FirSt experience with Shunyata Research Power Cords - Alpha NR and Alpha EF

Pfmaudio

Member
Jun 28, 2019
6
3
8
57
Porto, Portugal
It is my first time with shunyata power cords. Being an audiophile for more than 20 years, I always considered a little exaggerated all the fuss with power cords, perhaps because the ones I had didn’t make for me, at the moment, a big difference in sound or perhaps because of the huge amount of money asked for a single piece of wire.
However, lately I perceived that the sound delivered by my system was nor up to pedigree of the pieces I have neither to the amount of money I spent on it.
My audio dealer went to my home and told me the power cables weren’t up to the quality of the system and advised me to look for shunyata research power cords.

The digital front end (meridian cd G08) had an old MIT z1, the preamp (Arc ref2 mk ii) a synergistic research X2 master coupler(it was the best cable of the bunch at the time) and the power amp (ARC REF 110) had a Nordeste Vishnu. The power regenerator (PS5) had the stock cord. The path defined was to upgrade the 2 minor cables on the system ( on the cd and on the PS5) for a Alpha NR (CD) and a alpha EF (PS5). The EF came with a C19 and a C19/C15 converter, also from shunyata, in order to make possible experiments with the power amp.

I arrived home late with the cables and tried immediately a first glance. As it was late night, I put on very low level, but something special was already coming up. I had to lower the volume to unusual low levels, even for late night listening. It seemed that the volume level could be lower than usual for the same loudness. The chords of the guitar of Maria Bethânia were more limpid, with better separation from the voice. However the soundstage seemed blurred.

On the following.days I started to listen casually. But from the first moments I understood what I had been loosing all of this time. On every record, on all kinds of music there was as enormous difference from what I had. The bass was much better defined, allowing more detail on the note, the highs were sweet and extended and liquid, soundstage was larger, deeper and the general view to the music was better, discovering buried details, understanding better the performance. Orchestral pieces were incredibly better defined, with better understanding of the instruments and groups of instruments. Winds became even more real.

Mind you that the sound I had before was pretty good. But I felt it should be better. 3 months ago I tried a better CD player (ARC CD9), it was greatly superior to my meridian G08, but the steep price and the feeling that it wasn’t what I was needing kept me foram buying.

This upgrade put my system on a superior level than upgrading the meridian ( of course that now the cd9 must be really a killer).

One of the things that puzzled me was the effect of the cable on the PS5. Being a power regenerator I wasn’t expecting it could happen. I tried on the power the alpha EF and the Nordest Vishnu on the PS5 and though the bass was even lower and more controlled and had a bigger soundstage, the global sound was more musical with the SR EF on the PS5.

I will keep the two cables and am looking for a second hand upgrade for the power, perhaps the alpha HC. Do the members reading this agree with the choice or have some comments?

Thank you shunyata for the wonderful work and thank the forum for all the advices which helped me on the selection.
 
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thedudeabides

Well-Known Member
Jan 16, 2011
2,126
651
1,200
Alto, NM
I went all Shunyata several years ago, including the Alpha HC, and have never looked back. Suggest you buy used on Audiogon. SR cables come available on a somewhat frequent basis and you can save a lot of dollars.
 

bazelio

Well-Known Member
Sep 26, 2016
2,493
1,745
345
California
It is my first time with shunyata power cords. Being an audiophile for more than 20 years, I always considered a little exaggerated all the fuss with power cords, perhaps because the ones I had didn’t make for me, at the moment, a big difference in sound or perhaps because of the huge amount of money asked for a single piece of wire.
However, lately I perceived that the sound delivered by my system was nor up to pedigree of the pieces I have neither to the amount of money I spent on it.
My audio dealer went to my home and told me the power cables weren’t up to the quality of the system and advised me to look for shunyata research power cords.

The digital front end (meridian cd G08) had an old MIT z1, the preamp (Arc ref2 mk ii) a synergistic research X2 master coupler(it was the best cable of the bunch at the time) and the power amp (ARC REF 110) had a Nordeste Vishnu. The power regenerator (PS5) had the stock cord. The path defined was to upgrade the 2 minor cables on the system ( on the cd and on the PS5) for a Alpha NR (CD) and a alpha EF (PS5). The EF came with a C19 and a C19/C15 converter, also from shunyata, in order to make possible experiments with the power amp.

I arrived home late with the cables and tried immediately a first glance. As it was late night, I put on very low level, but something special was already coming up. I had to lower the volume to unusual low levels, even for late night listening. It seemed that the volume level could be lower than usual for the same loudness. The chords of the guitar of Maria Bethânia were more limpid, with better separation from the voice. However the soundstage seemed blurred.

On the following.days I started to listen casually. But from the first moments I understood what I had been loosing all of this time. On every record, on all kinds of music there was as enormous difference from what I had. The bass was much better defined, allowing more detail on the note, the highs were sweet and extended and liquid, soundstage was larger, deeper and the general view to the music was better, discovering buried details, understanding better the performance. Orchestral pieces were incredibly better defined, with better understanding of the instruments and groups of instruments. Winds became even more real.

Mind you that the sound I had before was pretty good. But I felt it should be better. 3 months ago I tried a better CD player (ARC CD9), it was greatly superior to my meridian G08, but the steep price and the feeling that it wasn’t what I was needing kept me foram buying.

This upgrade put my system on a superior level than upgrading the meridian ( of course that now the cd9 must be really a killer).

One of the things that puzzled me was the effect of the cable on the PS5. Being a power regenerator I wasn’t expecting it could happen. I tried on the power the alpha EF and the Nordest Vishnu on the PS5 and though the bass was even lower and more controlled and had a bigger soundstage, the global sound was more musical with the SR EF on the PS5.

