£16.50 diy mains power cord.

[admin_exported]

I was very sceptical about this mains conditioning lark, so before I went out spending a fortune on some of these products I decided to make my own, its only a power cable after all and not rocket science.

I did some research and found out that silver plated connections work best with stranded/shielded copper cable. The shielded wire that surrounds the cable needs to be unwoven at one end then twisted together and placed into the earthing connection inside the 3 pin plug. The cost for a one meter length cable including plug and iec connector will only cost £16.50 all with silver plated connections.

Silver plated TougthPlug with silver plated 5 amp fuse £8.00

Silver plated IEC connector £5.00

Mains Audio shielded power cable per meter £3.50

All these items can be bought of ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170525088208&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170320633970&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180590118063&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Conclution: Audio differances , I was not exspecting any differance in the sound at all to tell the truth.

So I stuck to a couble tracks and played these tracks about five time each before I made the switch to the new power cables. I made three power cables one for each power amp and pre amp.

The differance in the sound was there from the moment the first track started and the biggest differance of all was the sound stage it completly open it up, and every sound became more tighter and more defind.

This is the cheapest upgrade I have made to my Linn System and so far the best. £16.50 for each cable a bloody bargian. These cables have made a better upgrade than my £600.00 Nordost blue heaven speaker cables ever did.

I tried to upload some pictures of me making these cables,but for some reason it would not upload.

So I am very very happy with the result of this tiny investment......

 

[6th.replicant]

Interesting.

Thanks.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Excellent Darrell - another one in the eye for the 'anti brigade'

 

[aliEnRIK]

If the lead made that much of an 'instant' difference, you would almost certainly benefit from a big mains transformer (Or mains conditioner, but ive had all sorts of issues with conditioners)

 

[Alec]

FrankHarveyHiFi:Excellent Darrell - another one in the eye for the 'anti brigade'

Or...er...well...one man's entirely subjective opinion...

 

[JamesOK]

Interesting Darrell - thanks.

For £16 I am tempted to try this out for myself.

 

[idc]

To upload pictures right click on the image and find the URL and copy it or click on 'image location' or similar to get the URL. Then reply to a post and click on the tree icon in the Message box, paste the URL into the top box, click on dimensions and make the first one 400 (if it is more than 400) and the delete the second as it will automatically resize. Then insert.

 

[grifz]

I have just read more into the ebay seller of your links you have posted . He offers his custom cable fitted to your spec including speaker cable

 

[AL13N]

FrankHarveyHiFi:Excellent Darrell - another one in the eye for the 'anti brigade'

Really? ...

darrell 1966:This is the cheapest upgrade I have made to my Linn System and so far the best. £16.50 for each cable a bloody bargian. These cables have made a better upgrade than my £600.00 Nordost blue heaven speaker cables ever did.
I don't think the 'anti brigade' are totally against cables - how else would you send a signal between components? It's the price issue that seems to irk them.

Decent strands of copper, solid connections, and adequate shielding seem to be accepted by all.
If anything, Darrell's experiment proves it does not require three figures (never mind four or more) to produce a cable suitable for domestic use.

 

[Frank Harvey]

al7478:
FrankHarveyHiFi:Excellent Darrell - another one in the eye for the 'anti brigade'

Or...er...well...one man's entirely subjective opinion...
You're right, it is one man's entirely subjective opinion. I've never claimed any different, but some people/companies seem to differ....

 

[Frank Harvey]

AL13N:FrankHarveyHiFi:Excellent Darrell - another one in the eye for the 'anti brigade'

Really? ...

darrell 1966:This is the cheapest upgrade I have made to my Linn System and so far the best. £16.50 for each cable a bloody bargian. These cables have made a better upgrade than my £600.00 Nordost blue heaven speaker cables ever did.
I don't think the 'anti brigade' are totally against cables - how else would you send a signal between components? It's the price issue that seems to irk them.

Decent strands of copper, solid connections, and adequate shielding seem to be accepted by all.
If anything, Darrell's experiment proves it does not require three figures (never mind four or more) to produce a cable suitable for domestic use.

And I've never claimed otherwise. My statement was made about those that claim cables, regardless of price, make no difference whatsoever, and won't entertain the possibility that they can.

 

[idc]

I am of the 'anti-brigade'. My interest is why do cables make differences? Or not as the case may be as some change cables and find no difference in sound.

Where I am truly 'anti' is that different cable constructions and materials make some cables sound better than others. If that really was the case, since there is no consistency in a specific material or type of construction that makes one cable definitely better than another, how can anyone claim one is better than another? Or even different. That conclusion is backed up by blind testing which continually finds differences in cables disappear when we cannot see which is which.

That some people pay thousands on cables is an issue I am not that bothered by as some people have the money and get satisfaction from buying expensive stuff.

I will entertain the possibility that the actual cables do make a difference, once evidence appears to explain why.

 

[AL13N]

FrankHarveyHiFi:AL13N:Decent strands of copper, solid connections, and adequate shielding seem to be accepted by all. If anything, Darrell's experiment proves it does not require three figures (never mind four or more) to produce a cable suitable for domestic use.
And I've never claimed otherwise. My statement was made about those that claim cables, regardless of price, make no difference whatsoever, and won't entertain the possibility that they can.
I see. Apologies for the misunderstanding and thanks for clearing that up.

Have to say, I've personally not come across anyone who thought a thin-as-string 10p/m cable couldn't be improved upon with say a 95p/m cable. As with everything though, you always get some who disagree.

Even a company like AVI, which vehemently denies "Audiophool cables" (their words not mine!) don't supply bell-wire, but relatively heavy gauge and well shielded cables with their speakers.

