My cable buddie came over tonight for music & audio chat. Instead of dragging over his PS Audio Ultimate Outlet (PLC) I requested be shows up with a large box. Inside are two power cords; the NEW David Elrod MK III "Signature" and the Virtual Dymanic "Nite". They represent their companies top-of-the-line pcs and have been very well-received by the audio community. I've heard the Elrod MK III (non-signature) IMS before and on numerous occations in my friends All-Elrod system. I found the MK III the best pc I've ever encountered.

Both pcs, like the 1st Elrod MK III, were fresh from the factory, so my friend wanted me to "burn them in" and to compare the two against my pcs as well as A/B them against one another. I'll have them for a couple of weeks before he needs them back to do the same. He also received an all-VD package that includes power cords, speaker cables and interconnects (analog&digital). Virtual Dynamic wants him to "test" their product vs his Elrod cords and to hear a complete "VD system". Regardless of my opinion on the strenght of the Elrod cords I was not overly interested in the evaluation as I have no thoughts of purchasing either cord. They are quite expensive and fortunately I found I was able to return to my "reference cords" without too much pain after enjoying the MK III. I haven't missed it but do remember that association fondly. Once he subs in the complete VD package I'll get his three Elrod cords to use in my system for an All-Elrod perspective. Both pcs use large gauge, copper conductors.

I'm not sure what, if anything, these two evaluations will yield. In our brief three hour listen I didn't find the Signature Elrod to impact my system as much as their standard MK III some months ago. The differences from my reference cords (BMI Whale Elite / Shunyata Sidewinder) were discrete, and not a universal improvement. The VD cord was somewhat lightweight and etched initially, the MK III Signature was very listenable. Admittedly, my Whales have a robust presentation. On most source material I was completely enjoying myself with either cord or the two in concert. Toward the end of the evening I slipped in a familiar Rickie Lee Jones CD and pressed play. As I sat in the sweet spot I fell into the music and had to admit that while the change was small, that small change was important, least to me. Was it worth the cost of these cords over my pcs? No, I didn't think so, but that is what my rational brain was saying. This was in direct opposition with my emotive reaction. Early Bottom line: Recommended, if you got the scratch. First picture is the Virtual Dynamic Nite pc on my amp.

MikE

Plugged into the Hydra PLC (left to right)> Shunyata Sidewinder (PLC) Virtual Dynamic Nite (amp) BMI Whale Elite MK II (MPS) David Elrod Signature MK III (transport).

MikE

The business end of the pcs plugged into the Hydra (PLC).

MikE

The VD and Elrod cords snaking behind my equipment rack.

MikE

You need alot of "wiggle" room to get this sucker turned around.

MikE

In the foreground you see the 2" granite amp platform and aluminum footer w/rubber cap on 1/2" Ebony square. On the left are Kamakiri's DIY silver litz braid interconnects. MikE

I love the custom power cords. Saw a lot in Las Vegas. Saw a lot I couldn't afford, but if I could buy everything I wanted there wouldn't be room for people to make more stuff.

Which cords did you see in Las? Was Shunyata and Elrod there? Their stuff is visually very impressive! I wouldn't think you'd be able to discern any audible differences from AC gear at a show. Or did you? MikE

p.s. Nice job you're doing in the Tube Forum. The traffic seems to be picking up!

There were purple, pink, red, black, white, probably yellow and blue cords in different sizes both diameter and length some hooked up to gear and some out so you could feel how flexible 3 strands of 8 guage could be. There were pretty girls waitng in the hall to pounce you and make sure that you knew how great the purple ones were and to check out the gear using them.

Basically unless something was a standout you had little chance of hearing anything that left lasting impressions. Then since you knew that there was so much good gear there if something was standout it was because it was great or very bad. Of all the gear I listened to the things that mattered the least to me were cables. The only way you can appreciate subtle differences is over a long period of time doing some serious listening with music you know and preferably in your system.

When I pulled the old military connector and the computer sized cord of the back of my 300B and installed connectors I cant remember the name of, but 3 pronged and bigger than IEC I had made a cord of Carol 3/10 and I felt that there was an immediant opening up of the soundstage when I turned the amp on.
I do admit it took me around 6 hours to install the connectors and float the earth ground. The chassis is 1/16th steel plate and it took a long time to put the over sized plug in the chassis. The wasn't a way to A/B the cords and since the plugs are not IEC I can't swap out cords without mounting the cord plug on the different cord. No where near fast enough to notice anything subtle.
On the other hand if I was going to lay out the kind of scratch some of these cables go for, the improvement would need to be dramatic to justify the cost. I don't see expensive power cords in my future.

In a direct answer to your questions I am sure I saw all the great cords and probablt listened to gear using them. And you are correct. At a show where everything is set up in hotel rooms with the beds pulled out I doubt I could have been able to tell a difference even if I had been trying.
The systems using conditoners were possibly a bit quieter but most stuff was turned up loud enough to block out the ambient noise, thus creating more ambient that needed to be blocked out. Because of all the power being used and all the dig being dumped into the already noisy AC the farthest I am willing to go is that the systems with conditioners were more stable.

tjose granite blocks rock man!!