I'm just getting ready to try assembling my first DIY power cord and I wanted to post it so I could create some discussion. My two primary motivations behind making my own power cord are aesthetics, and the DIY drive to make something myself rather than buy it. My sole secondary motivation is to hopefully improve the sound of my system. All that aside, here is the list of parts I'm going to use.
The SOW cable and Hubbell connectors are conveniently available at a local industrial supplier a couple of miles from me.
For cable I'm going to use 12 /3 similar to the following:
12/3 SO cable
The Hubbell connectors I'm going to use are the 8115V and H320C as seen and available as well at Percy Audio .
And, for aesthetics I'm using the black polyester mesh braid also available from Percy Audio. As a final finishing touch I'm going to try and use some 1.25 to 1.5" heat shrink tubing to finish it off.
In the end I'm hoping to achieve something similar to the following: Virtual Dynamics Power One
And on a final note, if you have thoughts, ideas, suggestions you want to share. Go ahead!
Regards,
Dan
The SOW cable and Hubbell connectors are conveniently available at a local industrial supplier a couple of miles from me.
For cable I'm going to use 12 /3 similar to the following:
12/3 SO cable
The Hubbell connectors I'm going to use are the 8115V and H320C as seen and available as well at Percy Audio .
And, for aesthetics I'm using the black polyester mesh braid also available from Percy Audio. As a final finishing touch I'm going to try and use some 1.25 to 1.5" heat shrink tubing to finish it off.
In the end I'm hoping to achieve something similar to the following: Virtual Dynamics Power One
And on a final note, if you have thoughts, ideas, suggestions you want to share. Go ahead!
Regards,
Dan
I don't know about the choice of cable... These cable types (SOW, SJOW, etc) are great for heavy-duty extention cords that need to withstand a lot of abuse, but I don't think I'd use them for audio power cords. In my experience, the copper in these cables seems to corrode very quickly. I've always wondered if it has something to do with out-gassing from the rubber insulation. These cables certainly do a lot of that; they smell terrible when they are new.
If you're putting a braided sleeve over it, I would use three individual wires with some kind of insulation other than rubber. Something with teflon or PVC insulation, maybe.
If you're putting a braided sleeve over it, I would use three individual wires with some kind of insulation other than rubber. Something with teflon or PVC insulation, maybe.
JUST A Q...
Hi,
Sorry to jump in like this....but:
In continental Europe we have something like a 2.5mm radius solid core pair running in the unshielded conduits.
Does this differ much from what you have?
All my detachable powercords are solid core twisted + a smaller solid core as neutral braided inbetween those conductors and not shielded ( I plan to try this shielding out later)... there is simply no comparison to the multistrand jobs that come as standard.
You gain in coherence across the audio band and it's soo cheap to try.
Mind you, it's pretty stiff stuff very low in WAF...
To Peter Daniel:
The effect is similar to NOT decoupling electrolytes with filmcaps...everything sounds as if it's cut from one piece of cloth as opposed to stitched together pieces of various fabrics...
I'm sure you catch my drift...
While I'm at it, I do use multiple PSU caps in my gear but: all the same value and brand for the same rail...if you don't same occurs as above.
Cheers,
Hi,
Sorry to jump in like this....but:
In continental Europe we have something like a 2.5mm radius solid core pair running in the unshielded conduits.
Does this differ much from what you have?
All my detachable powercords are solid core twisted + a smaller solid core as neutral braided inbetween those conductors and not shielded ( I plan to try this shielding out later)... there is simply no comparison to the multistrand jobs that come as standard.
You gain in coherence across the audio band and it's soo cheap to try.
Mind you, it's pretty stiff stuff very low in WAF...
To Peter Daniel:
The effect is similar to NOT decoupling electrolytes with filmcaps...everything sounds as if it's cut from one piece of cloth as opposed to stitched together pieces of various fabrics...
I'm sure you catch my drift...
While I'm at it, I do use multiple PSU caps in my gear but: all the same value and brand for the same rail...if you don't same occurs as above.
Cheers,
Re: JUST A Q...
Are you still talking about power cords or my other post in a different thread?
fdegrove said:
To Peter Daniel:
The effect is similar to NOT decoupling electrolytes with filmcaps...everything sounds as if it's cut from one piece of cloth as opposed to stitched together pieces of various fabrics...
I'm sure you catch my drift...
While I'm at it, I do use multiple PSU caps in my gear but: all the same value and brand for the same rail...if you don't same occurs as above.
