Power cables do they make any difference to sound quality

hi
i am new here but have been reading Steve's forums for some time. I can usually here differences when upgrading my equipment but i have started to make my own power cables using Acrolink 7N-4030 anniversorio and i can say without question they have improved the overall sound. The cost of these cables are 95 pounds for 1 metre length. Has anyone else experienced a better sound with better quality power cables ?

Another experience i would like to share is i spent a few days listening to various Steely Dan cds.

I started with the japan made US discs and finished with the Japan shm cds. My findings was the early Japan cds XD32 18P2 20P2 vdp26 i do not own vdp27 all sounded the best overall i enjoyed higher volume levels and was drawn into the music more.

Second came the first pressed shm cds i believe from 2008 they sounded very close to the original Japan cds mentioned above but had slightly less depth of image less focused image and a touch sharper but the plus side was a bigger sound stage.

Third was the 3 platinum shm cds very close to the originals again quite smooth but a touch lifeless.

Last was the early made in japan cds for the US bar codes mainly starting with 370 all from around the 1984/1985 i believe from memory.

I had no sacd player so i could not compare the shm sacds i own of Steely Dan.

Has anyone else compared all the early Steely Dan cds with the latest Japan shm cds and Platinum shm cds my system is around 15K includes all power and signal cables and the differences i heard were quite obvious.

Sorry forgot to mention i own the Japan remastered box set of all the albums i found the sound on those very lively and like the later shm mini lp cds the first press shm cds were my favourite of the later Japan masters i believe they share the early japan 20P and 18P masters if i am wrong please correct me thank you.

 

I've been pessimistic about a lot of things I've read online about audio/electrical equipment and accessories -- but willing to give the writer the benefit of the doubt as I'm not qualified to refute their position -- but I think I draw the line at improved sound due to homemade power cables.

 

Here power cord upgrades had the same results as they did for you and the same with the Japan Steely Dan CD's you've mentioned except the VDP 26 that I've been unable to obtain thus far. Don't waste your money on that VDP 27 because the 32XD clearly is far superior when a friend and I compared them. As for the other Steely Dan 5"ers I've honestly had no desire owning those Japan CD's.

 

Yes power cables can improve your equipment and like many 'crazy' ideas it's moving in to the of course it does camp. Been around long enough to remember "A support rack doesn't influence the sound of electronics" along with other new ideas. One problem is that some of these ideas have been crazy, Peter Belt has a lot to answer for.

 

No way, a new thread about cables?

I've heard these things are fun.

Where do I sign up?

 

You just did. Congratulations!

For power cable, make sure to get the cheapest, crappiest, cat bitten through, electrical tape fixed, wire nut patched, POS you can find.

 

Unless you used identical masters for listening comparisons any perceived SQ differences cannot be solely attributed to the type of disc used
would therefore be irrelevant.
EG.....Quite a few PT SHM-CD's feature FLAT remasters!!!!.......

You MUST use like for like to reach any useful conclusions re which version (CD/SHM-CD/PT SHM-CD) sounds best to you in your system.

FWIW and IMHO the quality of the master significantly outweighs the type of CD used
(and IME........ even the actual format itself!!!!)

Good luck and happy listening.

 

I would just say 'use quality, well constructed cables' not necessarily ones that cost $1000.

I use all my old custom Hi-Fi power cables on my PC workstation now. I use that far more than Hi-Fi.

 

Here we go......

 

I think a lot has to do with the rest of the components in your system and the point of diminishing returns.

That a good answer?

 

Light it up boys!

 

The short answer is EVERYTHING has an impact on your sound.
I can move my coffee table a foot to the left and make larger changes to my sound than a new power cord does.
And it is a LOT cheaper.
Seriously---others get amazing results with changing that last ten feet of wire.
I don't.
However I am a big believer in laying off my bets---so I DO purchase power cords made out of healthy 12 gauge wire with tight gripping plugs on the end. $30?
Sort of like the "bet" that there isn't a God.
But still go to church IN CASE YOU ARE WRONG, ha ha.

 

My own view is that none of these cables make any hearable difference on any system regardless of one's golden audiophile ears; it's all confirmation bias. Based on that thinking and my mid-level gear, I've saved a fortune. I use the power cable that came with the gear and interconnects and speaker wire from Monoprice. People spend more money on a power cord or pair of interconnects than all four of my systems' total cost.

 

And sometimes this is not wrong. When I upgraded my power cords, amp and pre-amp, I tried both on my SCD-1 and they sounded like garbage compared to the stock Sony power cord. FWIW the 2 different upgraded cords have a particular component they sound best attached to. YMMV

 

A power cable thread with almost a dozen posts and no fights yet. People around here are unusually civilized today, must be Xmas spirit.

 

I get how you could discern that they don’t make any “hearable” difference in your system, but that’s quite a stretch to take that information and claim they don’t make a difference in ANY system. That must have been an expensive and logistical nightmare listening to all of the systems in the world.

 

And even then one couldn't conclude anything. The very known problems with inductive logic.

 

Yes, huge difference.

 

Power cord have an effect on sound? Ridiculous! Snake-oil! Or so I thought...

After I purchased my Audio Note (UK) amp, @Warren Jarrett saw and bought a cord that he said was well known back-in-in-day. $125.

He told me that he bought it with me in mind, but that if I didn’t want it, he would be thrilled to keep it.

I was skeptical, to say the least. But no harm in trying it out, right?

Well, my son was visiting, so I thought that we both could try it out.

We immediately noticed a major improvement.

Still makes no sense to me, but ... the ears decided.

 

Actually, it isn't a stretch but based on your post, you believe in the difference cables make so we have no problem. You believe, I don't. But no need to be snarky. I wasn't rude to you or anyone else.

 

You were lucky, you jumped in before it's closed down

 

Why spend several thousand dollars on quality audio gear and speakers and then see what is the cheapest cables and interconnects I can get. Seems like buying a sports car and getting no name $40 tires because a tire is a tire. I'm sure there is a point of diminishing returns. I say don't let people disway you. If you don't like the sound change it again and sell your cable. Or take advantage of the cable company lending service to try.

 

I change my stock power cable but not because i can hear a difference. They simply look better and make me feel better. I never spend much on them and having a friend who makes a fortune selling things like this, i am aware of the snake oil effect. He is happy though, low outlay, high profits. Each to their own. If it makes you happy and you have the cash, buy it. Why not?

 

They sure do! After enough gear upgrades that lowered my noise floor considerably, changing out power cords brought about blacker backgrounds. I thought I had a low noise floor before changing my amp, tt, cart, speakers, and phono pre but in actuality, not really.

Actually, I’m pretty shocked by how much more I enjoy music with them. Adds an extra boogie factor which is what it’s all about! YMMV