Power cable

[lindsayt]

http://www.russandrews.com/images/pdf/SuperKordTest.pdf

Those graphs are all in the Mhz range.

50 hz is 0,00005 Mhz!

20 khz is 0.02 Mhz!

IE at the extreme left hand side or off the scale of those graphs!

If you're worried about your power leads picking up radio interference which then somehow makes it past your power supply smoothing caps to cause instability or get converted to audible frequencies in your source or amplifier you could just simply clamp a magnet or two onto your FREE power cable.

13mm internal diameter split ferrite sleeves cost £5.86!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPLIT-SLEEVE-FERRITE-CORE-13MM-/281821801084?hash=item419de36a7c:g:MGkAAOSw5cNYQXCm

It would be fair comment to say that Russ Andrews is using Russ Abbot comedy marketing.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Someone would need your dac to know that exactly / what they heard when they used the reco'd power cable.

What Benchmark dac is it?

Benchmark Dac3 hgc

Nice - you could try a tacima at £28. Worst ways you get a 6 way distribution block for your money.
But only plug the benchmark dac into it when try it.

Tacima is the CS947 at £33 or the older one is CS929 was a bit cheaper. Newer one is nicer, seems better built.

Cant suggest any power cables because no idea whats reasonable.

If your trying a clearer audio a silverline be the one I think with your dac, based purely on guesswork. They a bit pricier though and you want the Furutech FI28 iec on it for the small extra outlay as its the first good one furutech make. About £280 notes. Thats 10% your dac.

Where in world do you live?

I have the tacima extension block. I brought it richer sounds as i needed an extension and looked sturdy.

Im afraid it has done absolutely zero improvements to sound quality and picture quality to my tv. Neither did i expect it

 

[Andrewjvt]

Put your money where your mouth is.

Please recommend me a power chord that i can use on my benchmark dac to improve performance.

One that I can return and get my money back

Also please tell me prior to this what sort of sound upgrade i can expect.

Nothing too fancy though as my kit is only lower end

That is it. I dont think a DAC like yours will show improvements. You really need to go higher.

You could try Audiofriendly screened silver. Cheap and adequate for yours.

It will match the colour.

Mine is black haha

 

[ellisdj]

Someone would need your dac to know that exactly / what they heard when they used the reco'd power cable.

What Benchmark dac is it?

Benchmark Dac3 hgc

Nice - you could try a tacima at £28. Worst ways you get a 6 way distribution block for your money.
But only plug the benchmark dac into it when try it.

Tacima is the CS947 at £33 or the older one is CS929 was a bit cheaper. Newer one is nicer, seems better built.

Cant suggest any power cables because no idea whats reasonable.

If your trying a clearer audio a silverline be the one I think with your dac, based purely on guesswork. They a bit pricier though and you want the Furutech FI28 iec on it for the small extra outlay as its the first good one furutech make. About £280 notes. Thats 10% your dac.

Where in world do you live?

I have the tacima extension block. I brought it richer sounds as i needed an extension and looked sturdy.

Im afraid it has done absolutely zero improvements to sound quality and picture quality to my tv. Neither did i expect it

What have you got plugged into it tv and sound system?

Thats first mistake - try just dac on its own

 

[Gazzip]

One thing to consider is that any typical house will have the cables going from the fuse box/pcb board, chased through the wall, into your sockets. These cables are copper, bought on rolls for very small cost (in comparison to a hifi cable). IF cables matter that much (and I am not saying either way) , these cables will have done their thing and had their influence on the electricity supply to the socket. Do these expensive cables then claim to change this in the 3 or so feet between the socket and the music device?

I think that some power cable manufacturers' response to this would be that their power cables are the first three feet or so in an AC supply, not the last. Not defending the science, just stating what I have read...

