Advantage of using speciality fuses and power cords

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jessearias

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Can anybody explain to me how a using an "audiophile fuse" would make a difference in your amp or other equipment?

Also, how would using a "audiophile power cord" make a difference?

I don't understand how these two can make a significant improvement.

Interconnects I get, speaker wire I get, but I cannot get my head around these.:scratch2:
 
Interesting article, but reading the merits of specialised power cords by the manufacturer of their own product makes me a tad suspicious.

In any event, some swear by them and say they notice an improvement in the sound of their systems and others say they make no difference.

Ultimately it is your system, your music, your money and your decision. If you can find a shop that can loan you cables to try before buy then go for it, and see for yourself.
 
Can anybody explain to me how a using an "audiophile fuse" would make a difference in your amp or other equipment?

Also, how would using a "audiophile power cord" make a difference?

I don't understand how these two can make a significant improvement.

Interconnects I get, speaker wire I get, but I cannot get my head around these.:scratch2:

Hey , why not? If you think interconnects and speaker wire make a difference is it really that much of a stretch to think power cables affect the sound?
 
Some reading material for those with an open mind. And yes, I do believe that power cables indeed affect the sound of a component and the system as a whole.

http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/powercords.html

OK I read the article a couple of times, I'm sure I'll read it some more. He seems to think that the power cable has a role to play in the filtering of the harmonics of the 120 Hz output of the full wave bridge rectifier (FWBR). I don't know where he gets that.

The power cord sits on the other side of a transformer designed to operate at 60 Hz. Why would a high harmonic go back through this transformer into the power cable when it's got these big fat electrolytics right there in the power supply to dive into?

And language like "The design of a power cable can significantly affect the reactance of these signals within the power supply." suggests that the author may be out of his element. I'll leave it at that and let the thread play out. :lurk:
 
Whether it works or not, surely you'd need to replace your existing power cable from your equipment and hook the special cable all the way to the transformer?

There is a lot of talk here about room dynamics and speaker placement and the huge difference it can make to sound, and it does.

Similarly, I think that cable placement is equally important and can make a huge difference. You shouldn't run AC and interconnects or speaker leads parallel to each other, or bunched up in a mess together behind your cabinet. This can induce AC hum. Make sure your AC and interconnects/speaker wires cross at 90 degrees to each other if you are in a situation where they must cross over. Also minimising cable length helps. If you only need 12 inches to connect some equipment then see if you can get someone to make a nice quality 12 inch lead, rather than purchasing a metre long lead and have it coiled up or bunched up behind the equipment.
 
If there is a difference when you change a power cord or fuse you should try to determine what has malfunctioned on the original cord.

Your audio components use a transformer which isolates the incoming voltage from the output voltage of the transformer, blocking out any errant electrical anomolies. The primary winding (120v for the U.S.) never physically contacts the secondary windings and is why some people like to use an outboard transformer (120V to 120V again, U.S.) as an isolation transformer. There is nothing to be gained from using any different power cord. If there is a difference then you should look for the fault in the original cord. Could be a ground issue or worn blades. too long of a run creating excessive resistance etc.

Same goes for a fuse. It needs only to pass the voltage of the circuit parameters and open the circuit when it's amp rating is exceeded.

There are things in the power chain that are indeed audible. If you can hear any change when someone uses the microwave or dryer etc. you should use an indipendant dedicated circuit for your audio gear. Additionally, if you have fluctuating voltage at your outlet or if it's over/under 120V (again the U.S. standard) a conditioner/regulator may be warranted. If you've got 125V going into your components transformer, then the secondary windings rated voltages will be higher as well. Visa versa for low voltage. If you've got 120V gear that's what it was designed to use.
 
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Interconnects do make a difference, the difference is in the quality of the cable and especially in the quality of what terminates the interconnect. In the case of power cords. Again it is the quality of the cable and the grade of the plugs that made a difference. But not in the sound a power cable that is a couple of feet long is not going to correct noise in unfiltered current coming in from noisy mains, that is what a line conditioner does. If I start to read claims of Voodoo magic, the wisdom of the Four Swami's, of Sound, The mantra of the improved sound stage, the Zen of the transparent highs. I know somebody is trying to justify an outrageous price. If on the other hand I read of hospital grade plugs, shielded studio. or industrial grade cabling then I start to get interested. The only way you will know is to try it for yourself. But please don't get ripped off. What I always keep in mind. What do the audio engineers in recording studios use. Find out what they use and purchase accordingly.
 
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Can anybody explain to me how a using an "audiophile fuse" would make a difference in your amp or other equipment?

Also, how would using a "audiophile power cord" make a difference?

I don't understand how these two can make a significant improvement.

Interconnects I get, speaker wire I get, but I cannot get my head around these.:scratch2:

Why not try them and see if you can hear a difference?
 
Have never tried messing with fuses but have tried power cords with mixed results.
On cd player one seemed to improve things, so I bought it. Another of the same type of cord had nothing to bring to the party at that time for my preamp however.

