Power Cables

[Anonymous]

aliEnRIK: .... just going off what theyd been taught all their lives. You know ~ like the worlds still FLAT and all that

I have to confess that I did think it was "snake oil" before I decided to try for myself to see what the fuss was all about. I took advantage of Clearer Audio's no quibble money back guarantee on a Copper Line Alpha lead and bought the Isotek cheaply off eBay, thinking I could return the former and resell the latter if no improvements are noted. Both are staying. In fact I am going to get further power leads.

Another confession is that I put a little warm water into a ketchup bottle to get the last remaining bits out so I am not someone who would spend hundreds of pounds on placebos. And I am professionally trained to deal with FACTS and PROOF, so I do not tolerate "voodoo"

 

[Anonymous]

Hi AKL, How is the Isotek bedding in with your system?

Personally I find music is like fine wine, it is all in the detail and the distinctive signiture it brings to the senses.

It grows on you, and find greater pleasure/enjoyment in it.

Is it so for you?

 

[idc]

aliEnRIK:

In fact, if anyone been 'brainwashed' its those have have learnt electrics from college and uni etc and abide by them 100% like their eyes and ears are closed to anything that suggests otherwise.

Yes, yes and double yes, with knobs on. What we desparately need is an electrical engineer or such like who has a open mind and ability to argue convincingly rather than by use of scorn and ridicule. There was a recent thread about directionality where someone posted the point that with AC current, how can a cable be directional? Another person posted a comment about a cable engineer stating that it was the marketing department that had the arrows put on the cable. I found that pretty convincing and would now look to the directionality believers to come up with a sound counter argument.

 

[idc]

AKL:

idc, may I suggest you do the test during times when there are lots of electrical activities in your house and outside?

Good point AKL. The first trial was, well, just now really and I noticed no difference. I now live in the middle of a housing estate, but I find that the mains here is cleaner than a former house in the middle of nowhere. My brother was visiting yesterday and he tried out my new amp. His first comment was the complete lack of background hiss before I started up the music and between tracks. That was during the afternoon. I took that as a good sign.

 

[aliEnRIK]

AKL:

aliEnRIK: .... just going off what theyd been taught all their lives. You know ~ like the worlds still FLAT and all that

I have to confess that I did think it was "snake oil" before I decided to try for myself to see what the fuss was all about. I took advantage of Clearer Audio's no quibble money back guarantee on a Copper Line Alpha lead and bought the Isotek cheaply off eBay, thinking I could return the former and resell the latter if no improvements are noted. Both are staying. In fact I am going to get further power leads.

Another confession is that I put a little warm water into a ketchup bottle to get the last remaining bits out so I am not someone who would spend hundreds of pounds on placebos. And I am professionally trained to deal with FACTS and PROOF, so I do not tolerate "voodoo"

When I first heard of these magical 'mains leads' I too cried BS. One day after reading a review I decided out of sheer curiosity to try one and bought a second hand isotek Elite off ebay. I heard basslines and beats id never heard before INSTANTLY. Clearly there was something in this mains malarky after all.

If your interested, id put the 16 core mains leads I use against just about anything on the market under 500 quid! The difference theyve made is staggering on certain pieces of equipment

 

[aliEnRIK]

idc: There was a recent thread about directionality where someone posted the point that with AC current, how can a cable be directional? Another person posted a comment about a cable engineer stating that it was the marketing department that had the arrows put on the cable. I found that pretty convincing and would now look to the directionality believers to come up with a sound counter argument.

There are differences in molecular structure in every hifi lead (Every piece of metal on the planet in fact). But I personally dont believe you can tell an actual aural difference so I too say its BS.

 

[Anonymous]

idc:aliEnRIK:

In fact, if anyone been 'brainwashed' its those have have learnt electrics from college and uni etc and abide by them 100% like their eyes and ears are closed to anything that suggests otherwise.

Yes, yes and double yes, with knobs on. What we desparately need is an electrical engineer or such like who has a open mind and ability to argue convincingly rather than by use of scorn and ridicule. There was a recent thread about directionality where someone posted the point that with AC current, how can a cable be directional? Another person posted a comment about a cable engineer stating that it was the marketing department that had the arrows put on the cable. I found that pretty convincing and would now look to the directionality believers to come up with a sound counter argument.

Don't know about you, but to me it is all about the music.

