Power Cords - what's your favorite?

**MacFly** · October 19, 2014, 09:35 AM

Clarus Crimson power cords used thru out the complete system.

**Yamaki** · October 19, 2014, 11:15 AM

Using Wireworld Electra 7's here. Nice step up from stock cords (in most cases, what isn't?) and I'm very happy with them.

**MtnHam** · October 19, 2014, 01:25 PM

All Shunyata.

**ctop** · October 19, 2014, 01:32 PM

Kubala Sosna Emotion here.

**Enoch Root** · October 19, 2014, 05:08 PM

Surprised to be the first Nordost lover posting to this thread. I have a mix of Frey 2 and Heimdall 2 cords. I love the open and fast presentation.

**johndoe21ro** · October 29, 2014, 07:19 PM

Audioquest NRG-10...

**Odyssey** · November 15, 2014, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by Mike

I'll be trying the top of the line Kimber PC's this week.

Attachment 8328

Attachment 8329

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mike, which top of the line Kimber PC's did you demo and what did you think of them?

**FRO** · November 15, 2014, 05:02 PM

Going to try this out on my Audience aR12TSS power conditioner............

**Glareskin** · November 16, 2014, 03:06 AM

Originally Posted by johndoe21ro

Audioquest NRG-10...

I love Audioquest. I even used their cable for my home made 0,4 meter power connection cable that I have combined with SinnOxx rhodium plugs.

**Bo1972** · November 16, 2014, 10:37 AM

What I said earlier, it depends of the properties a cable owns. They have a big influence how the image is build and also in sound, dynamics, blacklevel, stage depth and width, openness mid freq, layers in the low freq. I started to test powercable sin 2002 a lot. Because I became aware of how much influence they have on the sound and image. When you listen to your system the overwhole sound and image decides of a powercable you us is the best in your system. But when you are not aware of the all these properties it will be a guess what it will do. Many people are not aware of how small and direct an instrument is in real. I have changed the image of many people in the last 9 years. I invite people what an intimate image does with your emotion. It makes music a lot more attractive and addictive to listen at.

**Bo1972** · November 16, 2014, 10:48 AM

I sell a lot Audioquest these days. They make stunning interconnects and loudspeakercables. But they make good powercables, not stunning ones. I tested many, and when you compare them with Purist Audio you realize that they miss a lot. Audioquest has hired last year a new person for there powercables. In 2016 they will have new powercables. I think they will be a lot better than the ones these days. They are good, but not the best. I am a person who is only interested in the best.

**Audio 1** · November 16, 2014, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by Bo1972

I sell a lot Audioquest these days. They make stunning interconnects and loudspeakercables. But they make good powercables, not stunning ones. I tested many, and when you compare them with Purist Audio you realize that they miss a lot. Audioquest has hired last year a new person for there powercables. In 2016 they will have new powercables. I think they will be a lot better than the ones these days. They are good, but not the best. I am a person who is only interested in the best.

What is your opinion of the Audioquest Oak speaker cables? They seem to be a very competent all copper design. I would not be able to jump to the Redwood.
So would you recommend going this way, or is there another cable you have experienced that would be a better choice in the general price range of the Oak?

**Bo1972** · November 16, 2014, 12:53 PM

The Oak is a stunning cable. I sold one to a client with a MIT loudspeakercable of 5000 euro. It outperformed the MIT on every single part you judge a cable for.

**Audio 1** · November 16, 2014, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by Bo1972

The Oak is a stunning cable. I sold one to a client with a MIT loudspeakercable of 5000 euro. It outperformed the MIT on every single part you judge a cable for.

I greatly appreciate this feedback!
i would be replacing MIT HD38 speaker cables and right now I am using Nordost Frey2 speaker cables in the interim. I would like to end up with a cable that has good frequency extension at both ends, is not coloring the sound and has a nice wide soundstage.

**Design Audio Video** · November 16, 2014, 01:35 PM

I have used a bunch of high end cables and at 1500 retail, the Kimber PK10 is a tremendous bargain. It is extremely quiet and you don't realize it's in your system.

