[Review] mains cable - differences?

A good test for whether mains cables make any difference is to try them on the telly (a decent telly, of course). The differences or improvements are easier to demonstrate in terms of picture quality.

 

As originator of this thread (for my sins), I guess some comment may be of interest about a 'colloquial' D-B study that I did after contocting the "Supra"-based mains cable. (I leave it to readers to judge its value - having absolutely no doubt that comments will be made...).

4 listeners heard 3 pieces of music on vinyl - jazz (Oscar Peterson), pop (Pink Floyd) + classical (Shostakovich 10th) - during the evening. They expected some change but did not know what, and could not see the change. 3 mains cables, 1.5 metres long with shielding of some sort, were used: 1) standard cable (no info on the cover) that came with the amplifier (£1500); 2) a commercial cable made (in Derbyshire) selling for £150; 3) the 'Supra Lo-Rad 2.5 sq mm' cable, home-made (c.£35).

In effect, everyone picked out the standard cable as "restricting the sound clarity". The other 2 cables sounded the same but clearly giving more clarity. There was surprise when they discovered it was 'just' a mains cable that had been changed.

Whilst further experiences would be intriguing, it's a conversational start...

keep the phase
keith

 

Very well done .....goes along with my findings too.

 

Everything sounds different its finding the cable thats right for the system at hand.Theres only one constant, the incoming line from the utility company.From your duplex out its trial and error until you find the combo that works with YOUR COMPONENTS.In my opinion there is NO BEST just better synergy with components.Thats not so bad it gives us a chance to play with the toys. Cheers rollo

 

Look at my post ref clearer audio mains cable
The difference is truley astounding
and would never have believed it until I tried them out

 

backs my view....that you must always try something rather than make a judgment before hand.

 

I got some mains cables from Frank of Krystal Kables a few years back- certainly made a difference and kept them ever since - especiallly good on electrostatics though i dont have electros any more. Also a couple of years back I tried a mains conditioner and that definitely made a nicer sound - very easy to listen to smooth and detailed. - But hey I lathe CDs so must be crazy!

 

As to your initial post Keith, this sibilance caused when fitting a good mains cable is a documented 'side-effect'. In Russ Andrews book 'Sound Solutions' he says it will improve bass and soundstage with more detail but will produce a more aggressive sound that is brighter. This is apparently down to the new mains cable highlighting 'input overload' which he suggests fixing by upgrading the interconnect between source and amp. Hope this helps a little, Ben.

 

can't say i noticed any more sibiliance when i fitted my mains cables, i noticed an increase in detail and clarity and a removal of haze on the top end leading to greater seperation and definition of sounds.


no doubt russ andrews will call this sibilaince, and claim once you upgrade your new interconnects magically turn this into more detail.

bottom line, it's just more detail, add new interconnects,and it's even more detail.

but because RA says its sibiliance, you will believe it until he tells you that you now have a reason to call it improved clarity.




bottom line,all that matters is do you like it more, not rationalising what has happened, which from a psych' point of view will lead you to believe it's an improvement,because you worked it out for yourself.

it's basic marketing psych.

give anyone the building blocks they can use to create a reason why a change is an improvement and they will believe it's an improvement.

people are so dialed in to accepting theory as fact that we search out an explanation for everything we encounter, it helps us organise the world and understand it, it is intrinsic to the human condition.

 

All I was trying to say to Keith was that what he has noticed is apparently quite common. I'm not saying anything other than that.

 

its likely to show up problems elsewhere within the system ....

though I've not heard more sibilance ...and I've used upward of 15 different mains cables ....its always been cleaner fast more dynamic better bass, in fact I've heard it reduce sibilance on a full cyrus system with impulse horns.

I'd suggest that you take with a pinch of salt much thats writen about cables and use your ears to make the judgment.


this is interesting in itself ..if we were having this discussion 10 years ago ...the naysayers would be trying to shout this down ...how can mains cables alter the sound .....

oddly now its taken as derigure..... what a strange world.

 

The sibilance, and its subsequent 'removal' by change of shelving, illustrates exactly the point in this thread: we should try it and see.

What works for one set of ears may not suit another.

One suggestion could be, that each change considered as 'improvement' should be noted, then when a new change is done ALL the old ones should be revisited...



(Just joking ... or am I)


keep the phase
keith

[Actually, I'm without ANY music at the moment until the house is reorganised - withdrawal symptoms are not completely negated by the Malt, but I keep trying... ]

 

ben i wasn't criticising, merely pointing out the method to RA's pitch.

 

Thats ok Sq225917, no worries. By the way I have had a reply from Russ Andrews regards directionality. Have a look at that post again, it's not conclusive by any means (as if we thought it would be).

 

I still haven't heard the difference between mains cables and I own a few too. Tried Nordosts £450 one and to be honest if I can't tell after that much money then how much do I need to spend? no-one at the shop could either incedently. But I'm still open to it as so many people are claiming they can hear it. Perhaps I'm just missing something.... Tim

 

timmaybe with such a good amp and mains conditioners the different is masked or the system simply doesnt need any help in that area.


mine made a huge differnece to an audiolab S, much, much less on my TAGs

 

A lot depends on the quality of your mains , which unit its plugged into and your gears resolution....

I find cdp's and preamp offer the clearest changes....in my domestic situation.

 

Zanash - think you use Martin Logan's? I always had BIG improvements on quality mains cables with electrostatics, in particular with a mains conditioner - another step up - - once made an elderly pair of audiostatics sound out of this world.

 

Yep ...I've my own home brew mains on those and yes great differences between cables...

 

With schucco plugs you can reverse power cable polarity and results are:
A side - (slightly) crisper and more energic sound
B side - (slightly) smoother and more laid back sound

These cable sound differences are very helpfull at fine-tunning a system: you can get more treble detail, rolled off treble, warmer or colder balance, more bass or tighter bass, etc., etc.

Even a coaxial interconnect can make a huge difference: I have an Audioquest that's warm and smooth and a Straight Wire that's cool and bright...