[greve]

Hi

I've contemplated with the idea of making my own power cords. In a recent thread in the Audio Circle there were a few posts about the quality and cost of audio cable manufacturers' R&D and the difficulty of e.g. making a proper termination of a power cord. This put me off for a few minutes, but I would still like to hear other people's ideas on power cord DIY.

I have found a source for MK Toughplugs and Wattgate IEC connectors. But the actual cable to be used is troubling me.

I remember that Ferdi mentioned he had made some using the thickest power cable from the local DIY shop and later he also made some with specially screened cable. Some more info on this would be appreciated, Ferdi.

Thanks in advance

[EProvenzano]

Here is an AWESOME DIY cord.
http://www.venhaus1.com/diymains.html
I easily heard sonic improvements when I added this cable to my amp and preamp. I wish I could try these cables on my Sony CDP but it has a captive cord and I don't want to remove it and void my warranty. I was able to detect improvements in bass response especially, and slight improvements in sound stage. I think adding a higher quality hospital grade outlet is a decent investment also.
I was able to shop around and get good deals on quality IEC's and Hubbell plugs. Try calling your local wire wholesaler and ask for samples of Belden 83802. My supplier was happy to send me (3) 5' lengths for FREE. Can't beat that.

These cables cost approx. $30 each and 1/2 hour of my time. There is NO WAY any commercial PC can compete with this return/investment IMO.

Good luck,
EP

[Ferdi]

Hi Allan, all,

(This may look familiar to some of you. A large part of it is reheated from an email I sent some time ago.)

I have tried a few things in DIY powercables:

I of course started out with the standard cables but after hearing a lot of stories about improvements from power-cables, I made the following DIY versions:

Heavy duty 2.5mm^2 rubber covered cable from the local DIY store and heavy quality wall and IEC plugs. This seemed to improve bass when used on my SR7000 receiver. Otherwise, this wasn’t too big an improvement.

Shielded 2.5mm^2 LAPP cable that is widely recommended in the Euro DIY-audio scene. This gave me the same effect on the bass and seemed to be cleaner in the highs. I’ve used this cable on my receiver and CDP. I’ve used the same termination as the above for the receiver but made a modification on the CDP. I used a Neutrik Power-con connctor. This is a bajonet type thing that works very well and is sturdy. I kept the Groneberg powercable on the Stratos.

I think this second version is somewhat comparable with (some versions of) Chris Venhaus' recipe.

Then I got interested after reading about people’s experience with braided powercables and made one for my receiver again. I braided 6 lengths of 2.5mm^2 wire and soldered the IEC this time. Wallplug was still screwdown. From looking over the Internet, it seems that the wire I used is like this THHN wire mentioned as the basis for Stan Warren recipes.  I also put on ferrites on both ends. I now have this construction on both my receiver and Stratos amp. Burning these in took a bit of time. During that time, my whole system sounded too bright and nervous but also much more fluid and effortless. The good parts have staid and the nervousness has disappeared and this is what I intend to keep (until a new idea comes along of course....).
I will try this design on my CDP as well but have heard that some people don’t like cables on their CDP that they do like on amplifiers. It seems to me that this whole cable/filter issue is still very ill understood. I don’t accept stories about connections making a difference either. I terminated my cables with essentially the same plugs and still get very different results. So, it must be in the cable itself.

The point for me is that playing around with different options and listening for differences is part of the fun and educates my ears in what to listen for and expect. That also makes it a lot easer for me to buy a commercial cable and be happy with it because I know about at least some of the alternatives.

Things to try in the future:
- Using different IEC and power connectors. I have found a source for wall-plugs. (Very different than UK or US.) I am interested to hear where you found the IEC connectors Allan. A reasonable price would be good.   . My main purpose here is to get better connections with the cable. 7.5mm^2 is a large diameter and doesn't fit too well.
- Finish the cables with flexible braid/techflex.
- Shield the braided cables using some shielding mesh canibalized from another cable.

Note: Always measure your connections before installing! 110/220V can kill and has no problem frying your equipment if it doesn't kill you.

I have some pictures but they're on my PC and that's not connected at the moment.

