Power cords do make a sizable (IMO) difference, but not necessarily because they are bigger or smaller. A friend and I were comparing a two on his Melody tube amp a few weeks ago. The stock cord (18g), actually had more bass than my cheap cord, the Volex 17604 (available at Mouser and others). We cut off the stock AC plug to use a Pass and Seymour 5266X (available at Home Depot). The Volex/P&S cord was better in most every other way. It was tonally richer. The treble was more extended. It was all around easier to listen to. The bass of the stock cord was bigger, but maybe bloated by comparison. It's tough to say with a amp/speaker combination we weren't used to (his amp, my speakers). He was shocked at the magnitude of the difference. Frankly, I was also surprised, and I use these cords all the time.
My volex cord is an easy to source version of the infamous "Asylum Cord" designed by Bob Crump. It uses Belden cable, the P&S AC plug and a Shurter IEC (I try to wire captive when I can, but I have used to molded Volex IEC to good effect). Google will turn up all sorts of info on the Asylum cord, but this is the original thread:
http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=cables&n=7885&highlight=jose+and+sean&r=&session=
Here is another cheap and interesting cord. I haven't heard this one, but it is cheap and acclaimed. http://www.angelfire.com/biz/bizzyb/ILJPOWER.html
pj
My volex cord is an easy to source version of the infamous "Asylum Cord" designed by Bob Crump. It uses Belden cable, the P&S AC plug and a Shurter IEC (I try to wire captive when I can, but I have used to molded Volex IEC to good effect). Google will turn up all sorts of info on the Asylum cord, but this is the original thread:
http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=cables&n=7885&highlight=jose+and+sean&r=&session=
Here is another cheap and interesting cord. I haven't heard this one, but it is cheap and acclaimed. http://www.angelfire.com/biz/bizzyb/ILJPOWER.html
pj
P.S., I'm into cheap stuff, but if you want to go high-end (and still DIY), this is where you need to be: http://www.vhaudio.com/products.html
pj
pj
Wow, a wire thread with no idiots? This ain't gonna last long 
Fwiw i would also go for the solid core although it's probably not complying with a whole lot of safety regulations.
Assuming the receiver is something ancient with a lot of poor quality caps, the power cord may be a secondary area of improvement. Don't overdo the gauge.
Fwiw i would also go for the solid core although it's probably not complying with a whole lot of safety regulations.
Assuming the receiver is something ancient with a lot of poor quality caps, the power cord may be a secondary area of improvement. Don't overdo the gauge.
It won't make any difference. Concentrate on the stuff that actually does, like the PS itself.dognut said:
Lots of info he in that regards and Morgan Jones Valve Amplifiers book has more.
Broskies Tubecad site has tons as well and PS cleanliness is one of his fave items.
The suggested solid core cable will be illegal in many countries.
analog_sa said:
I've found these upgrades from Elemental Voice to be far more effective than any modifications you could make to your power cord.
http://www.nathanmarciniak.com/elemental/
These discussions always seem to deteriorate to the magic pebbles crowd vs. those arguing "it couldn't possibly make a difference because (insert logical sounding reason here)". In fact, there is a great middle ground.
Why not just try it out and see what you think? It's not like debating power supply topologies, where comparing often takes considerable time and $$. This takes $20 and 15 minutes (if you've got an IEC jack).
To my ear, materials and geometry make a difference, perhaps more so than size. So, rather than trying random cables that are aesthetically or logically ("it's huge, it must be good!" or "all stranded/PVC 14/3 must be the same" or "ohhh, hospital grade . . ."), I urge anyone interested to rely on the careful vetting others have done.
Try the Belden 19364/Volex 17604 with a P&S 5266X. Maybe you won't think it makes a difference. The day we were comparing, we had also been swapping speakers, CD players and amps. Speakers, not surprisingly, made the greatest difference, followed somewhat surprisingly by CD players (depending on your priorities, the CD player could be said to have a greater effect). I would place the power cord differences on par with the difference between the two amps. And the amps were not similar (6L6 push pull vs. LM3875 chip amp).
pj
Why not just try it out and see what you think? It's not like debating power supply topologies, where comparing often takes considerable time and $$. This takes $20 and 15 minutes (if you've got an IEC jack).
To my ear, materials and geometry make a difference, perhaps more so than size. So, rather than trying random cables that are aesthetically or logically ("it's huge, it must be good!" or "all stranded/PVC 14/3 must be the same" or "ohhh, hospital grade . . ."), I urge anyone interested to rely on the careful vetting others have done.
Try the Belden 19364/Volex 17604 with a P&S 5266X. Maybe you won't think it makes a difference. The day we were comparing, we had also been swapping speakers, CD players and amps. Speakers, not surprisingly, made the greatest difference, followed somewhat surprisingly by CD players (depending on your priorities, the CD player could be said to have a greater effect). I would place the power cord differences on par with the difference between the two amps. And the amps were not similar (6L6 push pull vs. LM3875 chip amp).
pj
question (or two)...
if you anticipate (as against expect) a difference, will there be one? If you experience (as against identify) a difference, how are you going to measure it? If you can't measure it, was there actually a difference? And if changing the last 2 metres of your power supply input cable makes a difference, dramatic or marginal, what about the various cables, connectors transformers, breakers, inductors, and indeed the very generator that lie between you and the source of all those pure, clean, uninhibited electrons?
Do you REALLY think that changing the last minute 2 metres makes a difference?
if you anticipate (as against expect) a difference, will there be one? If you experience (as against identify) a difference, how are you going to measure it? If you can't measure it, was there actually a difference? And if changing the last 2 metres of your power supply input cable makes a difference, dramatic or marginal, what about the various cables, connectors transformers, breakers, inductors, and indeed the very generator that lie between you and the source of all those pure, clean, uninhibited electrons?
Do you REALLY think that changing the last minute 2 metres makes a difference?
I can listen to the same music, played on the same source, run through the same amplifier and reproduced through the same speakers. I can do this at 8:00 PM, and I can do it again four hours later at midnight. I honestly believe it sounds different at midnight than it does at eight. Whether or not it actually is any different is certainly debatable, but I suspect I know where most sane people will cast their vote. I can also listen to a song on a Tuesday night, and listen to it again at the same time on Wednesday. Again, I'm not ashamed to say that I will hear things on one evening that I don't on the other. Whether or not those things are actually there, another debate.
If I can't hear the same thing twice when I don't change my power cord, how the heck am I supposed to evaluate what I hear when I do?
If I can't hear the same thing twice when I don't change my power cord, how the heck am I supposed to evaluate what I hear when I do?
As one of the "idiots" and "schizoprenics" of power cable debates,I say if you hear an improvement,replace it.There is no relation whatsoever between what you hear and what others cannot measure or hear.Someone here said "how are you going to measure it if you hear a change".Well,if you hear an improvement,enjoy it,don't bother to measure it.Measurements are as it seems for those who can't hear what you can.
About 15 years ago I had a power amp that I changed out a 16 AWG power cord to a 10 AWG one and measured 6 watts RMS more power per channel than with the smaller cord (which was also new). Seemed to sound slightly different too. My conclusion, under some circumstances cords can make a difference (opinions obviously vary though).
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