The more i think about it the more skeptical I am, not that I've really thought about it that much

Three PS Audio AC12 power cables came in to my possession towards the end of last year. These RRP between £800 and £950 each (price length dependent) and are thick as a baby python. As they were free and I never really wanted them (well kinda free...part of a bundle of gear I bought) I was going to sell them on straight away, but decided I may as well try them seeing that I had them. Long story short is that I sold one of them and now have two of them in my primary system. I don't pretend to understand why they improved the sound, but they do. Whether it is placebo or science as yet not understood I cannot say.

Funnily enough I googled stuff that science does not yet understand last night and came up with a New Scientist article. Placebo was first on their top ten list, which made me smile, given that placebo is integral to DBX and constantly cited by the scientists and engineers on this forum as the gold standard for testing.

Well kinda integral. Slightly different but the same principles.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Someone would need your dac to know that exactly / what they heard when they used the reco'd power cable.

What Benchmark dac is it?

Benchmark Dac3 hgc

Nice - you could try a tacima at £28. Worst ways you get a 6 way distribution block for your money.
But only plug the benchmark dac into it when try it.

Tacima is the CS947 at £33 or the older one is CS929 was a bit cheaper. Newer one is nicer, seems better built.

Cant suggest any power cables because no idea whats reasonable.

If your trying a clearer audio a silverline be the one I think with your dac, based purely on guesswork. They a bit pricier though and you want the Furutech FI28 iec on it for the small extra outlay as its the first good one furutech make. About £280 notes. Thats 10% your dac.

Where in world do you live?

I have the tacima extension block. I brought it richer sounds as i needed an extension and looked sturdy.

Im afraid it has done absolutely zero improvements to sound quality and picture quality to my tv. Neither did i expect it

What have you got plugged into it tv and sound system?

Thats first mistake - try just dac on its own

Ive tried all different options and got also my son tonswap around only using my old hegel also.

Even tv plugged into different
Main board region from long extension from the upstairs sockets so would not have any influence.

I could not hear any difference from sound or picture when i swapped for the tv reserse test.

I can also see how looking at these fancy cables from russ andrews or such would placebo people from looks alone and excite the mind into believing the sound is better.

Thats why i put the challenge out.

A power chord to improve my system and ill do an honest blind test to see if it does anything.

I already know i may be triggered by looks and placebo but on blind test the differences quickly dissapear

 

[Andrewjvt]

One thing to consider is that any typical house will have the cables going from the fuse box/pcb board, chased through the wall, into your sockets. These cables are copper, bought on rolls for very small cost (in comparison to a hifi cable). IF cables matter that much  (and I am not saying either way) , these cables will have done their thing and had their influence on the electricity supply to the socket. Do these expensive cables then claim to change this in the 3 or so feet between the socket and the music device?

I think that some power cable manufacturers' response to this would be that their power cables are the first three feet or so in an AC supply, not the last. Not defending the science, just stating what I have read...

The more i think about it the more skeptical I am, not that I've really thought about it that much

Three PS Audio AC12 power cables came in to my possession towards the end of last year. These RRP between £800 and £950 each (price length dependent) and are thick as a baby python. As they were free and I never really wanted them (well kinda free...part of a bundle of gear I bought) I was going to sell them on straight away, but decided I may as well try them seeing that I had them. Long story short is that I sold one of them and now have two of them in my primary system. I don't pretend to understand why they improved the sound, but they do. Whether it is placebo or science as yet not understood I cannot say.

Funnily enough I googled stuff that science does not yet understand last night and came up with a New Scientist article. Placebo was first on their top ten list, which made me smile, given that placebo is integral to DBX and constantly cited by the scientists and engineers on this forum as the gold standard for testing.

Well kinda integral. Slightly different but the same principles.

I dont doubt what your saying one bit.

But i bet if your misses swapped the cables back to original without your knowledge you would be none the wiser.

Just a thought

 

[drummerman]

Put your money where your mouth is.

Please recommend me a power chord that i can use on my benchmark dac to improve performance.

One that I can return and get my money back

Also please tell me prior to this what sort of sound upgrade i can expect.

Nothing too fancy though as my kit is only lower end

That is it. I dont think a DAC like yours will show improvements. You really need to go higher.

You could try Audiofriendly screened silver. Cheap and adequate for yours.

