Power Cords

Well i think i will also chime in here , have tried power cords before ( 15 years ago ) and couldn't really detect any differences . But as i just found out i had a local dealer who has NordOst , i thought i would just give it a try if he would lend me some power cords.
Ended up getting Nordost QB 8 , a 2 Mtr. NordOst Frey2 , a 4 Mtr. NordOst Frey 2 and 1. Qv2 and 1 Qk 2
I brought them home and connected the cord to wall and the other one to my Accuphase E-470 after i did some listening at my normal setup....switced around and sat down to listen for some changes in the smaller area..... I can only say WOUUUU... it was something that really did change things , very easy to hear. Bigger - deeper - wider soundstage. Bass so much better defined and the problems i thought i had with my small room and bass was almost gone. How different singers use their voice so much more easy to detect , as well as differences in recordings of the different songs on an CD ( streamed from Tidal HiFi ).
Only thing where i would say i am not too sure about a difference is when using the Qv2 and Qk2 , the power cords make the biggest difference.
Ohh what do i have, the power strip i normally use is a cheapo one, then a Gigawatt LC1-MK3 to my Accuphase E-470 and the Cardas Golden Reference for my Lumin T1.
Thinking about how the Ansuz might compare against NordOst and what the differences would be. Not the most easy thing to test as the dealer is in the other end of my small country. But he and i might work something out.
 
tried loads of power cords in my time . had some valhalla on my belles mb100 , made them sound horrible . went back to good old fashioned copper power cables with better effect .

i read many reviews and some say this works better on that cd player and the same cable works badly on this amp , all gets very confusing

now i make my own from good quality shielded mains cable 4mm with very good furutech connectors and it all sounds pretty good

one power cord that i do love is the isotek syncro which is a dc blocker and had 3 of those with good effect

but i do think you can get ripped off by cable manufacturers
 
FDPDK said:
Well i think i will also chime in here , have tried power cords before ( 15 years ago ) and couldn't really detect any differences . But as i just found out i had a local dealer who has NordOst , i thought i would just give it a try if he would lend me some power cords.
Ended up getting Nordost QB 8 , a 2 Mtr. NordOst Frey2 , a 4 Mtr. NordOst Frey 2 and 1. Qv2 and 1 Qk 2
I brought them home and connected the cord to wall and the other one to my Accuphase E-470 after i did some listening at my normal setup....switced around and sat down to listen for some changes in the smaller area..... I can only say WOUUUU... it was something that really did change things , very easy to hear. Bigger - deeper - wider soundstage. Bass so much better defined and the problems i thought i had with my small room and bass was almost gone. How different singers use their voice so much more easy to detect , as well as differences in recordings of the different songs on an CD ( streamed from Tidal HiFi ).
Only thing where i would say i am not too sure about a difference is when using the Qv2 and Qk2 , the power cords make the biggest difference.
Ohh what do i have, the power strip i normally use is a cheapo one, then a Gigawatt LC1-MK3 to my Accuphase E-470 and the Cardas Golden Reference for my Lumin T1.
Thinking about how the Ansuz might compare against NordOst and what the differences would be. Not the most easy thing to test as the dealer is in the other end of my small country. But he and i might work something out.
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Like many here I’ve tried and owned many brands of power cords, including Nordost Valhalla 1 and Ansuz.

The Ansuz V2 is mind-blowing. The entire line A2, C2, D2...all top performers... I also enjoy and use Valhalla 1. Also Kubala Sosna Realization and Elation power cords are amongst the best I’ve heard...