I have since added one for the power amp but have not yet taken it out again to see if I miss it.

Steve
 
You could try using fancy fuses in your 555. I tried it when I owned a pair of them and damned if I could notice a difference but who knows maybe you can. Same goes for my experience with power cords. Damned if I could tell any difference. Except of course for my wallet feeling just a tad lighter and the satisfaction having firsthand knowledge.
 
Can anybody explain to me how a using an "audiophile fuse" would make a difference in your amp or other equipment?

Also, how would using a "audiophile power cord" make a difference?

I don't understand how these two can make a significant improvement.

Interconnects I get, speaker wire I get, but I cannot get my head around these.:scratch2:

The "Hello, I'm new here" threads should be started in the Introductions forum.
 
A 16 gauge wire is sufficient to pass 25 amps at 120 volts for 6 feet. More than enough to pop a standard 20 amp circuit breaker.

Theoretically a larger gauge wire should allow current to flow with less restriction potentially improving transient response. This may or may not be audible.

There is no truth, there are no lies, just data that can be manipulated.
 
I cannot hear anything special from high-end power cords vs an off the shelf ordinary Belden 14 or 16 gage cable.
 
Have never tried messing with fuses but have tried power cords with mixed results.
On cd player one seemed to improve things, so I bought it. Another of the same type of cord had nothing to bring to the party at that time for my preamp however.

I have since added one for the power amp but have not yet taken it out again to see if I miss it.

Steve

This is exactly the kind of post that would actually be helpful in these types of threads. Thank you Steve for being the lone beacon of experience in the ocean of internet theory.:thmbsp:

I have no problem with someone being a skeptic or saying they cant hear differences in cables but instead of arrogantly explaining why there is no possible way cables could alter the sound, it would be much more helpful and informative if you could let us know what you have tried in your system and the results.

I respect the opinion much more of someone who says something like, I've tried brand X of audiophile fuses and notice no change in sound then someone who spends two pages explaining why it cant work. I guess I am just an experience over internet theory kinda guy.

but I digress....it's Sunday morning and I need to have a conversation with my girlfriend about dog acupuncture.
 
The "Hello, I'm new here" threads should be started in the Introductions forum.

Ha, I thought the same, too, until I noticed the OP has been around for over a year. I would think that would be enough time to figure out that the The Cutting Edge forum is where topics that discuss the last bit of audio system's performance is discussed, with General Audio being the domain of those whose target for audio is just 'good enough.' To that end, there are plenty of threads on power cables and fuses in The Cutting Edge. If learning of another AKer's experience with fuses is desired, then Mister Pig had a pretty good thread here.

Then again, jessearias wasn't asking for the sonic impact impressions of others. Rather, he seems to be asking how they work and how specifically can they make a difference. Personally, I have no idea how asprin works, but I've tried it and found that it does indeed have the effect the manufacturer claims. Not knowing how asprin works does not prevent me from purchasing and using it when needed. Plus, I've never found myself on a quest to find out how it works.

trhee posted a link to a brief discussion of power cables. It is actually a reprint of a Shunyata page. I have read some good things at Shunyata before as to the details of what's going on in a power cable. I just now visited Shunyata again, but am unable to locate the page with the good info in the few minutes I spent there.

When talking about, and understanding the effects of, power cords when used with a linear power supply (still the most common supply), a good understanding of how that power supply works is needed. In its most basic form, it is just a transformer, some diodes, and a couple caps that constitute the supply which delivers DC voltage to a load. A very simple circuit, still it escapes many people how this simple circuit can generate higher frequency hash and send it back into the power line. The answer is to forget voltage and think current. If you can draw the input current waveform of a linear power supply, you will certainly understand why power cables may make a difference in a sound system.

Interesting article, but reading the merits of specialised power cords by the manufacturer of their own product makes me a tad suspicious.

I dunno. If I wanted to learn about streaming products, I think I'd prefer to read what a manufacturer of such products had to say, rather than to read what the manufacturer of, say, phono cartridges would have to say about streaming products.
 
This is exactly the kind of post that would actually be helpful in these types of threads. Thank you Steve for being the lone beacon of experience in the ocean of internet theory.:thmbsp:

I have no problem with someone being a skeptic or saying they cant hear differences in cables but instead of arrogantly explaining why there is no possible way cables could alter the sound, it would be much more helpful and informative if you could let us know what you have tried in your system and the results.

I respect the opinion much more of someone who says something like, I've tried brand X of audiophile fuses and notice no change in sound then someone who spends two pages explaining why it cant work. I guess I am just an experience over internet theory kinda guy.

but I digress....it's Sunday morning and I need to have a conversation with my girlfriend about dog acupuncture.

You know what happens, though, if you say you tried something and didn't hear any difference?

The believers will say you either have equipment that isn't worthy of the change or your hearing isn't as good as it ought to be.

You can't win.

I also take umbrage to the "If you have an open mind" attitude because it implies you DON"T have an open mind if you disagree with the "I definitely hear a difference" result.

Doug
 
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