[sfraser]

So you're saying everything tastes like chicken feathers?

Sometimes ; )

[vegasdave]

Why bother at all? That money can be used to buy more records and cds!

[Elizabeth]

Powercords seem to generate the largest conflict. I used to not believe they could have a hearable difference.
I played around with realitively cheap powerline conditioners for about two years, and found they had an effect. Then i made some Pcs from good wire and ends. This December (2009) I tried a Pangea and the 9 gauge Pangea on the amp had a clear and immediate improvement in the bass. I was hooked.
I would not buy expensive powercords, but the Pangea at $40 up to about $120 for a four meter long one are about the same price as buying Belden wire and cheap audiophile plugs.
I have gone way upscale on Power conditioners, with a Furman REF 20i  (used only $1,400. instead of $3,500.) but I doubt I would spend a lot on individual cables.
I am a 'believer' but not a fool!!! so the megabuck cables are never gonna be in my system. I have said, if one is going to spend thousands on a cable, better to put the money in the basic electronics first, and buy a 'cheap $100 to $300 cable..
Emperical evidence from a LOT of users says that cables can make a diference. A few folks who have tried say no, the do not. And a LOT of naysayers do so based on theory only.
The trouble is some folks have said (and bought) $600. Tice clocks that just need to be in the same room.. and claim differences.. so the basic premise of imperical testing seems to not quite be theere for all testers... LOL!
Tice is gone, but new flimflam stuff pops up all the time. Who knows what is real?
So, from one who has tried powercords and found a low, worthwhile price for the value of the improvement: buyer be wary!
A little is good. More can be good or foolish, depends.
I blew a few thousand on cables.. for the whole system.
A thousand for one? no way.. never.. I am too cheap!

[werd]

Why people need the "massive hand" of the internet to tell them how to identify with their stereo is mind boggling?. Use your own ears and decide for yourself. The idea here is to try a different cable or two. If you can borrow cables higher up in the model lines.. great!!. If you don't like the cable or you think it does nothing or its too expensive ....fine. Post that you tried it and its not your cup of tea or whatever. But there are too many posts that are just quotes off the internet with no real experience behind them discarding the cable issue.

But before you decide that you don't like it maybe go on the path of least resistance board and ask why you are not hearing any difference. I am sure there will be a lot of seasoned hobbyist that are willing to help out. And after that if its still a no go then you have tried and move on....

[kingdeezie]

Completely agree with werd.

I used to be one of those people who thought that someone who spent hundreds or thousands of dollars on cables was out of their minds; citing things that I had read and never having tried it.

Granted, it should be relative to your system; in other words spending 1K on a power cable for a 500 DAC would be a little unbalanced.

 

[Phil A]

Yes, the topic generates controversy.  However, i find it of little value when someone says it can't make a difference vs. they tried these specific cords with these components and I didn't hear a difference.  One can't really tell someone else what they hear or can't hear.  I've seen posts where people argue that solid state amps of similar power all sound the same.  A digital cable can't make a difference and so on.  I've been in an audio shop when power cords were swapped and probably 12 of 15 people there heard a difference and the other 3 didn't.  Can't really criticize or argue with the 3 who didn't.  I bought a CD mat from posts on another board of Audio Circle.  I was told by a few people I know it couldn't make a difference.  Then they heard it and it made a difference. 

Years back I bought a couple of Gingko Audio Cloud 10 isolation platforms.  I had a separate SACD player and a separate DVD-A player at the time.  I sold the DVD-A player right before I ordered the platforms and ordered a different model.  Since I had one that was going to lay around for a week or so I brought it over a friend's house who had $40 isolation things under his CD/SACD player and pretty much as politically correct as you could be called me a moron for spending $300.  I dropped it over his house on a Friday night on my way out and Saturday he called me to ask me if he could write the audio shop a check and have them order me another one since my player wasn't in yet.  They say a picture is worth 1,000 words and I'd say that we all have different tastes in music and reproduction of music and also don't hear identically and if someone experiences it with specific equipment and doesn't hear a difference then it isn't worth a dime to them and there definitely is no difference to them and I wouldn't argue with them a bit.  I don't understand why the same is not true the other way around, particularly for at least some who have either never tried it or tried it in such limited circumstances that probably none or very few could reach any other conclusion under the same circumstances

[rmurray]

My Nordost Vishnus have done what the reviews claimed .There is a smoother effect in the highs and a greater sounstage depth, I now have them on all three components without regret. Cables like these , I think, reduce line noise in the last six feet before the current enters the system. 

[skunark]

heh, these threads are fun... 

For this one though, a power cable can make a difference..   Dangerously you can do the opposite of reason and find a power cable that doesn't meet the electrical requirements of the amp, i.e.  under-gauged, foolishly long lengths, etc, you will clearly hear a difference and can easily measure the effect if this doesn't damage the amplifier or if the wire doesn't melt.   

In the other, reasonable extreme, there's only so much one can do to improve the power cables in such away that it will actually improve sound.   You might argue the best you can really do is only equal to your house wiring or the internal wiring to the amplifier itself and all you can really do is make damn sure the power cable isn't the weakest link.