[Haoleb]

Just an FYI but www.partsexpress.com carries a whole bunch of wattagate/hubbel stuff and they also have all the best WBT and techflex and stuff. I think you can get pretty much everything there but the wire!

[Ferdi]

Hi Haoleb, I know about those but transatlantic shipping is quite expensive...

[Ferdi]

I now have some pictures in the Gallery.

[Haoleb]

Sorry, lol i guess i didnt know you werent in northamerica until i saw your pics with the different style power cord plugs. I liked the speaker cables is that something similar to the venhaus design? how do  they sound?

[Ferdi]

Hi Haoleb, the speaker-cable design originates with www.tnt-audio.com and Thorsten Loesch. It is called FFRC in the original design. I took a next step with it, doubling the number of wires.

There is a fairly big difference with the Venhaus cables in that you don't take th CAT5 cable apart. You just braid it intact. These cables took about 1 hour of braiding each and then another 30 minutes to terminate.

I have used these cables for quite some time and initially they were very very warm sounding. Bass too flabby and highs rolled off. I kept them in the system because they also sounded very musical. They eventually burnt in but that took a long time.
The result was very pleasant to me. Musical and warm but also with a lot more detail than the shotgun cable I had been using until then. I now use Groneberg speaker cable. That is another step up in detail and clarity. It's less romantic and that's OK with me but may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Overall, I think they are a very good cable but with somewhat higher capacitance making them unsuited to less stable amps, like the AKSA. I would recommend them as an experiment in many circumstances. One thing is certain, they are very cheap to make, especially as the standard FFRC and if you don't finish them with bananas.

[greve]

Ferdi, the source I've found for Wattgate connectors is www.audiophilecandy.com in UK. They probably ship to Europe.

Wattgate 320 is £25 and Wattgate 350 if £75, I think.

[Ferdi]

Hi Allan, thanks for the link. I did find the connectors and that pricing seems fairly OK, although I think they are about USD18 in the US. (Maybe I am confusing Furutech, Wattgate and Marinco plugs)

Some of the other items in their inventory are priced waaaay high. For instance, they think they can charge 30 pounds for a set of 4 ferrites. I think I pay about 3 euros for each. Comparison shopping required.

[hoxuanduc]

I second EProvenzano's recommendation.  Take Five audio in Canada does carry the Belden 83802.  The rest can be purchased at Parts Express or Take Five.

[Builder]

My solution to this dilemma, after carefully reading John Risch's cable site on AA (http://www.geocities.com/jonrisch/ac-cords.htm) was to order a roll of Belden 19364 and gradually replace every AC lead in my system.  This is a fully shielded cable with a drain wire, forming a nice Faraday shield around the AC.  For the amplifiers, I discard the IEC socket completely and solder the AC cord directly to the PS - no point in having yet-another-link in the chain that can cause nastiness.  No matter how you look at it, the IEC plug-and-socket is a nasty idea, and I think it's worse for folks on 110v (I'm in Australia on 240v) because you have to pull a lot of current through the line.  Lastly, in Australia and the UK, even though our mains wall plugs are different, they are very chunky compared to the US 110v plugs, and have way better contacts.  I went down to my electrical wholesalers and bought a box of extra-heavy-duty 10A mains plugs.  They usually have a 'crush' termination, but I dispose of the little screws and clamps and solder the Belden cable directly to the appropriate pin.

As with any mains work, *please* be careful!

[EProvenzano]

I second EProvenzano's recommendation.  Take Five audio in Canada does carry the Belden 83802.  The rest can be purchased at Parts Express or Take Five.

That's funny. Most of the supplies for my last Chris VH PC came from Gene at Take Five. He is very helpful and always willing to answer questions about DIY.
Here's the cord...
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=15

[tmd]

EP,
Did you buy a Sony SCD-775ES or was it someone else? I have one and I can't see any place to physically put an IEC so I soldered a cord directly to the transformer. Just so you know for when you can't bear it any longer or your warranty runs out:)
Neil.

[tmd]

Allan,
What is your source for the MK toughplugs please?

[greve]

Allan,
What is your source for the MK toughplugs please?

http://www.audiophilecandy.com in the UK.