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FDPDK said:
Well i think i will also chime in here , have tried power cords before ( 15 years ago ) and couldn't really detect any differences . But as i just found out i had a local dealer who has NordOst , i thought i would just give it a try if he would lend me some power cords.
Ended up getting Nordost QB 8 , a 2 Mtr. NordOst Frey2 , a 4 Mtr. NordOst Frey 2 and 1. Qv2 and 1 Qk 2
I brought them home and connected the cord to wall and the other one to my Accuphase E-470 after i did some listening at my normal setup....switced around and sat down to listen for some changes in the smaller area..... I can only say WOUUUU... it was something that really did change things , very easy to hear. Bigger - deeper - wider soundstage. Bass so much better defined and the problems i thought i had with my small room and bass was almost gone. How different singers use their voice so much more easy to detect , as well as differences in recordings of the different songs on an CD ( streamed from Tidal HiFi ).
Only thing where i would say i am not too sure about a difference is when using the Qv2 and Qk2 , the power cords make the biggest difference.
Ohh what do i have, the power strip i normally use is a cheapo one, then a Gigawatt LC1-MK3 to my Accuphase E-470 and the Cardas Golden Reference for my Lumin T1.
Thinking about how the Ansuz might compare against NordOst and what the differences would be. Not the most easy thing to test as the dealer is in the other end of my small country. But he and i might work something out.
Click to expand...
I remember when I upgraded my Nordost Frey to the Ansuz original C speaker cables my first thought was I don't hear any differences. Tried flipping back and forth for a couple of days thinking I spent a boatload and don't hear a difference. Could the Nordost be that good? Tonality there was no difference. Then I tried something very different. One of each cable. Now I could hear something. The background was a bit blacker with the Ansuz side. The sound was more open and slightly deeper soundstage. So I reveresed the cables and it moved to the other side. After hearing that I was able to swap the cables in pairs and hear the difference. Even though it wasn't earth shattering it was enough for me to keep the Ansuz.
 
La Dolce Vita and George thanks both for the info....
Seems like i will also get the opportunity to listen to Ansuz, which will be interesting.
Kubala Sosna is not something i have any opportunity to listen to.
 
Well i have now come the conclusion that i will stick with NordOst , did not have a listen to Ansuz as i was not easy to work out something with the dealer.

Now i started out with a QB4 and a used Heimdall 2 , 2 meter power cord... i now have Sort Kones on try out currently using them under my Accuphase E-470
with 1 AC , 1 BC, 1 TC but will see if i can get 2 or 3 BC on loan so that i can try 3 or 4 B/C under my Accuphase . because thats the recommendation from NordOst , am also going back to the store to see if i can borrow the 1 or 2 Frey 2 Power Cords again...as the Heimdall 2 is really good but in my memory there is just that extra thing missing..that made me listen to music for 2 weeks in a row without the urge to turn on the TV as i was just food tapping my way through my Tidal Hi-Fi collection.
And if my memory and if i get the loan of Frey 2 again to prove or not , then i guess i have to take the plunge for Frey 2.
 
FDPDK said:
Well i have now come the conclusion that i will stick with NordOst , did not have a listen to Ansuz as i was not easy to work out something with the dealer.

Now i started out with a QB4 and a used Heimdall 2 , 2 meter power cord... i now have Sort Kones on try out currently using them under my Accuphase E-470
with 1 AC , 1 BC, 1 TC but will see if i can get 2 or 3 BC on loan so that i can try 3 or 4 B/C under my Accuphase . because thats the recommendation from NordOst , am also going back to the store to see if i can borrow the 1 or 2 Frey 2 Power Cords again...as the Heimdall 2 is really good but in my memory there is just that extra thing missing..that made me listen to music for 2 weeks in a row without the urge to turn on the TV as i was just food tapping my way through my Tidal Hi-Fi collection.
And if my memory and if i get the loan of Frey 2 again to prove or not , then i guess i have to take the plunge for Frey 2.
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You’re in Denmark and couldn’t demo Ansuz? That’s a whole new level of absurdity.

Congrats on the Nordost. They make great power cables.


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Funny story. My son and I went to audition the Auralic Vega DAC in a $100K system with Rockport speakers, VTL 450 wpc tube mono blocks, Vitus preamp and some other high end cables and gear in a room specially designed for audio. We started talking about power cords and the owner said I had to hear this $1K power cord because it made a huge difference in sound. He placed it in the system and we heard no difference. Even the owner was miffed and did not hear a difference. I am not saying PC's can't make a difference, but it is clearly system dependent. My son and I had a good laugh after we left though. I ended up buying my Luxman DAC as the Vega did not sound much better than the Van Alstine Hybrid tube/ss DAC I was using.
 
