[JIMV]

I asked this on a thread. Forget the basic question about the effectiveness of such tweaks but for true believers, I do have a question...if you had only one premium cable, to which component would you attach it and why??

[richidoo]

Power amp, because it draws the most power. Reducing source resistance of wall power is best done on the highest current connection.

[ecramer]

Power amp, because it draws the most power. Reducing source resistance of wall power is best done on the highest current connection.

Well that means i need two as i have mono's.  No easy answer here.   

[ckline]

try your digital frontend.

[BobM]

There's lots of theories, of course.

(1) on the source, since garbage in = garbage out. Or in other words you can't change the signal for the better later on in the chain if it's not as good as it gets right from the start.

(2) on the preamp, since that is the hub of any system and usually has the greatest effect on the tone and feeling in your system.

(3) on the amp, since that's what needs the most and the cleanest power

(4) Bob Crump used to say on your turntable motor, since that critical and sensitive component has the most impact on your vinyl pleasure

I would actually say, whever that particular cord sounds best, because the same cord can definitely sound different on an amp or a source component. Sometimes making things better in one place but making them worse in another (to your ears, of course).

Enjoy,
Bob

[Browntrout]

Try it and see. I did and found the power amplifier to give the most noticable improvement followed by the preamplifier. Certain cables are better at certain things mind you.

[DSK]

Usually these threads come down fairly heavily in favour of using it on the source. However, I have only ever observed very minor changes on front end components but a couple of major improvements on power amps... as large as a major component change. 

[satfrat]

Just from my own experience i'd have to say the preamp or in my case the processor. This is actually the heart of your system, especially if you have multiple audio (and video in the case of a processor) sources. The signals here are at their weakness, both at the input and output terminals and I feel the signals here can be more effected by EMI/RFI and ground noise than at the amplifiers. The source component is also another candidate for a power cord and it could vey well be a tossup where only 1 power cord would be better placed at. Only you would be able to find that out by listening. Ideally tho, everything can benefit from an aftermarket power cord IMHO.

Cheers,
robin

[Phil]

The one place power cords didn't make a difference was with my preamp (a Supratek Chardonnay), perhaps because the power supply unit was separated from the rest of the preamp function (two box system).  I found it very interesting that whether I plugged it into my balanced power unit or changed the cords I never could hear a difference.

This hasn't been true of my amp or my source.  They both react to power cord changes and the changes are not small.  Since I'm a skeptic, I usually break-in the cord on different equipment and then pop in the new cord into my main system so that I'm not "getting used to the sound."  I listen for a long time, then put the old cord back in. 


Phil