
Any thoughts? I know cabling is often regarded as snake oil.
Can anyone advise me, please?
 
As with any piece of equipment, if you can listen to it at home on an extended demo, this should give you a good idea if they give any improvement.
 
Gorecon said:
I was looking at a Russ Andrews PowerKord for £55. They offer a 60 day return trial period so if you don't want it you send it back and get a full refund. Which sounds reasonable to me.

You will have to pay delivery charges each way and they expect you to return by special delivery.

If the power cords sold at massively inflated prices by RA and the like really delivered any improvement you'd expect them to be used as standard on high end AV kit but they aren't.

Spend the money on some good wine - I find it has a 100% success rate in making music sound better :thumbsup:.

____________________
Dermot
 
Apparently, much to my suprise, it does ! I still cant figure out why ? Is it worth spending loads ? Not really, but £60 probably isnt a bad investment. According to a guy who makes my cables, you need a different types of cable for amplifiers and CDs.
 
Thanks for the responses so far.
Read the entire Blind test with great interest.
I suppose as it says in the blind test. Its a case of making sure all performance avenues (within budget) are looked at.
Also probably nicer to see a handsome looking power cable in the back of your equipment, you never know when you might have guests.
I am sure there there are far too many people on this forum who spend much too much time looking at the rear of their hi-fi equipment! :D :D

Will have to think this one through. Maybe worth testing and then sending back for the cost of special delivery if I find no difference at all...
 
karkus30 said:
According to a guy who makes my cables, you need a different types of cable for amplifiers and CDs.

I would LOVE to hear the explanation for that one :rolleyes:

_____________________
Dermot
 
Peridot said:
I would LOVE to hear the explanation for that one :rolleyes:

_____________________
Dermot

He never explained it to me either, but if he ever surfaces again I shall ask him.
 
RA's cables are based on Kimber's weaving, which claims to minimise RFI.

I was thinking of selling my RA mains stuff but did another test with the missus and have to say it is beneficial in my system.

I'd say it's worth trying out, but if you buy, buy used at half the price :lesson:
 
karkus30 said:
According to a guy who makes my cables, you need a different types of cable for amplifiers and CDs.

Not that I am sold on this myself, but www.Shunyata.com explains this distinction as follows:

Pacesetters (for amps and other high-current components) are specifically designed for equipment that requires continuous high-current delivery or short-term instantaneous current delivery. The cables have large gauge conductors, low power loss dielectrics, patented conductor geometries and multiple EMI/RFI shields.

Noise Reduction cables (for digital components) ... reduce the perceived noise floor without the negative effects of filters or ferrites. Noise Reduction power cables employ patented technologies that allow sound and visual images to emerge with a tactile sense of texture, dimension and spatial resolution that are otherwise obscured by EMI and RFI noise. They bring subtle detail and tonal nuance to the fore with a newfound level of true resolution. Noise Reduction cables perform well with components that generate significant electronic noise. This would include virtually all digital components, processors and decoders as well as CD and DVD players.
 
GaryG said:
Have fun reading this:

http://forum.hifichoice.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=14148


Should leave you in no doubt as to the answer to your question! :eek:

Thought about this for years, just read the hifi choice thread and maybe on lower priced equipment it might make a difference, but on expensive S-O-T-A kit I would have thought as price seems no object that they would use the best mains cable anyway.

At the end of the day where do you begin, have a separate filtered spur just for the hi-fi alone?
 
Yes, buy a cable from somewhere that does a refund. If it doesn't do anything for you, you can get your money back, end of story.
 
I make my own Powerchords and they sound better than the RA Reference Power Chords they replaced.

Typical Cost is approx £12 per Cable!

12awg Silver Plated Military Spec Wire $25 for 15m on ebay.
Marinco 320IEC Plug - Approx $15 from the US
MK Plug - Approx £2 - any electrical supplier

Hard wire the conductors to the MK plug with a high Silver Content solder and screw down the corresponding conductors to the Marinco iec.

To make these look tidier, I feed the conductors through PVC tubing and finish off with braided sleeving I use on mains cable projects.

See the finished item here

http://homepage.eircom.net/~andrewspencer/Power Chord.JPG
 
Common

I think I may have a couple of spare Marinco 320 IEc's and I've got plenty of 12awg Silver Plated Wire so why not. How many beers shall I expect above the cost price for making them for you?

Cheers!

Spenny
 
Spenny,

Where did you source those Marinco plugs from and how much/long was the delivery? Thanks.
 
Common

I've just worked out that the Power Chords cost me € 24 each to make which equates to approx. £16, so I'll make you two for £50 inc postage, hows that?

Regards.

Spenny
 
Try a RA yello on the CD player first its hardly bank breaking and IMHO does help smooth things out a bit. Most opinions you will get here are personal ones, bear in mind everyones mains quality varies hence there are bound to be different results.
 

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