Mike said:
You’re in Denmark and couldn’t demo Ansuz? That’s a whole new level of absurdity.

Congrats on the Nordost. They make great power cables.


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Yes Mike, its kind of crazy living in such a small country , the dealer said he was willing to come by and make a demo , and thats of course fine. But when you have another dealer who are willing to loan you cables for a longer periode if i had wished for that. and the Ansuz dealer who would only come by to make a quick home demo and was not even able to tell me when he would be in town next time. despite the fact he told me his family is from my town, and he comes here often. !
Then i made my decision on NordOst , at least for this time.
 
Ohh forget to tell that living in Denmark , you would have a hard time to get to listen to things like Gryphon - Ansuz - Vitus as those that are often up here on the forum. I guess its partly because we are such a small country and therefor the people willing to and have the ability to afford gear in this category is not that big compared to USA.
I think if i am not wrong that going for something like NordOst Frey 2 Power Cords are actually not a lot here to do that , and entering the level of TYR 2 are very small group af people....of course its only from my reading in forums and at dealers where you hear people talk. So i can be totally wrong on this.
 
Mechnutt said:
Funny story. My son and I went to audition the Auralic Vega DAC in a $100K system with Rockport speakers, VTL 450 wpc tube mono blocks, Vitus preamp and some other high end cables and gear in a room specially designed for audio. We started talking about power cords and the owner said I had to hear this $1K power cord because it made a huge difference in sound. He placed it in the system and we heard no difference. Even the owner was miffed and did not hear a difference. I am not saying PC's can't make a difference, but it is clearly system dependent. My son and I had a good laugh after we left though. I ended up buying my Luxman DAC as the Vega did not sound much better than the Van Alstine Hybrid tube/ss DAC I was using.
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Well i have also years ago tried different power cords , which all gave an improvement , but it was always so slight that i did not want to pay the money for it.
My interest in NordOst arose from watching some youtube videos from demo done by NordOst in HiFi shows , and i thought if i can hear that on Youtube on my iMac , then i should try it at least.
And i was really shocked what a big difference they made.
But i am sure it can also be system dependent as well as the location where one lives.
I had come to my own conclusion that where i lived there would be nothing gained on switching to better power cords........ but how wrong was i.....and not by a small degree.
 
FDPDK, don't get me wrong. I am not saying that PC's don't make a difference. I am a believer in cables and cords making a difference. I was just telling a story. In my experience with IC's and usb cables, I have definitely heard differences. The biggest were with usb cables, and they each have sounded different in different systems. I have not had enough experience with Power Cords to really form an opinion. However, from all the user experiences that I have read, I do believe that they can improve sound.

Regards,

Larry
 
I had a loaner set of some various Pangea P.C.'s

1. Incredibly stiff and hard to route
2. Heavy enough that without cable lifters of correct height they would unplug
3. Compared to my 14AWG Belden Shielded, that I made my self, no difference in sound either instrumented or subjective evaluation when no one was allowed to know what was in use.

The amps where NCore 400, Threshold Stasis, and a modified Hafler. Various speakers.

I would like to visit someone with a setup where they make a difference and see it done in the blind.

So Ethernet cables and P.C.'s, so far, hold no sway for me. I just use well built and in some cases I build them to ensure quality, and that's about it. And proper power and signal cable routing so the two don't meet.
 
jinjuku said:
I had a loaner set of some various Pangea P.C.'s

1. Incredibly stiff and hard to route
2. Heavy enough that without cable lifters of correct height they would unplug
3. Compared to my 14AWG Belden Shielded, that I made my self, no difference in sound either instrumented or subjective evaluation when no one was allowed to know what was in use.

The amps where NCore 400, Threshold Stasis, and a modified Hafler. Various speakers.

I would like to visit someone with a setup where they make a difference and see it done in the blind.