 

[Anonymous]

FrankHarveyHiFi:al7478:
FrankHarveyHiFi:Excellent Darrell - another one in the eye for the 'anti brigade'

Or...er...well...one man's entirely subjective opinion...
You're right, it is one man's entirely subjective opinion. I've never claimed any different, but some people/companies seem to differ....And who would that be, Mr Harvey/David?

 

[Anonymous]

for me its not about the do they dont they, its why would they make a difference? and i mean all cables, hdmi, speaker, mains, analogue, etc. and im not saying they dont or cant, i want someone to tell me how..

at least as far as hdmi cables go i can understand the logic, which is that better cables means less data loss, i dont believe that to be the case but at least it sounds logical, plausible and arguably possible that a cable that transmits more data may be better than another..

but when your talking mains cables i cant possibly fathom how sound can be improved? more open? a bigger soundstage etc? how? why? scientifically, how would/could such improvements be made? yea maybe if you changed amp or speakers..just my views..

 

[Frank Harvey]

idc:
I am of the 'anti-brigade'. My interest is why do cables make differences? Or not as the case may be as some change cables and find no difference in sound.

Where I am truly 'anti' is that different cable constructions and materials make some cables sound better than others. If that really was the case, since there is no consistency in a specific material or type of construction that makes one cable definitely better than another, how can anyone claim one is better than another? Or even different. That conclusion is backed up by blind testing which continually finds differences in cables disappear when we cannot see which is which.

That some people pay thousands on cables is an issue I am not that bothered by as some people have the money and get satisfaction from buying expensive stuff.

I will entertain the possibility that the actual cables do make a difference, once evidence appears to explain why.

With cables like mains cables, I'd also like to know why mains cables make a difference. But then, if you ask the companies that make the stuff, they can tilt things any way they want - I'd like to hear it from someone who doesn't make the stuff, but has the know how to explain it. I can't tell you why - to me, it either does or doesn't make a difference - that's as technical as I get here!

 

[Frank Harvey]

AL13N:Apologies for the misunderstanding and thanks for clearing that up.

Have to say, I've personally not come across anyone who thought a thin-as-string 10p/m cable couldn't be improved upon with say a 95p/m cable. As with everything though, you always get some who disagree.

Even a company like AVI, which vehemently denies "Audiophool cables" (their words not mine!) don't supply bell-wire, but relatively heavy gauge and well shielded cables with their speakers.

He he. It is usually those that oppose high end cables are the ones more likely to use them!!

 

[Frank Harvey]

Grottyash:And who would that be, Mr Harvey/David?
Mr. Harvey's way too busy to be spending time on forums, hence the presence of myself, David

 

[Frank Harvey]

maxflinn:for me its not about the do they dont they, its why would they make a difference? and i mean all cables, hdmi, speaker, mains, analogue, etc.
I know HDMI cables are digital, but they're not optical. Coaxial digital cables are also digital, and they can sound different. A few on here do say that they've heard audible differences in the higher priced Chord HDMI's.

 

[Anonymous]

FrankHarveyHiFi:maxflinn:
for me its not about the do they dont they, its why would they make a difference? and i mean all cables, hdmi, speaker, mains, analogue, etc.
I know HDMI cables are digital, but they're not optical. Coaxial digital cables are also digital, and they can sound different. A few on here do say that they've heard audible differences in the higher priced Chord HDMI's.the thing is david that blind tests continually prove that any potential differences between any two of any of the various cables are so small that people cannot tell them apart, so logically thinking, why would anyone want to spend money on them?

if blind tests showed different results then how could the naysayers argue? yet the believers constantly argue/ignore the facts. they argue on the one hand that the science/know how etc that goes into making quality cables does indeed make a positive difference, yet they ignore science when its in the context of blind tests that tell them otherwise

its like running with the scientific hare and hunting with the scientific hound

 

[AL13N]

FrankHarveyHiFi:those that claim cables, regardless of price, make no difference whatsoeverAL13N:Even a company like AVI, which vehemently denies "Audiophool cables" (their words not mine!) don't supply bell-wire, but relatively heavy gauge and well shielded cables with their speakers.He he. It is usually those that oppose high end cables are the ones more likely to use them!!

Well, I wouldn't call them high end but better quality than those generally supplied, hence my use of the word "relatively".

My point was that your description of the 'anti brigade' was too wide a generalisation, and needed to be narrowed in the context of the views & practices of those that seem to fit the category.

 

[aliEnRIK]

maxflinn:

but when your talking mains cables i cant possibly fathom how sound can be improved? more open? a bigger soundstage etc? how? why? scientifically, how would/could such improvements be made? yea maybe if you changed amp or speakers..just my views..

A reduction in RFI.

MEASURED differences

 

[Anonymous]

I just subscribed to the mag only for the first received issue to have rubbish about mains leads! wonder if I can cancel? I thought I'd taken out a serious mag not a fantasy comic.

I know its been said before but how can changing 1m of flex between the wall skt outlet and your equipment make any difference? The insides of most av equipment is'nt gold plated never mind the house wiring, fusebox and miles of supply power-lines.

 

[idc]

aliEnRIK:maxflinn:

but when your talking mains cables i cant possibly fathom how sound can be improved? more open? a bigger soundstage etc? how? why? scientifically, how would/could such improvements be made? yea maybe if you changed amp or speakers..just my views..

A reduction in RFI.

MEASURED differences

Now link that a proven audible change in sound. Is there a repeatable, peer reviewed experiment to link RFI to improvements in sound?

 

[Frank Harvey]

maxflinn:the thing is david that blind tests continually prove that any potential differences between any two of any of the various cables are so small that people cannot tell them apart...
The thing is Max is that if I were hosting a blind demo, you're at my mercy. I could sway that blind demo any way I want to....