Power Cords and C-J

[jeffreybehre]

Briz Vegaas: "There is a law of diminishing returns but there is also a rule of cumulative benefits."
Oh so true. I believe very strongly that EVERY change to a music-reproduction system changes the sound, no matter how subtly and no matter if I or you or anyone can hear it. So even VERY subtle improvements do produce better sound, and those tiny little improvements are eventually audible. My system has gotten MUCH better over the last 3 years*, and I know that the many individually inaudible improvements have contributed to that.

As I wrote earlier, "I can't tell you exactly how these changed the system's sounds, but my system continues to sound better--more transparent and smooth (less edgy)--with every change to it."

Briz Vegaas: "Power may not be everything but it is the start of everything."
Brilliant, Briz; I agree heartily.


* starting with my acquisition of a pair of Audio Physic Avanti IIIs, which I improved substantially over a year and which I eventually replaced with Vandersteen 5As.

[oldjayz]

Originally Posted by dtb300

I have tried MANY MANY different companies and I always came back to Shunyata and DH Labs as my choice of PC's. Shunyata for components, and DH Labs for my speakers. But like anything else in this hobby, each should try before they buy and see what they like.


I am a firm believer that having multiple PC's upgraded will really show you what they can do compared to doing just one. But if budget is a concern (like most of us), then start on the Source or your Pre Amp/Power Amp.

Like PC's, I have tried MANY power conditioners and have settled on Shunyata or Running Springs. The Hydra's are very nice (I have no experience the new Alpha or Telos Conditioners). In comparison in my room and with my rig and my ears, I like the Running Springs Haley better on my front end stuff than the Shunyata Hydra. The Hydra's are used on my power amps and speakers and I am very happy with them in use there. But you really cannot go wrong with either company.

Like DTB I too have tried several different power cords. I have changed them on the Act2 and my Premier 350 from the stock cords. Although the stocks ones are not that bad you will notice differences in dynamics and more detail. Depending on the source and lots of other variables, () you may find increased bass and cleaner highs due to the removal of some grunge.
I had a Shunyata Venom on the 350 nd it was very good. I then compared the RSA Mongoose and the Shunyata Python (?). The Mongoose was great in every way but the Shunyaya gave it a little more "black" and presented everything amazingly.

Currently I have an Audience on the Act2 but would love to use either a Mongoose or Shunyata based on what it had done with the amp. Of course there is the money which is stopping me at the moment.

[Joe Appierto]

[QUOTE=jeffreybehr;271512]Briz Vegaas: "There is a law of diminishing returns but there is also a rule of cumulative benefits."
[FONT="Times New Roman"][SIZE="4"]Oh so true. I believe very strongly that EVERY change to a music-reproduction system changes the sound, no matter how subtly and no matter if I or you or anyone can hear it. So even VERY subtle improvements do produce better sound, and those tiny little improvements are eventually audible.


There's a concept in psychology called a Just Noticeable Difference (JND). It is the amount of change in a stimulus before the average person perceives that there's something different being presented to him or her. I believe that some of the changes we make to our systems may fall below this JND threshold, but when two or more are taken together in the aggregate, there is a perceptible difference. That’s when we notice that something is different in the musical presentation whether good or bad.

I think all too often, however, the change has both positive and negative elements and that’s what makes me, at least, so crazy when it comes to this hobby of ours. Getting the changes to line up positively is harder than I’d thought.

[Briz Vegaas]

I sometimes think that the negative effects are simply a product of the system being more transparent. For instance, with some changes the bass seemed to get lighter, but when I listened over a number of recordings it was clear that the bass had improved on other tracks. It was tighter and more detailed. The loss of bass was a loss of some of the bloom, ie the nice distortions that we once attributed to tube amps of old.

Shuffle play on a file based source is great for evaluation of changes. It removes the bias of your favorite test tracks. Remember that you picked those tracks based on your systems sound at a point in time. Playing that long forgotten track can sometimes be very informative and is just as important as the tracks you have been thrashing over the past month. It gives a longer term perspective of cumulative changes and it has shown me how much things have improved over the last 2 years.

[Rafale]

One day I realized that I spent finally more time to try to perceive differences that to listen to the music ......
Let us listen to the music and not the sound which it produces...of course my 2 cents

[jimtranr]

Originally Posted by Rafale

One day I realized that I spent finally more time to try to perceive differences that to listen to the music ......
Let us listen to the music and not the sound which it produces...of course my 2 cents

Make that 4 cents.

[two dot]

I haven't tried different aftermarket p/c's but I will say that the pc that came with my CA-200 is the highest quality cord that I have ever received with a piece of gear.

Nice work CJ.

Originally Posted by Rafale

One day I realized that I spent finally more time to try to perceive differences that to listen to the music ......
Let us listen to the music and not the sound which it produces...of course my 2 cents

+1

[audiot servant]

Originally Posted by Briz Vegaas

Power may not be everything but it is the start of everything.

+1 on the brilliant thing...

[Briz Vegaas]

Yes

No.

Yes.

No

I think I'm conflicted.

I like the sound I get with the wires, just as I am sure folks enjoy their GAT or pv14ls that might replace other gear. You don't have to go crazy with this stuff (cables) but it's one way of sticking with a component you have and realizing better performance if you feel you want it. End of the day, if I'm not enjoying the music i'm not happy about all that money spent on the setup.

Stopping to enjoy what you have is good advice however. I will stop typing and listen to some more music.