Mains Cables

[idc]

True Blue:
Right,

1. The "choke" in the Tacima restricts the maximum deliverable current and only source componants should be placed on it.

2. Amps should NOT be plugged into the tacima otherwise the headroom is restricted.

3. Bundled mains cables are mass produced using low skilled labour and cheap material.

4. Aftermarket mains cables use better quality connectors and componants.

5. All mains cables emit RFI and Magnetic interference, see lenz law and faradays law.

6. All cables act as aerials (mains and interconnects)

7. The sheilding benefits of more expensive mains cables stops No 5 above from interfering with the interconnects etc.

8. Mains cables and signal cables should be kept as far apart as possible

9. Power supplies and power amps should be kept as far away as possible from pre amps.

So yes, mains cables do make a difference.

1 - that is not a hard and fast rule. It should only be an advisory to check. I too have my amp plugged into a mains conditioner with no issues.

2 - see 1

3 - true regarding the materials, but they still do the job .It does not follow that the build is always poor, see ThatCable products.

4 - not always. See ebay for fake cables and over inflated claims for connectors and cables that can be bought very cheaply from China and Belden. Belden happily admit to selling their standard cables to audiophile cable makers who go and make claims Belden themselves do not believe in. I have also found, in other forums ( one to do with headphones for a start) some very expensive cables that have been found to be very badly put together. Even on this forum a QED was shown to be very badly made.

5 - 7 - true, but you need to prove a link between that and audibility. At the moment you are assuming it and are ignoring other potential causes for hearing a difference.

8 - 9 - agreed.

 

[idc]

f1only:
As an amateur radio enthusiast you can make an aerial out of any bits of copper even central heating pipe & if the feed wiring is not up to scratch then your equipment can pick up all sorts of RF noise. The feeds should use the best grade wire & preferably at least double shielded.

As to mains wiring, this can also pick up RF noise through radio transmissions especially from a badly tuned broadcasting antenna like taxi's. Tv's & other electrical equipment put out RF & can cause harmonics up into higher frequencys, so therefore yes it would make a difference if it is well shielded. As to the quality of the different brands of mains cable it is difficult to tell, but was I to get one, I would NOT go for the most expensive, just a double shielded mains lead should suffice with the Tacima which has built in smoothing.

I have two Tacima's & I use them with my amp, in my case it does not strangle, in fact it sounds better IMHO & the OH's, the V Hd box, Blu-Ray players including ps3, Freeview dvd hdd, computers, wifi, the only thing not plugged into it is my subwoofer as I have run out of sockets. All of my connections are no more than 1 metre Long except for the speakers. Speaker wire can also pick up stray RF, having had that problem in the past with a local taxi company using just above the 2 metre radio amateur band, i just altered the length of the wire which cured the problem.

Exactly, how do different ways of making a mains cable out of different materials manage to all produce benefits? That issue is continually ignored. Makers continually boast that 'our cable is the best because it uses silver/copper and a teflon/polypropelene sheathing which is braided/solid core to guarantee you the customer the best results'.

I agree speaker cables, because of their relative length and the signal they carry and the impedance between amp and speaker can make a difference.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

aliEnRIK:MUSICRAFT:
Hi grdunn123

I would rather buy a graphic equalizer then many expensive interconnects.

At detriment to the signal

Hi aliEnRik

Well i could try replacing the standard mains cable of the GEQ with an after market mains lead

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[wireman]

idc:Exactly, how do different ways of making a mains cable out of different materials manage to all produce benefits? That issue is continually ignored.

Here's one explanation from PWB Electronics based in Leeds, suitably titled "Cable Controversy - Exploding some audio myths". It seems a little bit left-field to me, but there may be something in what they have to say.

http://www.belt.demon.co.uk/product/Cable_Controversy/Cable_Controversy.htm

 

[Andrew Everard]

wireman:Here's one explanation from PWB Electronics based in Leeds, suitably titled "Cable Controversy - Exploding some audio myths". It seems a little bit left-field to me, but there may be something in what they have to say.


http://www.belt.demon.co.uk/product/Cable_Controversy/Cable_Controversy.htm

 

[wireman]

I'll get back to you MR E when I've finished "creaming" my cables...

 

[Craig M.]

the sound from my kit remains exactly the same if i plug direct into the wall using expensive aftermarket mains cables, or daisy chain 2 cheapo extension leads with 6 plug sockets and the supplied mains cables and all sorts of other stuff plugged in at the same time. and it isn't because i'm deaf, i'm quite happy that i can hear differences between interconnects, speaker cable and speaker stands. i still use a chord power lead into my dac, but only because it's shorter then the supplied one and looks nice.

 

[aliEnRIK]

bigboss:
"Measureable difference" does not automatically lead to a "perceived difference".

It's a fact.

You know this.

I cant help it if the sceptics have bad set ups and/or bad hearing can I

 

[idc]

aliEnRIK:bigboss:
"Measureable difference" does not automatically lead to a "perceived difference".

It's a fact.

You know this.

I cant help it if the sceptics have bad set ups and/or bad hearing can I

Have you any evidence to back up that claim?

 

[chudleighpaul]

Can't help noticing Andy has kept very quiet after starting all this!

 

[007L2Thrill]

Pistol Pete1:

Can we just accept that some believe and hear differences, and others don't?

Maybe some people have more sensitive ears to sound changes?

Bottom line is I'm bored of people insisting that others are wrong with this topic.......

I agree totally with pistol Pete on this one.

 

[Anonymous]

At the end of the day, for many of us on this forum, av/hifi is our hobby. If you are happy with all your set up, but want to 'tweak' change your mains cables!! If you notice an improvement great, if not it hasn't done any harm has it?? Just a part of the never ending quest to finish our systems