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Psst, Dave. This is a great time to make a plug for your great power cables.
I got a PM from an Uber owner today and he asked me a question that I get occasionally."Which is MORE important, the power cable feeding INTO the uber, or the power cable feeding out of the Uber?"Here is my position on how to choose your cables. The power cable supplying the Uber will have a global effect on the entire system. If you have a system that is a tad on the analytical side of the equation another component (yes, for the umpteenth - time a power cable is a component of the system) on the analytical side might not be a stellar idea. Whether we like to admit it power cables effect the sound. An acquaintance of mine once said that some power cables just sound constipated. To this day I can't think of a better term. When we assess our systems and find that we are in the final voicing of the system what power cables becomes a very important, if not essential choice.DANGER!!! You are entering the nebulous zone of my perception here: YMMV and no flames, please. Just read it an laugh to yourself if you will.Cables fall into several categories but the generalities of standard and premium cables are these. Standard cables are tough pitch copper, insulated with PVC ( a crappy, but cheap and durable dielectric) and wrapped in more plastic or rubber with molded ends. Premium cables are generally much higher purity copper, insulated with much better, low constant dielectrics and many have air as part of the dielectric or wrap. This all is terminated with premium connectors that cost too much money, but end up being very important to the overall sound of the cable.My bottom line is that with premium cables that are properly designed there is just more. More of whatever you want. Some cables are fuller, rounder and perhaps darker than the other extreme which is very detailed, fast and analytical. There are some cables ... the neutral ones... that just give a little more of everything, especially space around instruments. All of us moronic(? - your call) cable designers are trying to find the "grail" and find a lot of other things along the way that contributes to most designer's cables having a familial sound.Where this rant is headed is that the cable that goes to each component from the Uber (or wall) needs to address the strengths and weaknesses of that piece of gear. If the DAC is too analytical sounding, put a mellower cable on it or vice versa.When choosing the cable for the Uber assess the system as a whole. I sit overall a tad too fat sounding, put a revealing cable on the Uber. Too bright - a rounder sounding cable. In a systemic approach we have to look at power as what we've got and it's getting crappier everyday. We have to start at the wall with properly chosen filters (cables) and work our way to the gear. It is faster and a lot cheaper than trying to work backwards from the gear to the wall.
Dave and Pete:Both of you are a prime examples as to why it is so important to the likes of mewho unfortunately can't play with samples themselves. You both have experience (andequipment) far beyond the average and are willing to interact with informative solutions.ThanksDon
Yep. No BS. 90% of my system is from cottage industries. Doesn't take much to see who the no BS guys are, that cut to the chase and do what is important and actually matters for the sound. You do this Dave (Pete), and help us regular ol boys save a ton of money, and get world class results at the same time. Keep it old school guys!
This all is terminated with premium connectors that cost too much money, but end up being very important to the overall sound of the cable.