**Bo1972** · November 16, 2014, 01:45 PM

I sold many many Pk-10's and yes for this money it is one of the best. I tested many many powercables in 13 years of time. I also sold Nordost for over 9 years of time. I owned and sold many many Valhalla powercables. But.......I call Purist Audio the Pagani of powercables, they bring also Pass Labs poweramps to a new and higher level.

**Design Audio Video** · November 16, 2014, 01:58 PM

FRO, what brand is that?

**Enoch Root** · November 16, 2014, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by Audio 1

I greatly appreciate this feedback!
i would be replacing MIT HD38 speaker cables and right now I am using Nordost Frey2 speaker cables in the interim. I would like to end up with a cable that has good frequency extension at both ends, is not coloring the sound and has a nice wide soundstage.

Just goes to show that all systems and tastes are different. I would happily keep thr Frey 2. Frequency extension, transparency and soundstage are all hallmarks of that cable. Imho and ymmv.

**Bo1972** · November 16, 2014, 02:19 PM

Audioquest has a big advantage over many brands like MIT and Kimber. They do more research for development of new products. I sold Nordost for over 9 years of time and I did hundreds of tests with them. It is still incomplete. Like the Valhalla and Odin are incomplete. You can use Nordost for a part very well in your system. But..... you need other brands to make the sound complete. Instruments and voices are a lot more direct and smaller in proportion in real than when you play with a full Nordost system. That is why I sold Nordost loudspeakercables with Kimber interconnects. To make it more complete. So what did it add? Very simple; it made the stage wider and deeper. And instruments became a lot more phycial and smaller in proportion. The most important part is that it give you more involvement in the mid freq. You need to understand the sound of music and how big instruments and voices are in proportion to be aware of which brand fitts the best at your set.

**Alpinist** · November 16, 2014, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by Design Audio Video

FRO, what brand is that?

Hi David,

I think he is referring to Purist Audio Design:
Purist Audio Design

I am looking forward to trying some Kimber Select ICs and SCs in my system. I like the performance to cost ratio.

Ken

**Bo1972** · November 16, 2014, 02:36 PM

I owned and sold a lot of Kimber cables over 16 years of time. I still sell it. But....it is not that often anymore. There is a reason for. Audioquest have made big improvements in the last 5 years. Kimber has doen not enough research for new cables. When I compared the Select interconnects with the Audioquest interconnects the differences have become too big. The Audioquest interconnects with dbs72 have a better timing, more dynamics, more details, higher blacklevel and a sharper individuel focus. Only in one part I prefer the Kimber, this is in the involvement in the mid freq.

**Bo1972** · November 16, 2014, 02:37 PM

I yes I am talking about Purist Audio Design. We always say; Purist Audio overhere.

**Alpinist** · November 16, 2014, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by Bo1972

I yes I am talking about Purist Audio Design. We always say; Purist Audio overhere.

Thanks Bo. Please disclose in your signature your dealership and what brands you are a dealer for.

Best,
Ken

**FRO** · November 16, 2014, 03:08 PM

I sell Purist Audio Design & Marigo Labs cables - love the heck out of them.
The new cables I am going to try out are the High Fidelity cables.
Extremely expensive, even compared to PAD, but have heard great things about them.
Will see how they compare in the near future!

**Bo1972** · November 16, 2014, 03:12 PM

I do consulting in sound&vision. I can sell many different brands what I want. But I only use those who are the best for the money. I am not committed to any brand. When I think I can create a higher endresult with another brand, it can change. I want maximum freedom and always to find the best tools in every single pricerange. I want my clients to get the best endresult for the money they spend. This is how I work. It makes it very easuy to compete. Audio has changed a lot these days. There are more different brands and tools than ever before. But.... I always say: far above 90% of all the stuff sold in the better audio shops is not worth the money. When I worked in a audioshop I hated the stuff which had a much higher endresult. We had almost all big names in audio. I said to my boss: you want to start a museum? I want a 10/A for the money I spend. For my clients I have the same goal, there is no difference.

In my country the focus is more on how much money they will make with a product. What you see is that many shops buy directly from brands who make audio stuff. Often this are new brands and the quality is average or even poor.