So Ethernet cables and P.C.'s, so far, hold no sway for me. I just use well built and in some cases I build them to ensure quality, and that's about it. And proper power and signal cable routing so the two don't meet.
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Arguably, Pangea power cables aren't a sure thing when it comes down to positively impacting sound quality. I've owned and used or demoed most of the Pangea cables at some point. Performance has varied from not much change, to making the sound a bit better, to making it worse depending on the component.
If nothing else, they might be a step up in construction versus a generic power cable, I suppose.

Did you try the AC14 or AC9 variety?

I've found a new budget power cable, purchased on Amazon so I had the option to return it, that I like much more than Pangea. It's from a company called WAudio, and manufactured in China if I'm not mistaken. For about $50, for 1 to 2 meter lengths, it's a 10AWG copper cable with what looks like decent copper connectors. I purchased two, one for a small guitar combo amp and one for connecting an older PS Audio Quintet to the wall for a small stereo. It improved the sound of the small guitar amp, enormously, and the stereo, more marginally, with sibilance being slightly reduced and a slightly more natural sounding frequency balance. Surprisingly, it doesn't appear to be at the expense of attack or by the of rolling off of high frequencies. I'm pleased, overall, and won't be returning them to Amazon.
I'll probably try one in my main system to really quantify how it sounds.
 
Rnrmf said:
Arguably, Pangea power cables aren't a sure thing
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Rnrmf said:
Did you try the AC14 or AC9 variety?
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I had both the AC14 and the AC9 (to my amp)
 

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I am happy with the AC14SE MKIIs that I got for my CDP and Pre, so I ordered another for my OPPO. Using the PS Audio on my Amp and ordered another for my APC unit. I am happy with the improvement for the cost and ability to return if needed and not deal with mail from other countries.
 
Shadowfax said:
I am happy with the AC14SE MKIIs that I got for my CDP and Pre, so I ordered another for my OPPO. Using the PS Audio on my Amp and ordered another for my APC unit. I am happy with the improvement for the cost and ability to return if needed and not deal with mail from other countries.
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Brian, the WAudio ones I mention at around $50, depending on length, are shipped by Amazon in 1, 1.5, and 2 meter lengths, so there was no mail from other countries or risk of return inconveniences. I only mentioned the origin as China because there were longer lengths available on Amazon, but, directly from the seller, that I'm guessing is in China based on the internet research I did.

While I haven't listened to Pangea on the two products I mentioned, I actually went to Amazon to purchase a Pangea power cable when I ran across the WAudio power cables. But based on my previous experience with Pangea, I don't think Pangea would have performed better on the particular components I used them on. What sold me on trying them before Pangea was their $50-ish price, 10AWG copper spec, and the connectors.

I'm curious to give context to what I hear from the WAudio power cables when I get to try one in my main system. It's quite possible their deficits might be illuminated in my main system.
 
IMO I think cables of all types should be as close to the end of your audio journey as you want to get. I say that because once you have the sound you'll finally live with cables will fine tune what you already love as far as sound. Personally I find Ansuz (not inexpensive) make a sizable change for the better with what I have. Start changing speakers/amps etc and it may not be right for those components.

Again just my opinion
 
octadyndude said:
IMO I think cables of all types should be as close to the end of your audio journey as you want to get. I say that because once you have the sound you'll finally live with cables will fine tune what you already love as far as sound. Personally I find Ansuz (not inexpensive) make a sizable change for the better with what I have. Start changing speakers/amps etc and it may not be right for those components.

Again just my opinion
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I'm quite the opposite. While you may not need to invest in endgame cabling solutions, having a solid baseline in all cable arenas is second only to basic room treatments in being able to hear what a component change REALLY brings to the table. Differences that were once indistinguishable can stand out like sore thumbs once those two areas are addressed.

As far as Pangea goes, the original cables were a step up from generic stock cables but the SE version of the 14 was a decent cable for the money, especially used. The 9 is just a stupid cable by design (talk about stiff!) and doesn't sound much better than it bends. I'm not sure if they improved that issue on later versions or not but I had no intention of finding out.
 
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