[Elizabeth]

I have Bryston BP-26 preamp and Bryston 4B-SST2 amp.
I have had them on Pangea powercords, the 4B-SST2 on a Pangea AC9 four meter, and the Bryston BP-26 on a Pangea AC14SE four meter powercord.

I recently bought a Pangea AC9SE (twice the price of the Pangea AC9)
I bought it to place it between the Furman REF20i power conditioner, and my Bryston 4B-SST2.
I just stuck it into the Wall to Furman REF20i only to 'break it in some, before placing it on the amp. (i found the Furman used for a great price locally, so it instead of a Torus, but very similar)
I was suprised how much the cord impoved the all around sound. Very synergistic.
So that cord stayed on the power conditioner.
I bought a second Pangea AC9SE four meter to stick on the amp.
I firrst tried it on my other power condiioner, but that was a fail. It sounded worse, on the PS Audio P600 (which only powers digital equipment)
So I took it off and just put it on the amp. Then i thought I would try it on the preamp. so I stuck the regular AC9 Pangea back on the amp, and put  the AC9SE Pangea on the Bryston preamp.
Whoa. Bass, and clarity.
I actually took off wings I had added to my Magnepan 3.6 (5" on bass side only to help with a little bass)
The sound (Bass) is so much better I could take off the wings, no need for them.
So I still need to buy one more cord for the amp. But these power cords really do make a difference.
The first powercord i ever bought with a hearable difference was the original Pangea AC9. Now, the Pangea AC9SE is my new hero.
Goes great with Bryston amp and preamp.

Just on the amp (and conditioner) the sound was a little warmer. With the cord on the preamp, it is more neutral.
I may yet just opt for the warmer, less bass without the new cord on the preamp. I need to listen for awhile and decide.

[redbook]

    Very nice .My Nordost (Vishnu) cords made general improvements to my older 4B and bp25. Smoother hi's and and a tad better low level detail.

[Quiet Earth]

Hi Elizabeth,

I knew I could count on you to step up to the SE version of the AC9.    Can you tell me if the SE version is less flexible than the regular 9? I am considering getting a pair of 1.5 meters for my power amps, but I don't know if they can make the bend coming up the wall into the back of the amp, or coming away from the wall into the power conditioner. I have about 7 inches of space behind the rack to the wall, and I'd rather not pull the whole rack away from the wall again just to accommodate a stiff cord. (Gee wiz, am I that lazy?)

Thanks for your honest opinion!

[Elizabeth]

The Pangea AC9SE is the same in nearly any physical way as the AC9.
I would say yes they can fit inside a 7" bend.
And like the AC9 the shorter ones are hard to line up the plugs if they have to be rotated.

The one area i find the AC9SE is slightly harder is twisting/rotating and bending at the same time.
Just tough to do. Rotating and then bending works a little better.
They just have to be 'worked' a little for odd bends and twists, same as the AC9.

[bjski]

Now I have to replace all my AC9's. Do you know if they make a 20 amp cord? Need it for my bit 20. Thanks

[thunderbrick]

Whaddaya asking for your AC9s?   

[mark funk]

Oh My, Should you be bending and twisting and rotating those cables? Won't that mess up the flow of the electrons?
Kinda like a choke point, like in a water hose?

                                                                                       

[thunderbrick]

But if you choke the power cord won't it speed the flow of electrons exiting the kink?  Will that result in better HF signal?  Or is that too kinky for an EE?

[mark funk]

Thats a good one




                                                                                 

[jjc1]

  Elizabeth, do you think the AC-9 would be a good fit for speakers with powered subwoofers?
    I am thinking about replacing the stock power chords that came with my Vandersteen Quattros.
   And, do you think the SE version would make a big difference in this situation as opposed to the normal AC-9?

    John

[Elizabeth]

to mark funk.. The ads are over on Audio Asylum.
I cannot put an ad here as i am in the dog house, restricted, due to big mouth..(fat hands?? too fast fingers?? )
The ad over at Audio Asylum only selling to members there. The AC9 i am selling at 65% of current retail. plus USPS Priority shipping $11.35 for up to two cords.
Or for the four meter, only one cord will fit in the $11.35 box.
So the prices are $65 for two meter  AC9 I have two available
The three meter AC9 $85 one available
And two four meter AC9 at $110.
These are audiophile friendly prices as i just want to get rid of them to to other crazy audiophiles..
I don't want to sell ALL of my AC9, so if some sell, then I am keeping the last two.

For bjski. NO Pangea does NOT make a 20amp IEC end. Odd since they make a Shuko Euro plug. I actually changed the 20 amp chassis IEC out of my Furman REF20i conditioner. Furutech makes a great heavy duty 15 amp IEC chassis style which can accept 10 gauge wires, so it was an easy fitment into the Furman, and allows me to use any standard 15 amp IEC My Furman was bought used, and so is not in any sort of warranty thing with swapping out the plug. i am confident that particular chassis IEC is perfectly capable of handling 20 amp duties.