Cheers,
Are you still talking about power cords or my other post in a different thread?
That's what I thought.
My findings in this matter are confirmed by recent experiments with tweeter crossovers. I'm using main 3u series cap and was trying to add some 0.01 bypasses to spice the sound a bit (Hovland, RTX, silver foil caps). In this particular setting (Triangle T20 tweeter and Siemens MKV cap) it just doesn't work. Although bypass caps seem to add more resolution and detail, in a long run it sounds artificial and I really prefer a single cap as it is more natural sounding. The best bypasses were MITs, the silvers exaggerated everything and Hovlands added too much color.
To perceive this kind of differences and nuances may nat be possible in a regular setup, because previously, I also preffered the bypass, but this current system is very revealing, with silver interconnects and copper flat ribbon speaker cables, no preamp, simple amplification stage and non oversampling DAC. It can be clearly distinguished, what sounds better.
I had similar experience with GC filter caps. Using one 1000u cap in comparison to two, the same caps, one cap was always more 'pure' sounding, although not always as dynamic. But I will always trade smoothness and natural sound over dynamics. The bypass I tried was BG N 4.7u and it added exaggeration at high frequencies, like indeed it was "stitched together from pieces of various fabrics..." . Maybe our prefferences differ
The amount of detail and ambience I can extract from recording is simply astonishing.
I would rather compare it to looking at sound through the glass. With bypass cap, it's like looking through a magnifying glass, everything is more pronaunced, but can be annoying. Without bypass, it's like looking through the window. It's still the same view, although not real, because you can't touch it, ...if you know what I mean
My findings in this matter are confirmed by recent experiments with tweeter crossovers. I'm using main 3u series cap and was trying to add some 0.01 bypasses to spice the sound a bit (Hovland, RTX, silver foil caps). In this particular setting (Triangle T20 tweeter and Siemens MKV cap) it just doesn't work. Although bypass caps seem to add more resolution and detail, in a long run it sounds artificial and I really prefer a single cap as it is more natural sounding. The best bypasses were MITs, the silvers exaggerated everything and Hovlands added too much color.
To perceive this kind of differences and nuances
may nat be possible in a regular setup, because previously, I also preffered the bypass, but this current system is very revealing, with silver interconnects and copper flat ribbon speaker cables, no preamp, simple amplification stage and non oversampling DAC. It can be clearly distinguished, what sounds better. I had similar experience with GC filter caps. Using one 1000u cap in comparison to two, the same caps, one cap was always more 'pure' sounding, although not always as dynamic. But I will always trade smoothness and natural sound over dynamics. The bypass I tried was BG N 4.7u and it added exaggeration at high frequencies, like indeed it was "stitched together from pieces of various fabrics..." . Maybe our prefferences differ
The amount of detail and ambience I can extract from recording is simply astonishing.
I would rather compare it to looking at sound through the glass. With bypass cap, it's like looking through a magnifying glass, everything is more pronaunced, but can be annoying. Without bypass, it's like looking through the window. It's still the same view, although not real, because you can't touch it, ...if you know what I mean
my virtual dynamics power basic cord comes in tomrrow, ill let you know how it sounds my cord i got from signal cable is great, and i couldnt built it cheaper than buying it! (same as the virtual dynamics one).
ive found that some cables are cheaper to buy then to build. the connectors alone are very expensive and stopped me from going into the project.
my cord i got from signal cable is great, and i couldnt built it cheaper than buying it! (same as the virtual dynamics one).ive found that some cables are cheaper to buy then to build. the connectors alone are very expensive and stopped me from going into the project.
Silicone Sounds Good
As Frank says the only bitch is stiffness of the cable ***'y.
Another cable worth trying is silicone insulated cable, often used in industrial applications, and available from electrical wholesalers.
I find that this imparts a very agreeable character in the sound, and although not as cheap as standard cables is not excessively expensive.
Eric.
Hi Dan, I concur with Frank that solid core wire gives a solidness and coherence that is not found in multi-stranded cables - this applies to speaker wire application also.dantwomey said:
As Frank says the only bitch is stiffness of the cable ***'y.
Another cable worth trying is silicone insulated cable, often used in industrial applications, and available from electrical wholesalers.
I find that this imparts a very agreeable character in the sound, and although not as cheap as standard cables is not excessively expensive.
Eric.
Hi,
Peter,
Not quite..I know your preference would be my choice as well.
Unfortunately in some situations you ( make that me) just don't have that many options for practical/electronical reasons.