I will keep the two cables and am looking for a second hand upgrade for the power, perhaps the alpha HC. Do the members reading this agree with the choice or have some comments?

Thank you shunyata for the wonderful work and thank the forum for all the advices which helped me on the selection.

You might want to audition (free to do so) Dave's new Zenwave PS14 power cord. It's excellent and although expensive, it seems to be much more competitively priced than top of the line big brand name cables.

Thread here.
 

Indy

Well-Known Member
Dec 14, 2014
59
1
138
I have an Alpha HC and Alpha NR. They are both remarkable cables. I also really like that the Alpha NR, is really flexible for such a big cable. It makes cable dressing much easier.
 

tarquineous

Well-Known Member
Jun 25, 2011
76
5
913
It is my first time with shunyata power cords. Being an audiophile for more than 20 years, I always considered a little exaggerated all the fuss with power cords, perhaps because the ones I had didn’t make for me, at the moment, a big difference in sound or perhaps because of the huge amount of money asked for a single piece of wire.
However, lately I perceived that the sound delivered by my system was nor up to pedigree of the pieces I have neither to the amount of money I spent on it.
My audio dealer went to my home and told me the power cables weren’t up to the quality of the system and advised me to look for shunyata research power cords.

The digital front end (meridian cd G08) had an old MIT z1, the preamp (Arc ref2 mk ii) a synergistic research X2 master coupler(it was the best cable of the bunch at the time) and the power amp (ARC REF 110) had a Nordeste Vishnu. The power regenerator (PS5) had the stock cord. The path defined was to upgrade the 2 minor cables on the system ( on the cd and on the PS5) for a Alpha NR (CD) and a alpha EF (PS5). The EF came with a C19 and a C19/C15 converter, also from shunyata, in order to make possible experiments with the power amp.

I arrived home late with the cables and tried immediately a first glance. As it was late night, I put on very low level, but something special was already coming up. I had to lower the volume to unusual low levels, even for late night listening. It seemed that the volume level could be lower than usual for the same loudness. The chords of the guitar of Maria Bethânia were more limpid, with better separation from the voice. However the soundstage seemed blurred.

On the following.days I started to listen casually. But from the first moments I understood what I had been loosing all of this time. On every record, on all kinds of music there was as enormous difference from what I had. The bass was much better defined, allowing more detail on the note, the highs were sweet and extended and liquid, soundstage was larger, deeper and the general view to the music was better, discovering buried details, understanding better the performance. Orchestral pieces were incredibly better defined, with better understanding of the instruments and groups of instruments. Winds became even more real.

Mind you that the sound I had before was pretty good. But I felt it should be better. 3 months ago I tried a better CD player (ARC CD9), it was greatly superior to my meridian G08, but the steep price and the feeling that it wasn’t what I was needing kept me foram buying.

This upgrade put my system on a superior level than upgrading the meridian ( of course that now the cd9 must be really a killer).

One of the things that puzzled me was the effect of the cable on the PS5. Being a power regenerator I wasn’t expecting it could happen. I tried on the power the alpha EF and the Nordest Vishnu on the PS5 and though the bass was even lower and more controlled and had a bigger soundstage, the global sound was more musical with the SR EF on the PS5.

I will keep the two cables and am looking for a second hand upgrade for the power, perhaps the alpha HC. Do the members reading this agree with the choice or have some comments?

Thank you shunyata for the wonderful work and thank the forum for all the advices which helped me on the selection.
I found that true with the first PS Audio P 300. The Purist Dominus was the best cord. I still use the P 300 with some slight modification/ upgrades. And the Dominus still works above the rest, although I have not tried any cord above the Python Zitron on this regenerator.
Also, the regenerators that I have used sound best plugged into the wall rather than another PLC. There could be an exception, but I have not found one.
 

tarquineous

Well-Known Member
Jun 25, 2011
76
5
913
You might want to audition (free to do so) Dave's new Zenwave PS14 power cord. It's excellent and although expensive, it seems to be much more competitively priced than top of the line big brand name cables.

Thread here.
I looked it up... the Zenwave is made with silver wires and conductors. What do you use this cable to power, assuming you still have the Zenwave PS14 ?
 

Mcbrion

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2013
91
14
313
Connecticut
The P.S. Audio and Shunyata power cords are quite a match. I've heard everything on the PS Audio. Synergistic's top cords, Nordost's top cords (except the Odin), and Shunyata all the way from the King Cobra V2 (I liked it better than the Vi), to Python, to Python CX, Cobra, Python and Anaconda ZiTron, to Sigma Analogue and then Sigma NR (V1). Nothing's ever beat the Shunyata. Don't know why, and really, it's irrelevant as to "why." . They all come the closest to the sound of the New York concert halls (Carnegie, The Met, and Avery Fisher), which all have different acoustics. Nordost doesn't quite bring the realism (but that could be due to the material/design/construction of the cords). Stick with Shunyata.
 

Vermonter

Member
Jan 6, 2021
26
23
5
67
I concur, great cables...

Two additional 20 amp circuits go in tomorrow, one for each amp. Each outlet will be a SR-z1and will have a Venom Defender. Power cable to the amps will be a pair of Sigma V2 NR.

The Omega XC at present is feeding a Denali, via another SR-z1 on an existing 20 amp circuit.

My new Everest ships on Friday this week. The Denali comes out of the rack and the upsampler moves to the open spot - I’ll achieve synergy and symmetry with two components per shelf.
 

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