**Bo1972** · November 16, 2014, 03:15 PM

I am from the Netherlands. In our country you cannot talk this open about audio like here at Audioshark and Audiogon. They are often not that open and think they know everything better.

**Bo1972** · November 16, 2014, 03:16 PM

In the US there are many products we don't have in Europe. It is always nice to get known with new brands and products.

**sharkmouth** · November 16, 2014, 04:43 PM

Perhaps a link of your business in your signature would be polite Bo!

**Bo1972** · November 16, 2014, 05:02 PM

That is no problem. But how do I add this to my acount?

**Odyssey** · November 16, 2014, 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by Bo1972

That is no problem. But how do I add this to my acount?

Bo, go to "my settings" upper right hand part of screen, click on this, then go to "edit signature" on the left part of the next screen and put in you name, dealer affiliation and maybe what you carry.

In my tenure dealers have been welcome here.

**Justlisten2** · November 18, 2014, 10:57 AM

I've used many different brands of cords over the years. As I have downsized, I've gone back to the old classics, Elrod EPS-2/3S. These cords are amongst the best bang for the buck on the used market that I know of. They are still competitive today. The best that I have heard in my system, cost no object, was when I had 5 Stealth Dreams running in their star grounding technique.

**joeinid** · November 18, 2014, 01:21 PM

Welcome to the forum justlisten2, thank you for joining.

**Design Audio Video** · November 18, 2014, 02:30 PM

The picture fro posted is actually a high fidelity cable made near me in Dallas or McKinney Tx. Definitely on the high end side, their top cable for a 1m is 13,500

**Justlisten2** · November 18, 2014, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by joeinid

Welcome to the forum justlisten2, thank you for joining.

Thanks Joe!!

**Johnny B Good** · November 26, 2014, 06:20 PM

i had always enjoyed Shunyata power cables in my system but recently tried some voodoo cables.
they are new so will give them some time and see how i find them.

i grabbed 2 voodoo platinum, one for the pre amp and the other for my phono stage

**Albert** · November 26, 2014, 10:12 PM

I have been using a Marigo Labs power cord on my Jeff Rowland model 5 solid state amp and two generic computer grade power cords on my Ray Lumley M-100 tube mono blocks. I have in the mail two Black Cat Dragon Warlord power cords that I got for a great price from the After Hours Audio (A.H.A.) website as an opening special to go on the tube amps. They should be a nice upgrade.

**Julot** · December 2, 2014, 07:10 AM

I just started exploring power cords. So far I've found it to be a difficult and frustrating game, with differences every time but not always one clearly superior to the other. I also found that it depends a lot on the system in the larger sense: not only the audio devices but the whole electrical wiring of the house and the other machines plugged there. One thing I am confident of is that simple filters on electrical pollutants such as washing machines, routers, go a long way to having clear power in your stereo and matter more than what you put directly on the machine.

Last friday, there was a Nordost power cable demo at Audio Synthèse in Paris and it was impressive and enlightning. A reatively modest system (Moon CD + Naim integrated on Raidho C2.1) went through several transformation from basic, 3c Chinese cable to 8.500€ Odin cable ad other devices (QX4, QBase8, Qk1, QV2).

While every upgrade sounded better, to me the Tyr and the Odin clearly stood out as bringing something musically significant -- others brought better sound but not, to me, musical added value. The Odin was really something, and it should be at the price.

The thing that convinced me the most however, and made plenty of sense, was their QBase and its "primary earth" plugs, i.e. plugs with lower impedence earth for the amplifier and pre. This to me was the single most important improvement brought to the system -- channeling ground currents.

**Buch73** · December 6, 2014, 11:43 AM

I agree with Julot , that the whole electrical wiring in the house can have an influence in the way power cords behave and make wonders.

I have had several Nordost pc´s and the Tyr made good things in my setup.

However, when I for a year ago shifted to Ansuz, it really gave me a big smile on my face

Today, I have complete Ansuz cabling and for the pc´s , I use the Ceramic to my Nordost QB4 and then Ansuz Alu´s for feeding every component in system.
When upgrading the "first" pc from Alu to Ceramic gave quite a lot more bass output and resolution in the bottom. As well as overall improvement.