It will match the colour.

Mine is black haha

Ah crxxp

 

[Andrewjvt]

Im very far from you as long ago i made simillar challenge that i could without you knowing swap your cables to original but you explained the complexity of your set up and how hard that would be.

Id still like to visit sometime.
Id like to visit gazzip system also in the future.

Im in south derbyshire so its a massive drive though.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Put your money where your mouth is.

Please recommend me a power chord that i can use on my benchmark dac to improve performance.

One that I can return and get my money back

Also please tell me prior to this what sort of sound upgrade i can expect.

Nothing too fancy though as my kit is only lower end

That is it. I dont think a DAC like yours will show improvements. You really need to go higher.

You could try Audiofriendly screened silver. Cheap and adequate for yours.

It will match the colour.

Mine is black haha

Ah crxxp

To me the silver looked a little cheap - even for me haha

 

[lpv]

I was told by the dealer if I'll go for any of the Gryphon components I'll get Gryphon mains ( headline range) and can go higher up for reduced price.. anyone tried their cables?

 

[ellisdj]

Cool mate can do that no probs.
Swopping cables quickly here is a mission impossible mate though you will see.

You will be able to tell anyway just by listening if doing things right or no better than what you expect.

Edit if LPV gets gryphon gear you want to go there as well. Not before me though otherwise wont be any point coming here after hearing that lol

 

[Gazzip]

Someone would need your dac to know that exactly / what they heard when they used the reco'd power cable.

What Benchmark dac is it?

Benchmark Dac3 hgc

Nice - you could try a tacima at £28. Worst ways you get a 6 way distribution block for your money. But only plug the benchmark dac into it when try it.

Tacima is the CS947 at £33 or the older one is CS929 was a bit cheaper. Newer one is nicer, seems better built.

Cant suggest any power cables because no idea whats reasonable.

If your trying a clearer audio a silverline be the one I think with your dac, based purely on guesswork. They a bit pricier though and you want the Furutech FI28 iec on it for the small extra outlay as its the first good one furutech make. About £280 notes. Thats 10% your dac.

Where in world do you live?

I have the tacima extension block. I brought it richer sounds as i needed an extension and looked sturdy.

Im afraid it has done absolutely zero improvements to sound quality and picture quality to my tv. Neither did i expect it

What have you got plugged into it tv and sound system?

Thats first mistake - try just dac on its own

Liar, liar pants on fire! *biggrin*

Why would you buy an extension multi-block from richer sounds, costing three times more than an "ordinary" extension block, which looks almost identical to all other extension blocks (save for that flimsy little window), on the basis that "it looked sturdy"? You bought it for the same reason that we all bought them and continue to buy them, that being that part of you believes it will make an improvement to your SQ/picture.

Bought it because it looked sturdy.... Tee Hee... *lol*

 

[shadders]

http://www.russandrews.com/images/pdf/SuperKordTest.pdf

Those graphs are all in the Mhz range.

50 hz is 0,00005 Mhz!

20 khz is 0.02 Mhz!

IE at the extreme left hand side or off the scale of those graphs!

If you're worried about your power leads picking up radio interference which then somehow makes it past your power supply smoothing caps to cause instability or get converted to audible frequencies in your source or amplifier you could just simply clamp a magnet or two onto your FREE power cable.

13mm internal diameter split ferrite sleeves cost £5.86!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPLIT-SLEEVE-FERRITE-CORE-13MM-/281821801084?h...

It would be fair comment to say that Russ Andrews is using Russ Abbot comedy marketing.

Hi,

I think you have highlighted the issue - people do not have an engineering background, so the results are misleading for those who cannot interpret them.

Many IEC mains sockets on amplifiers etc., will have the filter components inbuilt, aswell as the power supply filtering. The transformer alone is a low pass filter - so the frequencies inferred that are the problem, will be attentuated.

Regards,

Shadders.

 

[seemorebtts]

Someone would need your dac to know that exactly / what they heard when they used the reco'd power cable.

What Benchmark dac is it?

