[Johlke]

Indeed, the proverbial can 'o worms.

Here's my .02 worth:

I inserted Shunyata HC VTX between my Shunyata Hydra and Vincent MK236II amp and after some break-in I am now enjoying noticeably smoother sound.  Right now Music Direct has it and it's cousin, the VTX, for half their original list (around $295, I think).  MD offers a 30 day return policy, so like someone earlier mentioned, give 'em a try in your system and see if it helps.  If so, you're in good shape.  If not, all you're out is the shipping cost.  Good luck!

[JerryLove]

The IEC 60601-1 (medical equipment standards) is a really dull read. Worse than IEC 320/60320 under which all power cables fall.

I can't say that I've heard any difference (having power cables of both types because of how I source); and the only change in electrical requirement I'm aware of between the two standards is the robustness of the grounding line. Otherwise the copper is identical.

[*Scotty*]

Jerry, what gear are you using in your system?
Scotty

[cheap-Jack]

Hi.

The proverbial
has been opened once again.

HiFi is itself a can of worms, proverbial or not.

As my wift always says HiFi is a journey never getting there - live music. Worse than fishing where we can get a live fish sooner or later.

I can't disagree.


c-J

[JerryLove]

Scotty,

That's too vague a question. Could you be more specific? Are you asking what I'm using for power cables? If so "I wide range of functionally similar cables from several sources including but not limited to stuff that came with equipment, stuff from my IT work, and stuff from an old job demo which includes IEC 60601"

[*Scotty*]

Specifically, any "audiophile approved" cords and what does your stereo consist of gear wise? Your system is not listed.
I am a DIYer and have been more concerned with connection integrity and gauge than power cord pedigree.
Scotty

[JerryLove]

I'm not sure what "audiophile approved" means; so can't answer it.

Power cable gauge varies. Unless it's something I'm worried about overheating because it's too small; I don't much think about it. Never heard a difference with gauge changes on power cables within the range I use.

I have a lot of different gear, and which is setup where varies regularly. Right now there's a pair of Salk SCST's running off a Yammy P5000S (Yammy PC is built-in; so I'm using whatever they attached) fed by an Integra AVR in turn fed by an Integra DVD, a pair of Paradigm S2's and infinity 362's (and SVS PC12's) running off a Marantz 7002 with quite a few sources; a custom built active-crossover pair running off a bank of Yammy P-series amps, and a pair of B&W N801's attached to a MC2120 in the front room.

I've run in this house at one point or another the above plus Ohm Walsh F, Paradigm Studio 40, Paradigm Studio 60, GMA Europa, B&W 801S2, Infinity RS iiib, Infinity RS iib, Kef iq30, McIntosh XR5, Mcintosh 717, PSB400i, and some other's I've forgotten or just don't feel like mentioning. I've had amps from Krell, McIntosh, Adcom, and Yamaha and AVR/preamps from Pioneer, Sony, Marantz, Onkyo, and Integra. I don't imagine I can list the number of sources.

Do you need to know what subs I've had and which PDU's I've used?

[*Scotty*]

Thank's for the background, that's a hell of a parade of gear you've had over the years. I lusted after the Ohm F and I sold Infinity for a while back in the 70's.
Scotty

[Julf]

This one's a troll

Ah, so asking factual questions about the relevance of a vendor's claims to our specific situation is trolling?

[Julf]

Seems this has turned into a debate about power cords in general - my comments are in the very specific context of a well-designed SMPS feeding a class D amp, and even more specifically a hypex nc400 fed by a hypex smps600. If somebody claims "our power cable always makes music clearer and more musical, no matter what the amp" I call BS.

[Julf]

So to substantiate what you claimed, .....

So please be more specific

More than happy to - wish some others making claims would do the same.

what test you did? By measurement or what?

Primarily by listening, but also measured resistance and voltage drop, as well as looking for ripple on top of the mains voltage with an oscilloscope.

"No audible difference" applies to the audio system you are using or what?

Absolutely. Source was 2 different digital systems with reasonable DACs, using both redbook and hi-res FLAC material.

Amps, as mentioned, and as relevant to this thread, hypex nc400's fed by smps600's. Main speakers modified Linn Isobariks, but also checked with Tannoys and BBC LS3/5A's (by Rogers).

[JerryLove]

Scotty,

Thank you. I spent a lot of time hunting and buying used gear just to find out what it sounded like and why. Most of it managed to get re-sold, though the wife is (rightfully) giving me a hard time about the gear that is neither in use nor sold. I'm working on it (oddly, there are a couple of pieces I don't like yet don't want to part with in that group)

[cheap-Jack]

message deleted.

[werd]

Ah, so asking factual questions about the relevance of a vendor's claims to our specific situation is trolling?

To have gone though all that aggravation of changing cabling seems very suspect and then end up here seems suspect.