I find the Ansuz really musical and at the same time also very detailed, organic, soundstage impressive and has total black background. Have a really hard time to give some negative feedback.. do not know what to say

Haha, only thing is that they are addictive... and can ruin you

Heard so much about their Mains conditioners, so even I am so fund of the QB4, I need to give the Ansuz´s a try soon

**Julot** · December 6, 2014, 04:10 PM

You sound like a HiFi Huset customer ;-)

Sonny there seems to mostly use Ansuz cable (power and audio) with very good results indeed.

**Buch73** · December 7, 2014, 05:39 AM

Well, it was a bit by coincident (thought I had a defect speaker cable and a longer story

, that I got introduced to the Ansuz cables at first and at that time there were no dealers yet in Denmark.
But Sonny has some very interesting products/brands and is a nice person.
I am sure he is capable of getting some nice sounding setups.

Have not seen those Antipodes streaming products before.. seems very interesting

**Hiker** · December 7, 2014, 02:33 PM

Wow, the price of some of these power cords make my Wireworld Stratus 7 power cords look like absolute audio bargins.

**iosiP** · December 7, 2014, 08:23 PM

My own home-made recipe for cable lust:
1. First of all, find out what cable brand sounds better in your system (not an easy thing to do but still possible). For me, the end result was Siltech.
2. Call the dealer to examine your system, then call him again with a full loom of cables.
3. Change all cables with your favorite brand and listen (caution: you may find out you have to reposition your speakers).
4. Take out the cables - one at a time - and replace them with your old cables. Listen again for losses and figure out which wire is most important for the sound.
5. Buy the new cables according to what you heard and learned during the previous step.

Caution: sometimes certain cables might not give you any advantage unless some other cables are in the system (I heard a pair of Siltech 188iL speaker cables sound like "miss Piggy" unless I also used a Siltech Ruby Hill power cord on the DAC). It's all about the system, folks!

**Audio 1** · January 24, 2015, 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by Mike

I'll be trying the top of the line Kimber PC's this week.

Attachment 8328

Attachment 8329

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mike I see in your signature that you are using some of the Kimber power cables now.
would love to know which models you evaluated and how they compare to others you have used.

**Big B** · January 25, 2015, 12:32 PM

Barry

**Drrsutliff** · February 1, 2015, 09:11 PM

Audience on all my kit. After auditioning a number of different PCs these worked best completing a total Audience cable loom.

**Alpinist** · February 1, 2015, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by Drrsutliff

Audience on all my kit. After auditioning a number of different PCs these worked best completing a total Audience cable loom.

I have Audience AU24SE power cords in my system and I love their sound or lack thereof. Silky smooth, transparent, dynamic and an ultra-low noise floor. The cable just disappears.

Ken

**kzhtoo** · February 9, 2015, 05:07 AM

HiDiamond P4 and their 4VRC technology from Italy for me. Emotionally involving and has a relaxing nature.

**Mike** · February 9, 2015, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by Audio 1

Mike I see in your signature that you are using some of the Kimber power cables now.
would love to know which models you evaluated and how they compare to others you have used.

I only purchased the PK14 Palladian model. I use them throughout both my systems, except for the Shunyata Alpha Digital cable which remains in play on my Lumin.

I didn't try any of the other lower model Kimber power cords since the price is not too bad.

They have an active filtration on the signal, which according to my measuring equipment, does indeed reduce line noise by a considerable amount, without affecting sonics.

As a side, a friend brought over a pile of different power cords to try the other day and the Kimber faired very well. That being said, there was something special about the Valhalla and Valhalla 2 that we liked. But the Kimber was right up there and seemed to add nothing or take nothing away from the sound.

**Bodhi** · February 14, 2015, 04:59 PM

My favorite power cords will be revealed in the next few weeks

**AudioExile** · February 23, 2015, 11:49 PM

Has anyone experimented with the Kimber Ascent line of PC's, either PK10 and or PK14? More in my price point.

Thanks

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