Benchmark Dac3 hgc

Nice - you could try a tacima at £28. Worst ways you get a 6 way distribution block for your money.
But only plug the benchmark dac into it when try it.

Tacima is the CS947 at £33 or the older one is CS929 was a bit cheaper. Newer one is nicer, seems better built.

Cant suggest any power cables because no idea whats reasonable.

If your trying a clearer audio a silverline be the one I think with your dac, based purely on guesswork. They a bit pricier though and you want the Furutech FI28 iec on it for the small extra outlay as its the first good one furutech make. About £280 notes. Thats 10% your dac.

Where in world do you live?

I have the tacima extension block. I brought it richer sounds as i needed an extension and looked sturdy.

Im afraid it has done absolutely zero improvements to sound quality and picture quality to my tv. Neither did i expect it

i also tried the tacima and found no improvement

 

[lpv]

you all need to hear gryphon at some point in your life.. it's extraordinary piece of hifi.. I'm not sure about the availability of Gryphon gear in UK but well worth the effort to go and listen.. I'm really going to use all possible improvements like power cables, interconnects, power plants etc just to not spoil the performance of their beautifully made and beautifully sounding pieces.. they do their own cables and this is how I've heard them..

 

[seemorebtts]

Guys,

I find it ridiculous to spend 800 or 1000$ on a power cable even if I hear a spectacular difference (which I doubt will be the case). There are websites selling power cables and offering 60 days money back, but I am wondering if I will have to pay shipping cost, which will represent 30% of the price of the cable. I am not ready to pay more than 70 pounds for a cable, just to test. I contacted Clearer Audio and I will wait there response before placing an order

Seeing the huge number of posts, I have the feeling that I raised an interesting question 

you did the right thing.now you can make up your own mind and it's good to start with a £60 cable just to see if you can hear the difference.i started with a £40 cable which got me hooked.its not going to be everyone's choice and yes the old plug is fine to use but at least you're trying

 

[Frank Harvey]

Im afraid it has done absolutely zero improvements to sound quality and picture quality to my tv. Neither did i expect it

Expectation bias does work then!

 

[Andrewjvt]

Im afraid it has done absolutely zero improvements to sound quality and picture quality to my tv. Neither did i expect it

Expectation bias does work then!

I think in this case its logic over fairy bias

 

[Andrewjvt]

Someone would need your dac to know that exactly / what they heard when they used the reco'd power cable.

What Benchmark dac is it?

Benchmark Dac3 hgc

Nice - you could try a tacima at £28. Worst ways you get a 6 way distribution block for your money. But only plug the benchmark dac into it when try it.

Tacima is the CS947 at £33 or the older one is CS929 was a bit cheaper. Newer one is nicer, seems better built.

Cant suggest any power cables because no idea whats reasonable.

If your trying a clearer audio a silverline be the one I think with your dac, based purely on guesswork. They a bit pricier though and you want the Furutech FI28 iec on it for the small extra outlay as its the first good one furutech make. About £280 notes. Thats 10% your dac.

Where in world do you live?

I have the tacima extension block. I brought it richer sounds as i needed an extension and looked sturdy.

Im afraid it has done absolutely zero improvements to sound quality and picture quality to my tv. Neither did i expect it

What have you got plugged into it tv and sound system?

Thats first mistake - try just dac on its own

Liar, liar pants on fire! *biggrin*

Why would you buy an extension multi-block from richer sounds, costing three times more than an "ordinary" extension block, which looks almost identical to all other extension blocks (save for that flimsy little window), on the basis that "it looked sturdy"? You bought it for the same reason that we all bought them and continue to buy them, that being that part of you believes it will make an improvement to your SQ/picture.

Bought it because it looked sturdy.... Tee Hee... *lol*

My upstairs ex broke (more like smoked)
And i was collecting a tv and saw it for about 25 pounds so just brought it as i needed one.
I wanted to test also i suppose. Never thought it would do anything though and it never did.
still its a good strong plug.
I remember now as i was paying and just saw it behind the counter and without giving it thought just said ill have that plug also.