My ears tell me when something sounds nicer to them, and when it doesn't.

Having bought last week a set of Mundorf Foil M-Coils I will hand build (and hard wire) the 3 crossover units in my front speakers as soon as I have a couple of days spare to devote to the task.

Can't be bothered in putting forward information on directionality etc, if you want to learn about such things start doing proper research starting with manufactures who produce high end components perhaps.

 

[idc]

Trevor, what this forum needs is someone with your knowledge of all things electrical, your kind and patient manner when explaining stuff to us ignorants, but who disagrees with the whole 'cables sound different' malarky.

 

[Anonymous]

On my internet brousing I have recently read, but do not know if it is true. That practical electronics magazine once hosted a hifi power cable comparison in which what hifi and hifi choice magazine staff took part. The winner a cable taken of a lawnmower. This was apparantly back in the 1980`s if it is true.

 

[Anonymous]

Probably because it has been properly burnt in and mowed over a few times. Improving the sound quality as it went along

 

[aliEnRIK]

knightout:On my internet brousing I have recently read, but do not know if it is true. That practical electronics magazine once hosted a hifi power cable comparison in which what hifi and hifi choice magazine staff took part. The winner a cable taken of a lawnmower. This was apparantly back in the 1980`s if it is true.

Every chance

My mate took some armoured cable from works a few years back, cut off the stock cable and connected the new armoured stuff (new of the reel) . The armoured cable sounded way better simply because it was thicker and had fairly decent anti EMI properties. The lawnmower cable is probably fairly thick stuff too.

Thats why I hate buying 'branded' cables. They must double the price or more simply to stick their name on something.

 

[gbhsi1]

If you want quality- you pay the price!

 

[aliEnRIK]

gbhsi1:If you want quality- you pay the price!

The cables Ive bought are about a 5th of the price of similar quality branded cables

 

[Anonymous]

I always use cables. I find it makes a massive difference to the performance of my hifi.

 

[Anonymous]

Tarquinh:I always use cables. I find it makes a massive difference to the performance of my hifi.

At last, a post in favour of cables. Ahhhhh. no ..... wait! D'Oh!!

 

[Anton90125]

The more things change the more they remain that same - views on cables doubly so!

 

[JoelSim]

aliEnRIK:

knightout:On my internet brousing I have recently read, but do not know if it is true. That practical electronics magazine once hosted a hifi power cable comparison in which what hifi and hifi choice magazine staff took part. The winner a cable taken of a lawnmower. This was apparantly back in the 1980`s if it is true.

Every chance

My mate took some armoured cable from works a few years back, cut off the stock cable and connected the new armoured stuff (new of the reel) . The armoured cable sounded way better simply because it was thicker and had fairly decent anti EMI properties. The lawnmower cable is probably fairly thick stuff too.

Thats why I hate buying 'branded' cables. They must double the price or more simply to stick their name on something.

Not entirely true. I have some very thick 6mm OF copper speaker cable that sounds nowhere near as nice as my QED.

I also have a Nordost Shiva on my CDP which made a huge difference.

I also have 2 Clearer Audio Silverlines on my amps which were a more subtle change than the Nordost but since hooking them up I've noticed a far more 3D sound, with greater quiets, soundstage etc. And they were an upgrade to branded power cables as I already had Merlins.

And a Chord Chameleon I bought had a very different sound to the vdh D102 III it replaced. Much bassier.

 

[aliEnRIK]

Im not disputing that Joel. Im simply saying that ANY cable could possibly sound better than stock or whatever. Ive tried loads of mains cables so I have a good idea of the differences between them etc

Id put my 16 core silver cables against the shiva anyday too

 

[JoelSim]

aliEnRIK:
Im not disputing that Joel. Im simply saying that ANY cable could possibly sound better than stock or whatever. Ive tried loads of mains cables so I have a good idea of the differences between them etc

ÿ

Id put my 16 core silver cables against the shiva anyday too

The Shiva is excellent. Well chuffed with itÿ

 

[aliEnRIK]

JoelSim:aliEnRIK:
Im not disputing that Joel. Im simply saying that ANY cable could possibly sound better than stock or whatever. Ive tried loads of mains cables so I have a good idea of the differences between them etc

Id put my 16 core silver cables against the shiva anyday too

The Shiva is excellent. Well chuffed with it

It is a very good cable. My dad has one (Which is how ive compared)