Fransisco, you may not consider me very open minded. That is fine. In the last few months, my system has undergone some fairly significant changes, and the resulting sound is quite different. I move rather slowly and deliberately. I have for years. My signature at the end of this post has not changed much over the years. Based on your signature, you have much more experience swapping out gear in your own system, and as a result, probably know much more than I. I have enjoyed reading about your many turntables and amplifiers.
Here is a brief description of the power cords I've had in my system: Until recently, I used Transparent wires and power products. I tried a couple of others, just recently, but I would rather not mention names. I tried MIT before that, and I owned Harmonic Technology for a long time before that. After all of these power cords, six by my count, including my stock cords that came with the gear, I am currently using some Ching Chengs. My amps have for more than fifteen years been connected directly to the panel via JPS Labs In Wall cable and Furutech IEC plugs, no outlets or power cords.
You are free to conclude what you want about what I heard from these fancy power cords connected to my three front end components in my rack. If you think I heard a suppression of some kind of noise that I enjoy, or that they allowed me to see, er, hear an existing coloration in my system, that is fine.
Here is what I actually heard in my system from one of the power cords when hooked up to my preamp first, and then to my phono stage. It is similar to what I heard from my Transparents and the others. From my listening notes and what I sent to a friend:
"The sound is a more focused sound, a more vivid image against a more black background. The sound was more tight and controlled. Bass more prominent. But highs have a slight synthetic quality to them. The sound is more stark with higher contrast but less shading and nuance. It is a more "hifi" sound, and less natural. Some people like this: It is more focused and vivid and in some areas, more detailed. But I find it less real sounding. I used to like that sound, but that was before I heard or appreciated the trade offs. I now value a different sound. Harmonic content, an open airy sound were diminished by this cord in my system."
So, I heard trade offs. If there was noise suppression going on, it seemed to also rob the sound of nuance, harmonics, and information. Are the Ching Chengs colored? Perhaps. Is my system colored, perhaps. But, the fancy cords all did something similar, which I did not like. As I wrote, I used to like the blacker backgrounds and starker images. A bolder sound. I have heard this same character elsewhere with fancy cords. In the end, it is about what I think sounds best in my own system. I happen to think what sounds best is what sounds more real to me, in my room, from my music collection. That is also controversial. So be it.
Oh, I almost forgot: I actually wrote this: "I have closed the power cord chapter for now." Fransicsco, you edited out the "for now" part. Sorry, but that omission on your part significantly changes the meaning of what I said. Can I ask you to quote me more accurately? For now, I am moving onto other things, listening to music mostly. Power cords, and their effects in my system do not interest me at the moment. Perhaps I will reinvestigate some time in the future.