Eric,
Agreed. Especially when you need multistranded wire the good damping of the silicone insulation + its only so so DA will absorb a lot of nasties.
Cheers,
Peter,
Not quite..I know your preference would be my choice as well.
Unfortunately in some situations you ( make that me) just don't have that many options for practical/electronical reasons.
Eric,
Agreed. Especially when you need multistranded wire the good damping of the silicone insulation + its only so so DA will absorb a lot of nasties.
Cheers,
Here are the posts that Kimber was mentioned as power cord: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=196685#post196685
I didn't use it as such myself yet.
I didn't use it as such myself yet.
A nice heavy power cord an essential component and why not diy. However, I'm a bit sceptical about spending $750 for power cords when you consider what crap is upstream. Make sure the outlet that feeds you cord is a dedicated outlet that runs straight to the breaker box and doesn't feed through 6 other cheesy 60 cent outlets first.
By the way, has anyone else bothered to look at what passes for domestic power with a scope. I did and was appauled. The distortion in the mains makes any power cord tweaks a total waste of time and effort.
Take a look at the thread called "what's on your power" or something like that.
Please don't be offended. Your plan sounds like a great one in function and looks, just look upstream befor you go crazy.
I just van't help but get on a soap box when I see adverts for over priced power cords with claims that you'll hear some great difference. That's what power supply caps are for.
Now let the flaming begin
By the way, has anyone else bothered to look at what passes for domestic power with a scope. I did and was appauled. The distortion in the mains makes any power cord tweaks a total waste of time and effort.
Take a look at the thread called "what's on your power" or something like that.
Please don't be offended. Your plan sounds like a great one in function and looks, just look upstream befor you go crazy.
I just van't help but get on a soap box when I see adverts for over priced power cords with claims that you'll hear some great difference. That's what power supply caps are for.
Now let the flaming begin
diy cord plan
Belden 19364 (14/3 and shielded) and the new DH Labs power cable (12/3) make very good power cords. Cables made from these replaced expensive Shunyata cords. The DH Labs cord is excellent for an amp.
www.diycable.com for Belden by the foot.
www.welbornelabs.com for the DH Labs by the foot.
Belden 19364 (14/3 and shielded) and the new DH Labs power cable (12/3) make very good power cords. Cables made from these replaced expensive Shunyata cords. The DH Labs cord is excellent for an amp.
www.diycable.com for Belden by the foot.
www.welbornelabs.com for the DH Labs by the foot.
It is my understanding that power cord acts as a filter or a tuning device. It doesn't matter what's on your AC line is, the cord just adds coloration, similar to the capacitor in speaker's crossover (or interconnects and speaker cables) and sometimes you like it, and sometimes not. So the length of the wire from the power station to your room doesn't have to do anything with a power cord. Am I on a right track?
Take your oscope and 2 probes. put one at the outlet and one on the trany primary inside the amp. Compair the 2 wave forms. You and use xy function and You'll have a straight diagonal line meaning it's the same signal. Or invert one siginal and add the 2 channels and adjust variable gain to cancel and you will have a straight line meaning the 2 signals are the same.
The power cords job is to get power to the tranny, not to filter anything. That's for the recifier and caps.
I have seen banks of caps and huge power transformers that were tuned to resonate at 60 hz. The current stored in the transformer & caps was huge in comparison to the current supplied by the mains in and mains out. This setup was used as a power filter for some peice of test equipment that I helped dismantle and remove from an office. The copper from the transformer was amost $1000 salvage.
All of the noise on the mains in our real world is rectified and used to charge the caps in the psu. Adding a pi filter is how you wipe out any remaining noise.
Take that for what it's worth. I'm but a mere carpenter
PS I'm not saying to not make a nice power cord. I would if only for the looks. But the only functional requirement is low enough series resistance to supply your amp with enough voltage.
The power cords job is to get power to the tranny, not to filter anything. That's for the recifier and caps.
I have seen banks of caps and huge power transformers that were tuned to resonate at 60 hz. The current stored in the transformer & caps was huge in comparison to the current supplied by the mains in and mains out. This setup was used as a power filter for some peice of test equipment that I helped dismantle and remove from an office. The copper from the transformer was amost $1000 salvage.
All of the noise on the mains in our real world is rectified and used to charge the caps in the psu. Adding a pi filter is how you wipe out any remaining noise.
Take that for what it's worth. I'm but a mere carpenter
PS I'm not saying to not make a nice power cord. I would if only for the looks. But the only functional requirement is low enough series resistance to supply your amp with enough voltage.
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