You don't need measurements for cabling. All you need to know is what your system sounds like with less noise and better power response. You can measure power and noise in gear. Its even in the soecs. If you can compare your system to other systems or even comoonents and properly asses the power response and the noise through your listening experience backed by power and noise measurements,you get a handle on what a cable can do in your system with out the use of cable measurements. It's basically called experience.

In your  response it would not even take any experience at all to hear the power response in cables by dropping the iIEC. You claimed to have dropped the IEC.

[jtwrace]

Stop with the asking of trolling. He's NOT a troll. 

Get back on track of the OP.

[Julf]

Get back on track of the OP.

So, on that note, does anyone actually have any real experiences of actual improvements to the sound of a hypex nc400/smps600 combo (instead of some other, non-class-d, non-smps-fed system)?

I can see some amplifier designs being overly sensitive to power cord resistance and impedance. I don't think the latest hypex modules belong in that category.
 

[James Romeyn]

The only mains wire I've used to power Ncore are Stan Warren recipe (quad twist 12AWG THHN, 19-strand) with Marinco hospital grade plug and IEC (IC is SW recipe, speaker cable is about 2.5' 4AWG fine strand copper + 30AWG single strand).

Over the years I rarely preferred other high end cables regardless of cost.   

I'll A-B the SW mains with cheap generic mains and check results. 

[rollo]

The only mains wire I've used to power Ncore are Stan Warren recipe (quad twist 12AWG THHN, 19-strand) with Marinco hospital grade plug and IEC (IC is SW recipe, speaker cable is about 2.5' 4AWG fine strand copper + 30AWG single strand).

Over the years I rarely preferred other high end cables regardless of cost.   

I'll A-B the SW mains with cheap generic mains and check results.

   Is this statement to be interpreted  that that particular PC sounded better or measured better or both ? Thanks.

charles

[James Romeyn]

   Is this statement to be interpreted  that that particular PC sounded better or measured better or both ? Thanks.

charles

Never measured any of this stuff, sorry.  Just A-B testing IC and speaker cables.  I can't remember for sure comparing PC, but am pretty sure I did.  All testing was courtesy of the late Brian Cheney of VMPS, who collected, over the years one heck of a great assortment of cables!  He didn't win industry raves at shows with cheap components. 

I also A-Bd coax RCA digital, but my cable was a really strange silver double-layer braided shield over silver-plated single-conductor steel, 6AWG IIRC.  Talk about hard to bend!  Still my go-to digital cable, but have not used an outboard DAC for many years.     
 

[cheap-Jack]

Hi.

(1) Primarily by listening,

(2) but also measured resistance and voltage drop, as well as looking for ripple on top of the mains voltage with an oscilloscope.

First off, did you audition to compare a few power cords first or did you do the measurement first?

The sequence is vitally important for one to cast its verdict of the tests.

(1) I hear all cables sound different, including power cords.
      To prove my audition is correct, I went thru the 'pain' of comparing 3 types of IEC power cords,
    (a) stock power cord got from any electrical stores. Dirt cheap.
    (b)  power cord terminated with IEC connector/plug, which I DIYed using a Hi-tech power cable, with
          anti-vibration filler/jacket, braid shield, specially made in Japap for audio use.
    (c) power cord terminated with the same IEC connector/plug as (b), which I DIYed using 99.99%
         pure solod silver wires of German origin, no shield.

Plugging to the same tube power amp playing same music, the sonic difference was fairly distinctvie.
    (a) cord sounded veiled, slow & lacking details. - OUT !
    (b) cord sounded pretty good, transparent & detailed. Good!
    (c) cord sounded fast, transparent & very detailed.   BEST!

    The result pushed me building a proper power cord using #12 4N pure solid silver conductors for my
tube power amp as nothing similar cords available in the marketplace. I just want the best!

(2) What you tested was like micky mouse when compared to a thorough Total Harmonic Distortion test of carried by the chief engineer Class D Audio at Philips Digital Systems Labs, published a few years back.

3 different interconnects are used for the test.
(1) Radiio Shack type freebie come with any DVD/CD player.
(2) a hi-end Japanese brandname cable.
(3) coaxial cable of 50R impedance.

The THD spectrum analysis charts came out to be nearly identical 30mV & 13V feeding test signals with O/P cable load of 20R & 600R. Almost identical for all 3 cables.

So this THD spectrum analysis test proved nothing.

Yet the conclusion of this test was:

"It shows that people who claim that cable do NOT make a difference asre plainly DELUDING themselves. Those that say that cables should not make a difference, are dead right."

From the above test, it is obvious that THD is not the factor that makes cables sounding different. The wrong data was measured which proved null.

So what data should be used to tell the sonic difference of an electronic part/component is still unkown todate.

So until such day arrives in the remote future, hearing is still the best tool.

c-J

PS: Likewise, I built 6 pairs of audio interconnects using same 4N pure solid silver wire of German origin
      for my rig. No choice when one wants the best!