Nordost power cables

I think it would be good if just one magazine would do at least one proper double blind test on 'controversial' things like cables, mains etc. Magazines have the time and ability to do such things.

Who knows? They might even 'pass' the test and silence some of the cable critics. But if they 'failed' then I think the readers would be rightly angered.

The Louise 'episode' would need further investigation. It could be a simple as Roy spends so much on hi-fi that he can only afford a very rickety and precarius sofa and that in the Gregory household falling off the sofa is not an infrequent occurrence.

 

Well, it sounds like he has his priorities right, anyway

 

Power cables...

H'lo all...

I've been in the unusual situation of babysitting a friend's power cables over the last three weeks or so. I can't say specifically which cables as to be frank I had no interest in replacing what I've got (modest DNM power chords, a chewed RA one and some Naim ones), but I did agree to try them and report back.

(I believe he is planning to sell these).

In a nutshell, there were three cables plus a distribution block. The distribution block was a US one so I didn't try it, but I did try all three power chords.

One was a massive thing, maybe 8 foot long and at least 30mm in diameter. It was a beautifully made thing, but to be honest I couldn't hear much of a difference over my £20 DNM chords or the RA chord. It was also a bu66er to route, being so inflexible and thick.

The second power chord was a more modest affair, and did do somethign to the sound but it was subtle, and the kind of difference that you really needed an A/B/A/B/A/B kind of two-ing-and-fro-ing sort of comparison to put a finger on what was changing. Again, difficult to route though not quite so ridiculous.

The last powerchord was a homebrew thing from an acquaintance of my friend's. No difference, if anything a little worse (but I could be imagining it).

Having done the RKR multi-spur thing, my mains is I believe pretty sorted, and the rest of the system ought to be sensitive enough to portray any differences that the power chords brought, but my inescapable conclusion is that spending big bucks on power chords is money that could be better spent elsewhere.

Case point: replace that 5A case fuse in the power amp with a 10A one brings an improvement many times greater than that of any power chord I've yet heard...

Just my own findings, YMMV...

jtc

 

Just a few thoughts...
I must say as a relative novice, I have only just recently got to the issue of power cables. I'm trying to decide how best to proceed.

I did find the RG article interesting, but as ever I am sceptical of such publications to a greater or lesser extent. Either as pure doubt or in this case the issue of subjectivity.

As a cyrus 7 + psx-r owner it was somewhat relevant to me - paticularly the comparison of cyrus 8 plus shiva outperforming (from RG's memory I think) the cyrus 8 plus psx-r (with standard cabling). However note: I think the Shunyata Hydra must have been used aswell as the Shiva lead as RG commented he didn't use a US to UK adaptor. I would imagine the results of Shiva directly from the wall would have been different.

I currently have not yet had any domestic re-wiring undertaken. I run a Trichord Research PowerBlock 500 into a standard 2m 8 gang (with LEDs and Switches!!) and standard vendor issued leads.

The TNT TTS will be my first port of call and once constructed I'll then get hold of a few different "money back gaurantee" cables, plus a couple of known names to try and form an opinion. Ideally a Nordost Shiva would be one of these along with a basic Shunyata.

My biggest headache is what to do about distribution. The TNT Hydra is an option I suppose, a RA PowerBlock is another. This is the area where there doesnt seem to be many cost effective but quality options.

My Trichord block has two sockets and I have seven "items" requiring power so I guess two four socket blocks would be better than one * eight.

Any specific comments feedback or ideas would be valued (I realised the power cable debate has been waged to a degree previously).

Cheers
Greg

 

Have you actually sorted out your mains? It may be your are not in a position to do so but IMO putting 'upgraded' power cables etc on an existing ring main will be nowhere near as effective as having a seperate CU and spurs to your stereo.

Also Idoesn't in the long term cost that much v the benefit you get in return.

Remember is all about maintaining the supply coming in, not degrading it by having other items plugged in...

 

Yep as I mentioned I havent had any domestic re-wiring done. I am keen to look into this. There are a couple of things that may delay having work done, but perhaps this is the natural first port of call.

Do you/anyone have specific recommendations in this area?

Cheers
Greg

 

Hi,
Roy Riches on the Naim forum helped me tremendously in this area.

I won't steal his thunder but suffice to say he has done a tremendous amount of research in this area so people like me didn't have to.

http://naim-audio.infopop.net/1/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=67019385&f=48019385&m=9141906586

the above link is to the diary I'm keeping on the Naim forum about the changes to sound etc. It details in there what Roy has recommended re install etc.

Hope you don't mind me doing it this way...

if you require any further let me know...

 

Andy C, is correct in saying that a sorted mains supply helps for sure, however it's only just scratching the surface, isolating your hifi, from house bourne interference is a good first step (however the same shit is still coming in the house, albeit isolated from fridges/cookers etc), you already have a 500va P/b greg, thing is I would just use 1 for all sources and pre, and sepearte one for amps (power or intergrated), and have a seperate wall socket for each block, also an HF reducer on the sources and pre's works well too such as Oslen's sound fantastic distrubtion blocks, and the leads with the most rfi/emf rejection onnthe cdp/phono/pre stages, and the higher current on the power amps etc, simple steps will pay great dividends, which ever kit you use. Wm

 

That is helpful.
Appreciated!
G

 

I've just read the RG arseticle in question and he keeps going on along the lines of 'it was amazing, as if we'd turned up the volume'. This begs the rather simple question: is it better to spend thousands on Nordost mains cable or to turn up the volume a bit?

 

Quite. But for the full Nordost effect you'd also need to (almost) push a loved one off the sofa as well as turning the volume up a bit.

 

I doubt there would be any need.

She would ''fall off'' Roy Gregory style when she saw the receipts!!