Re: Sarah Lee

Ulas · « **on:** 18 Dec 2004, 04:28 pm »

I agree with Occam. Volex makes an excellent, baseline power cord. I used Volex for several years before I went upscale.

What I don’t like about Volex, or any other power cord for that matter, is excess length. Because Volex is so inexpensive, making a custom length cable for each component is practicable. I cut the cable to the exact length needed and attached a new plug(s). I saved all the excess cable to make additional power cords. A single 3m Volex can make several shorter power cords. Whenever I changed or moved components, I scrounged a piece of Volex, cut it to length and attached connectors. It makes a very tidy installation.

JoshK · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 Dec 2004, 09:01 pm »

I agree with both of you guys. I like to keep the power cords short because they are less likely to come close to your ICs = lower noise. I also think the Volex are great cords and hard to beat without spending a great deal more.

Dan Banquer · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 Dec 2004, 09:38 pm »

I use Vollex #17660, which is a braid and foil shield. Nothing like living 50 yards from a Ham Radio operator to make you a fiend about shielding.
d.b.

Occam · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 Dec 2004, 10:33 pm »

I have found that my subjective perceptions of the Volex cords can be greatly improved by sheathing them in a organic covering (silk, cotton, or wool [especially pashmina]) and anthropomorphising them by giving each cord the imaginary name of a really high class hooker.

I'd like to thank Dan for providing me the motivation for starting the 'Sarah Lee' powercord sticky. (I'll be adding a separate 'Sarah Lee' powerconditioning sticky soon). Dan entered one of the interminable powercord discussions and metioned some golden ear's preference of the supplied Levinson cord to some aftermarket cords. Well, I know as well as Dan (you scamp you!) that Levinson gear has always been supplied with Belden equivalent of those Volex cords. What Dan proved is not that powercords don't matter, rather that a very fine(relatively) cord can be sourced inexpensively.

And I do want to make it clear to everyone that I'm not saying that other aftermarket cords don't provide percieved value. What I'm saying is that the you don't have to spend $100+ to conduct your own empirical verification; you have to spend $5, and to anyone who won't make that effort and is convinced that their thought experiments are sufficient to settle the matter, I won't waste my time disputing their views....

Dan Banquer · « **Reply #4 on:** 20 Dec 2004, 12:11 am »

I can get the Vollex #17660, which is 18 AWG, for about $10.00 out of QPL Electronic Distributors. I think Mouser Electronic Distributors has them for slightly more.
d.b.

jeffreybehr · « **Reply #5 on:** 20 Dec 2004, 03:56 am »

Ulas: "Because Volex is so inexpensive, making a custom length cable for each component is practicable."

'Practicable'? Someone else in the English-speaking world knows the difference between practical and practicable? Wow! I'll bet you know the differences between oh and zero and also who and whom.

BTW, I ordered a bunch of the Volexs; they may arrive this week. I have no aftermarket powercords so it'll be interesting...

-----------------------

They have indeed arrived. With salestax (turns out there's a Carleton-Bates warehouse in AZ) and shipping, 8 of the 2Ms cost $6.20 each. Still haven't connected them, and I'm just a tin-eared audiofool, so probably I won't hear a difference...but we'll find out.

Occam · « **Reply #6 on:** 29 Dec 2004, 11:12 pm »

I know that a buch of you folks have ordered those Volex cords. Any comments, reviews, invective, damnations, etc... yet?

ohenry · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 Jan 2005, 03:44 pm »

I bought four cords: two for tubed monoblocks, one for a tubed preamp and one for a SS sub amp. As much as I hate to admit it, I do think it improved the sound compared to using the stock cords (I was a skeptic).

I noticed a small improvement in clarity accross the board and the equipment is operating a little quieter (less noise while idle). I was impressed with the build quality and gauge of the recommended cords.

This is such a bargain, that not replacing stock cords for the improved build quality alone is illogical. And I can't think of a cheaper tweak to perform that may have significant results. Now I need to work on a few things upstream of the cords, such as receptacles, etc. Just another way to torment my wife by spending more $$$ on audio.

Thanks for the tip.

Occam · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 Jan 2005, 08:23 pm »

Ohenry,

Thanks for the comments. I couldn't have put it better myself.....
While not the ultimate powercords, I've never heard anyone say they're not the max bang for the buck.

JoshK · « **Reply #9 on:** 14 Jan 2005, 01:29 am »

I actually consider the Volex to be my benchmark for comparison with other power cords, be it boutique or manfactured by myself. I figure if you can make a significant performance increase for the significant amount of dollars you spent, why bother?

rosconey · « **Reply #10 on:** 29 Jan 2005, 05:39 pm »

i ordered 2 the other day for my cdp and pre-

fajimr · « **Reply #11 on:** 12 Mar 2006, 10:10 pm »

hi all

I just cut the female IEC on my volex and found 3+ 1 wires. blue (neutral), brown (hot), green/yellow (ground) and then also a bare wire.

Not sure what to do with this wire. Is it another ground wire?

Occam · « **Reply #12 on:** 13 Mar 2006, 05:21 am »

Fajimir - The exta uninsulated wire connects the ground to the bedfoil shielding. You can either connect it to the ground at the component end (either IEC, or hardwired) or leave it unconnected at that end, as its already connected at the plug (wall) end. This is a telescoping shield (Faraday cage) approach to shielding. I've never been able to discern a difference between shielding left floating at the load end, and shielding that is also connected to ground at the load end.

fajimr · « **Reply #13 on:** 13 Mar 2006, 02:16 pm »

thanks Occam!!!!

I understood the first part of your response but you lost me on the second part

(but that is o.k. with me- I appreciate the explanation and may indeed one day understand it)