Trust me if i believed in that id have brougt a much more expensive one trust me

 

[nopiano]

http://www.russandrews.com/images/pdf/SuperKordTest.pdf

Those graphs are all in the Mhz range.

50 hz is 0,00005 Mhz!

20 khz is 0.02 Mhz!

IE at the extreme left hand side or off the scale of those graphs!

If you're worried about your power leads picking up radio interference which then somehow makes it past your power supply smoothing caps to cause instability or get converted to audible frequencies in your source or amplifier you could just simply clamp a magnet or two onto your FREE power cable.

13mm internal diameter split ferrite sleeves cost £5.86!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPLIT-SLEEVE-FERRITE-CORE-13MM-/281821801084?h...

It would be fair comment to say that Russ Andrews is using Russ Abbot comedy marketing.

Since the claim is that woven cables reject radio frequencies then the scales are entirely appropriate, surely. No-one was suggesting audio frequencies are coming in through the mains. But I don't disagree that other means might achieve the same thing - even it is an actual problem.

FWIW, the item of electronics that removed the most noise from my mains was an old Sony flatscreen telly. Plugging it in removed most of the noise that my Belkin noise sniffer could easily detect. https://www.whathifi.com/forum/accessories/belkinpureav-mains-noise-sniffer-ps1999-free-pp

 

[Electro]

This is the £1595 Isotek Evo3 power cable.

Would it be possible to DIY something to the same engineering standards for less than £50?

What's inside the grey cylinder? Is it a magnet or inductor? Something that'd cost £5? Or something else?

If we went the DIY route, we could hard wire one end to the power transformer inside the amplifier, and therefore cut out the horrible IEC plug and socket, resulting in a better power cable than the Evo3. On the IEC socket safety front, about half my audio equipment has hardwired power cables, including the Marantz CD player I bought last week. I do not think that they represent any significant safety risk over my IEC socketed equipment (but would be happy to stand corrected if anyone can convince me otherwise).

What's more, we could make our DIY cable exactly the right length. Maybe 1 metre or 0.75 metres would be fine for a particular installation, instead of having to put up with 1.5 metre standard lengths.

My point being, even if you believe power cables make a difference worth spending £1000 on, why not DIY something better for far less money?

The cylinder on the cable contains a DC blocker.

If it was £150 I would buy one .

Anyone know where I can but a reasonably priced DC blocker on it's own with no other filters ?

 

[ellisdj]

Mains cable r us sell inline ones.
I have got one of the Isotek ones Electro mate now. Use it into my Titan instead of my DIY Neotech monster cable I was using.

 

[Vladimir]

Fuk yeah! Turtle knows his stuff.

Hi Fi Mains Leads - Russ Andrews PowerKord 100

 

[Vladimir]

This is the £1595 Isotek Evo3 power cable.

Would it be possible to DIY something to the same engineering standards for less than £50?

What's inside the grey cylinder? Is it a magnet or inductor? Something that'd cost £5? Or something else?

If we went the DIY route, we could hard wire one end to the power transformer inside the amplifier, and therefore cut out the horrible IEC plug and socket, resulting in a better power cable than the Evo3. On the IEC socket safety front, about half my audio equipment has hardwired power cables, including the Marantz CD player I bought last week. I do not think that they represent any significant safety risk over my IEC socketed equipment (but would be happy to stand corrected if anyone can convince me otherwise).

What's more, we could make our DIY cable exactly the right length. Maybe 1 metre or 0.75 metres would be fine for a particular installation, instead of having to put up with 1.5 metre standard lengths.

My point being, even if you believe power cables make a difference worth spending £1000 on, why not DIY something better for far less money?

The cylinder on the cable contains a DC blocker.

If it was £150 I would buy one .

Anyone know where I can but a reasonably priced DC blocker on it's own with no other filters ?

Reasonably priced mains filter for certain unreasonably HIGH inrush current and power gulping monoblocks sitting in your livingroom like old German diesel submarines stuck on dry land? *biggrin*