The conductors in generic power cords are bundles of bare strands, which cause the audible problem known as strand interaction. The standard PVC insulation used in generic cords is not quiet. The magnitude and frequency distribution of this noise varies dramatically according to the insulation materials used in the cord. This noise is commonly defined as a reaction to vibration, but we’ve found that it is also generated by the current passing through the cord. Triboelectric noise is a static charge/discharge effect that takes place where conductors touch insulation. These problems include triboelectric noise, strand interaction and contact noise. Shielding a cord is helpful because it can eliminate external interference and increase capacitive filtering, but other audible problems remain. Of course, the reason we hear sonic changes from power cords is that component power supplies are imperfect and they allow power line noise to mix with the music, which masks detail, adds coloration and compresses the sound. “Generic power cords actually do cause audible problems and that’s why a thoroughly engineered cord can make great improvements in music reproduction. Therefore, spending more than $100 on a power cord is usually a waste of money.” Going “off the grid” is another unnecessary endeavor with good equipment, as far as sound quality is concerned.Īnother fact regarding power cords is that, behind the wall, there are 10’s of feet (sometimes more) of household wiring to the breaker box. If people think beefing up the last 10% of 60 foot run is going to make a difference, they will be sadly mistaken. Well-designed equipment filters and regulates power internally so that, aside from brownouts or blackouts, the equipment runs flawlessly even on distorted and noisy AC power. It’s important to mention that well designed equipment doesn’t need special power cords or even power conditioning. Good quality is a must for any decent system, with every part of the system. Other factors such as capacitance, inductance, and shielding, are “in the noise” and not significant enough to affect the sound of even the most revealing audio systems.įor power amps as well as other equipment, the quality of the connectors is important, but the reasons are reliability and contact resistance. “The most important feature of a power cord for amplifiers is simple resistance. My question was, “How can a basic stock AC power cable negatively affect audio gear?”įrom Tommy O’Brien, Digital Amplifier Company Recently I decided to ask two industry participants their take on power cords. I’ve been reading and watching the discussions since I wired up my first stereo system. SHARES Twitter 44 Facebook Email Print LinkedIn Pinterest SMS WhatsAppĬable discussions can turn normally rational audiophiles into nut-cases.
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