[EProvenzano]

EP,
Did you buy a Sony SCD-775ES or was it someone else? I have one and I can't see any place to physically put an IEC so I soldered a cord directly to the transformer. Just so you know for when you can't bear it any longer or your warranty runs out:)
Neil.

Nope I went with a C555ES. For the price it should have an IEC! Warranty is 5 years...fat chance I'll wait that long to cut it to bits  

BR,
EP

[andyr]

TNT-Audio have another design for a power cord, which I have made up.  It's called the "Carpet Snake" ... bcoz it's very thick!

The design uses a particular coax which you may not be able to purchase locally.  I couldn't but I decided the theory behind the cable was important ... not the particular cable type, so an alternative would be just as good ... and maybe even better!  I exchanged emails with the designer who said one particular feature of his design - a dual-connector (shielded) cable - was due more to conservatism (in case one connector broke) than absolute theory, so I figured my own mod was probably legitimate.

I used RG213 Satellite Upgrade cable which has a very thick stranded central conductor ... so you get a large current-carrying capacity on this wire.  You need to use 3 lengths of this cable - one for active, neutral and earth.

You plait these and it is this plaiting which produces the cable's beneficial effect.  Supposedly, it filters out mains "nasties" ... all I can say is: I heard the difference, so I have made up one of these cables for each of my components.

However, I have read that it is source components that gain the most benefit from such shielded cables - not power amps - but I have not tried this experiment.

Regards,

Andy

[BlackCat]

First off, I'm not really a DIY type, and I'm scared to death of electricity.  However, I am also appalled at the prices of "audiophile quality" power cords.  What I'm actually trying to build is a power strip, again the audiophile choices I've looked at (PS Audio, Furutech) are laughingly priced.  I bought a metal power strip at Home Despot for about $6 US, it has normal power receptacles in it I replaced with hospital grade (Eagle) receptacles wired in series.  I'd like to do star wiring, but I don't know how.

Now I'd like to attach a really good power cord to it.  I saw a DIY over on AA where the guy used a power cord to a stove.  I found them at Home Despot, besides having the really wierd 3-prong "pyramid" plug which you are supposed to remove and throw away and replace, they are huge (and about eight dollars)!  These things have 4 BIG wires inside (don't know the guage) and are about an inch thick.  

Does anybody have any experience using these stove cords?  And what the heck do you do with that 4th wire?  Does anybody know what "star wiring" is?  How would you do it with 6 receptacles?

Advice and / or rants always welcome.

BC

[andyr]

.....  I bought a metal power strip at Home Depot for about $6 US, it has normal power receptacles in it I replaced with hospital grade (Eagle) receptacles wired in series.  I'd like to do star wiring, but I don't know how.

Perhaps an American reader can advise for your power because I undrstand you can have "ordinary" 120v or "balanced" 240v.  However, in Oz (which has "standard" 240v), you wire the power receptacles in a "daisy chain" - ie. the mains cord comes in to the firts receptacle's 'live' and 'active' .... then a wire goes out to the next receptacle ... etc.  So the receptacles are each strung between the 'active' and the 'neutral'.

I presume this is what you meant by "in series"?

Now I'd like to attach a really good power cord to it.  I saw a DIY over on AA where the guy used a power cord to a stove.  I found them at Home Despot, besides having the really wierd 3-prong "pyramid" plug which you are supposed to remove and throw away and replace, they are huge (and about eight dollars)!  These things have 4 BIG wires inside (don't know the guage) and are about an inch thick.  

It seems to me there are two ways you could go about this exercise with that stove cord.  (BTW, in the 'normal' stove cord, if it only has a 3-prong plug ... what is the 4th wire connected to?)

If you are using an earth wire - which is the way we do things in Oz - then you simply don't use the 4th wire.  If you are not using an earth then use 2 of the wires for 'active' and 2 for 'neutral'.  That way, you're using "even thicker" wire to carry the current ... which is an advantage.

Does anybody have any experience using these stove cords?  And what the heck do you do with that 4th wire?  Does anybody know what "star wiring" is?  How would you do it with 6 receptacles?

With 6 receptacles, the "daisy chain" mentioned above is simply extended.

Advice and / or rants always welcome.

BC

Regards,

Andy