[Elizabeth]

for jjc1
Each Pangea has a sound. The AC9 will boost the apparent bass a little. That can be heard by anyone. The general sound is a little muffled compared to the Pangea AC9SE.
I had to say the Pangea AC9SE put on my Furman REF20i power conditioner was a total ear opener. I was really suprised it changed the whole sound in such a good way Balanced frequency spectrum, added midbass and warmth, wow, just wnderful
(on the other side, sticking a Pangea AC9SE on the other powerconditioner I own (PS Audio P-600 regenerator) sucked, it just made it all sound etched, and no bass added.
Adding one from the Furman to the amp only added a trace more.
Sticking a Pangea AC9SE in my preamp was WAY better bass, though the whole sound field got a little etched. Very minor. But I ultimately took the AC9SE OFF the Bryston BP-26 as I live in an apt, and the solid bass was more than i wanted to have all the time.
though I am tempted to buy a spare four meter AC9SE and run it to the Bryston BP-26 just for those occasions i want to hear some really beautiful solid bass (it WAS amazingly great)

PS: LONG LENGTH is what you want if you have a hankering for a Pangea AC9SE.
get at least three meter lengths. It will matter.
So I would say take advantage of Audio Advisor's 30 day money back deal. Try a pair of AC9SE on your speakers.
Also, the AC9SE has currently a $50 rebate  if you send in any!! cheap IEC cord. multiple rebates OK.
I got  $150 back so far sending in cheap throwaway IEC junk cords.

Also, if your speakers have the digital converter inside, it is more of a ?? If all analog, probably will be great if you want a little more bass, not shoddy bass either, just better slam, and all the good stuff.

[jjc1]

   Elizabeth, it sounds as though the main upgrade from the Pangea AC9 or AC9SE is more bass boost. My speakers already have more than enough bass (I actually had to trim the bass a bit). What I'm looking for by changing the stock chords is more clarity and openness, wider and deeper soundstage, etc. It looks like the Pangeas may not be the way to go. But then A.A. has the 30 day return policy so I might give them a  try.

  Thanks for your response.
     John

[Quiet Earth]

Curious about the 3 meter requirement . . .

Why do you recommend a minimum length? Is it to avoid a radio frequency standing wave? Just curious.

Also, I'm not sure if I want a bunch of extra cable rolled up behind my rack, especially when it is already that big. I need to rethink this I suppose.

[Elizabeth]

""Three meter requirement""
Two meter is fine.. three is better. less is hard to use see below:
No, it just seems to me to sound better with the power cable that long.
I am buying four meter cables, partly because they fit, partly to gain the length.
Some PowerCord makers suggest 10 ft is the minumum good length, and longer is better, though less cost effective.
Also, Pangea AC9 or AC9SE in the under two meter are too torsionally stiff to rotate one end 180 degrees if your cord ends happen to be out of what the panel rotation is.
I have one one meter Pangea AC9 and found it really hard to place. as if the ends do not line up (360 wise) they just cannot be rotated nore than 30 degrees. (or the torsion on the socket is huge)
Once the cord is at least two meters it is fine.
Out of all the connections I had, I only ever found ONE which i could use the one meter Pangea.
I cannot imagine the problems with using a 0.6 mter Pangea AC9 !!!
I would NEVER recommend buying a 1.5 meter or less Pangea AC9 or AC9SE due to rotation problems
My own one meter AC9 i sold and told the perspective buyer about the issues, and sold it for $20. A great deal IF it can be fitted.
(IF you really 'work' the one meter cable, twisting it really really hard, to 'form' it, you might be able to rotate it end to end 90 degrees.

[Quiet Earth]

Thanks Elizabeth. That was a very informative and helpful reply. You saved me a lot of trouble. 

[bjski]

I ordered 2 AC9SE 2 meters before I saw your post about cable length and of course they have shipped. Will replace my AC9 I'm using on my 7BSST/2. Now I'm wondering should I use the AC9 going to my Bat 32SE preamp. I'm using the AC14SE. Nothing wrong with swapping it out.
Waiting for a BHA,now I'll have cable for that.
Thank's for all the information!

[Elizabeth]

I ordered 2 AC9SE 2 meters before I saw your post about cable length and of course they have shipped. Will replace my AC9 I'm using on my 7BSST/2. Now I'm wondering should I use the AC9 going to my Bat 32SE preamp. I'm using the AC14SE. Nothing wrong with swapping it out.
Waiting for a BHA,now I'll have cable for that.
Thank's for all the information!

Yeah try one of the new Pangea AC9SE on the pramp before you put them on the amps!!
I think you will be pleasantly suprised.
Two meter is fine really, just if longer is Ok then yeah go longer, it will not hurt, and may help.
I jsut ordered a four meter Pangea AC9SE for MY preamp.
I had tried it and WOW the dynamics were great. A little too much bass, but now listening to my setup as the cords break in I think a Pangea AC9SE on my preamp will work out after the cord is broken in.
I will just take the cord off the PS and swap them. (so the pre cord is broken in)

[Elizabeth]

After having four of the newer Pangea AC9SE I sent one back for a refund.
With two, one on conditioner, and one on amp, the sound was really improved.
Even moving one of the two, it sounded good.
A third in my tube buffer makes the sound a little crisper. The fourth, really goes too far, bleaching the sound some. So the fourth cord was totally not OK.
So I sent it back to Audio Advisor for a refund.
The third cord i took off after deciding i like the warmer sound with two, to the more analytical sound of three.
The third AC9SE was put back to the original Pangea AC9 (on my tube buffer preamp VAC Standard)
And the fourth cord was put back to a Pangea AC14SE on my Bryston BP-26.

I have to say a few of the Pangea AC9SE really did improve the sound.
But like many things, they need to be checked out and listened to... to decide if they really are better. So i am very happy with adding two 4 meter Pangea AC9SE to replace two 4 meter Pangea AC9. The two added clarity and a warm tone.
But that is all my system needs to sound better. Trying to add more created problems as well as increased clarity. With more than two, the sound started to get etched, and the warm bell like upper frequencies lost the beauty.

[bjski]

Elizabeth, do you think the 14SE is better than the AC9? I took the 14SE off my preamp and replaced it with the AC9. I put the AC9SE on my 7BSST/2. I've been busy this week so no serious listening or fiddling about. I was thinking of using the 14SE for my BHA  when it arrives.