If you were going to spend more than $200 on a power cable, I would recommend to get a dedicated 20a line or two ran first.  Consider a 220V line if you have a power conditioner that can handle high-current (most can't) that will help you step down the voltage.   Then, perhaps if I felt I could still do better than the power cable that was supplied, then sure go for it.   IMHO, the Bryston power cables seem to be fine, I've never questioned them like I have with past amplifiers.

[James Tanner]

Making Changes

I think one of the issues to consider when you make changes in your system (power cords etc.) is like the old saying “a change is as a good as rest”. 

Assuming a reasonably accurate audio system I think what happens sometimes is you make a change and the subtle innocuous negative aspects of your system, that over time have become a bit irritating, change and shift to a new set of negative conditions which over time will also start to bug you.

So initially the lack of the first set-ups irritating aspects makes you think “ya that’s better” but once you spend time with the new set-up its’ negative attributes again start to affect your attitude about the plus and minuses of your specific system.

I think it is one of the reasons why you see some people constantly changing their gear as they move along trying to attain the perfect system.

james

[vegasdave]

Agreed.

[decal]

Making Changes

I think one of the issues to consider when you make changes in your system (power cords etc.) is like the old saying “a change is as a good as rest”. 

Assuming a reasonably accurate audio system I think what happens sometimes is you make a change and the subtle innocuous negative aspects of your system, that over time have become a bit irritating, change and shift to a new set of negative conditions which over time will also start to bug you.

So initially the lack of the first set-ups irritating aspects makes you think “ya that’s better” but once you spend time with the new set-up its’ negative attributes again start to affect your attitude about the plus and minuses of your specific system.

I think it is one of the reasons why you see some people constantly changing their gear as they move along trying to attain the perfect system.

james

Spoken like a true politician James!!

[rollo]

 Correct me if I am wrong but doesn't Bryston offer a upgraded powercord ? If correct why ?


charles

[James Tanner]

Correct me if I am wrong but doesn't Bryston offer a upgraded powercord ? If correct why ?


charles

Hi Charles,

No Bryston only has the one power cord available specific to each product.

james

[werd]

Making Changes

I think one of the issues to consider when you make changes in your system (power cords etc.) is like the old saying “a change is as a good as rest”. 

Assuming a reasonably accurate audio system I think what happens sometimes is you make a change and the subtle innocuous negative aspects of your system, that over time have become a bit irritating, change and shift to a new set of negative conditions which over time will also start to bug you.

So initially the lack of the first set-ups irritating aspects makes you think “ya that’s better” but once you spend time with the new set-up its’ negative attributes again start to affect your attitude about the plus and minuses of your specific system.

I think it is one of the reasons why you see some people constantly changing their gear as they move along trying to attain the perfect system.

james

This is assuming that the changes were to improve the system. There is nothing wrong with making parallel changes. You can be perfectly happy with one sound and change something and still enjoy a different sound. Look at how many different speakers your personally own James. Nothing really wrong with any of them i would suspect. But they just offer a different texture which puts a  pizzaz on the whole hobby.

[KnowTalent]

Hello,

I've got two 7B SST amps, and my dealer has told me that I'm not getting the most out of them with their standard power cables.  And I should spend several hundred US dollars on a power cable. What's the story here?  I find it hard to believe that Bryston would make these sorts of Amplifiers and fail to provide adequate power cables.  Or am being too incredulous?

Thanks

Ron   

You already answered your own question. 
Do you really think Bryston, with all it's in-house design expertice, would include AC cables that limited their amplifiers performance? 
Who is more trustworthy...the product designer/manufacturer or a "sales" person?

[werd]

You already answered your own question. 
Do you really think Bryston, with all it's in-house design expertice, would include AC cables that limited their amplifiers performance? 
Who is more trustworthy...the product designer/manufacturer or a "sales" person?

If Bryston was so confident in their stock cables they would be hardwired but they are not. They provide gear that uses detachable cords. The cables provided are by  necessity and really don't represent their attitude on the subject.

[mfsoa]

IF power cables make a change to the sound, then it would be impossible for Bryston to produce one PC that would work best in all circumstances.

Therefore, it makes perfect sense to try different PCs since Bryston can't possibly know whether you like vanilla, chocolate, maybe some chocolate syrup and some rainbow sprinkles, yummm.

Flavor to taste...

-Mike

[KnowTalent]

If Bryston was so confident in their stock cables they would be hardwired but they are not. They provide gear that uses detachable cords. The cables provided are by  necessity and really don't represent their attitude on the subject.

I agree that a hardwired connection is better however since the manufacturer does know what length is needed a detachable makes more sense.

as long as they're at least 12 gauge they should do just fine from my experience.
Probably would like 10 ga for 28SSTs however

the line filter arguments are hillarious given the manufacturers power supply filtering capabilities

[werd]

I agree that a hardwired connection is better however since the manufacturer does know what length is needed a detachable makes more sense.
as long as they're at least 12 gauge they should do just fine from my experience.
Probably would like 10 ga for 28SSTs however

the line filter arguments are hillarious given the manufacturers power supply filtering capabilities

  no....nice try though.

[RonCH]

I've taken the advise of some posters here and tested some Power Cables.  I spent hours swapping power cables and I can't hear any difference.