@@Jordonater i know many successful people who can't speak extemporaneously like this. It probably is just one of those things where once you know so much about a topic, it becomes trivial to talk about it at length.
I've got one of these connected to my Mac Mini. I like nice looking cables and I needed a longer one to plug into my UPS. I couldnt find any lower cost ones at the length I needed so I grabbed one of these. I gotta say, while I didnt expect it, the difference is staggering. The picture, the sound... Even my hard drives performance got a bump. My 1TB SSD can now hold over 2TB. Im thinking of getting one for my refrigerator so my leftovers can last longer.
Well, whatever you do, don't use them on vacuum cleaner. Company says the cord is directional so your vacuum would spit out dirt rather than suck it in....
My brother in law was a electrical engineer for Rockwell Collins Aerospace and funny my other brother in law is a electrical engineer for a small private company that engineers GPS systems for farm equipment here in Iowa. I have shown them a few of your video's and even though neither are audiophiles they both agree with your testing methods and equipment to provide adequate information about equipment performance. They said the same thing as you. Even the super sophisticated sensitive equipment they work with doesn't go to the lengths of these audio companies to function properly. If the equipment is engineered properly ya shouldn't need a fancy cable.
"Even the super sophisticated sensitive equipment they work with doesn't go to the lengths of these audio companies to function properly." Wtf sort of English comp is that?
@@johnsmith1474 Its obviously referring to the cables they use with test equipment or cables/wiring used with other precise sensitive equipment.... They are also both senior electrical engineers and see no issue with Amirs practices. I took college comp 1,2 a writing class and speech. I'm not writing a farking paper for an exam, its youtube comments on my phone I don't give a schiit.
Nice. I can say the same for network cables. Datacenters are packed with generic patchcables and wiring. Kilometers. Due to the network protocols which check packet consistency etc. The only exception is fiber. These are of higher quality because the ends are polished better etc. But even then, before it reaches your house the total could exceed 4000 km. I.e. a qobuz Datacenter to your house. I have cheap fiber interlinks and utp cables. No need for fancy stuff
@@johnsmith1474 "wtf sort of english comp is that" I'll ask you the same question. Wtf sort of English comp was that. If the person's point wasn't clear, ask him. Please don't correct grammar for the sake of correcting grammar. No one wants another English teacher
Actually I think given the very low DC resistance, it wouldn't drop as much AC voltage across it as the kettle consumes huge amounts of current so you would be able to get your water to boil a couple of seconds quicker funny enough it is probably the best use case for this cable!
I find these power cables add a 7-9% increase in nobility and enchantment. If cryogenically treated they add an additional 5-8% sense of wonder. After a 150 hour burn in the bloom increases by about 6%
You do a great service for the community, the results were as expected. Thanks for your efforts on our behalf even though you reviewed the speakers I have rather poorly at least you gave ways to mitigate their problems.
You know what, after listening to your video on that, as a " beginner level " audio man , this confirms what i've been thinking for years and i never understood why demos and audiophiles would spend a few hundred on AC power cables .. I mean this is straight connected to the power outlet, so makes one with all the " spaghettis " that are in the walls and usually gets cut/filtered etc when it gets inside most audio equipment. By simple logic, one would think that the line interconnect cables could matter, because of low voltage/power , but AC cables ? Neway another great simple to understand yet instructive video ! Bravo !
I am making two comments today, this one is more serious. I was working on plasma chambers with DC power supplies of around 60kW output. One of the requirements is it minimize arcing and micro arcing. Micro arcing is when you get a short from the cathode in to the plasma. To suppress arcs and micro arcs, the power supply can measure these and will temporary reverse the polarity of its output (which is really impressive if you think about the speed and power these things have to switch). Some plasma power supplies can will give a count of the micro arcs which can be very useful for trouble shooting and development purposes. We had one type of cable that would use a huge bundle of 20 gauge Teflon wires. rather than one big conductor. The reasoning is that when you get an arc, the inertia of the electrons is so big that even reversing the polarity of the power supply is not enough to reverse the electron flow fast enough to suppress the arc. By having parallel wires, the the electrons are divided over more paths and the inertia is also divided by the amount of wires. And indeed the micro arc counter on the plasma power supply can measure the difference. This is the only instance I know, where cables make a difference. It was an eye opener none the less.
What you are describing is not inertia. Electrons move extremely slowly in a conductor even when the current is many amps. They also have minimal mass. But inductance could be what you're describing, since that will tend to maintain a current flow for a period of time when the current source is removed and inductance of a cable is reduced by using cables in parallel (ten cables in parallel gives one tenth of the inductance, for example, and also one tenth of the resistance if that is important).
Folks, just imagine how much money (let's say you had a disposable income and were thinking about buying based on such Stereophile recommendations) you are saving thanks to Amir and his measurements that any Faculty of electrical engineering in the world would be happy to endorse. Watch the Jay Audio channel where he claims the power cords do matter, he truly believes it. That is the power of placebo
The thing is, some of these people manage to be smart enough to create decent essays about why this stuff is supposedly better, but refuse to believe any scientific things including psychological effects .
dude it's an $80 cable... my advice is to stick to your low-end best buy stereo system and the cords that come with it. Any upgrade of cables with your system will NEVER make an effect to your listening ears.🙄
I'd like to see a class action lawsuit against whichever company sells the most $ value of these, force triple damages on gross sales for false claims consumer fraud.
Even if I basically know the outcome even before starting the video now, I could watch your "Reviews" about "Debunking Stuff" all day. Do all the video you want about Cable, Purifier, Power Plants and such. I will watch everyone of them!
Hello Amir. Thank you for your website, articles, and these videos. I understand why some manufacturers and maybe some audio enthusiasts don't like what you do, but I do not understand why anyone in the consumer community or Reviewers who claim to be objective / science-based would be prompted to criticize you. You are providing truth in audio and you are completely unsponsored. You are providing a great service to me and the audio enthusiast/consumer community. Please keep up the good work!
What then amir is the best way to get rid of noise in the mains ? Is there a cable/product or equipment which addresses it. What about the ifi ac purifier ?
Remember years ago one of my buddies was a band member and I used to hang out at the music shop where he worked. There was one guy who would rave about how good his $1000 power cable made his gear sound and he swore by it and waved it around as though it was the Excalibur. Everyone else swore he was batsh*t crazy, and I thought he was just an isolated old crank. People like this can’t really exist in numbers. And then a couple years ago I saw an “Ask Paul” video and was blown away by the fact that this is real. People believe this stuff, and on a large scale. Seeing someone pay $10k for a record player and saying it’s the only way to listen to music is truly something out of the twilight zone for someone like me having come from car audio. I had a reel to reel when I was young, but only so I could dub studio masters that my brother got from a collector. I would have never considered it to be vastly superior to CD even with the nostalgia factor. It’s amazing what can happen when people are not properly educated. When they are deluded to the point that even basic reasoning does not work.
The situation has gotten seriously bad in that people think these myths are the norm. I get cables to test from many who were told by a salesman to buy them and they thought they should. Ditto for what they read online. Hopefully we can turn the tide with solid facts and objective data.
I love Amir's work and have been wanting this kind of public testing since the 1980's, but I also feel the need to be realistic about what we can do here. People have been scamming audiophiles out of their money for many decades and yet there are probably more believers, and thus buyers, of this nonsense today than ever before. Why? Because advertising has money and psychology experts, while you and I do not. The Internet has made information more available than ever, yet what we've learned is that bad information is far more virulent and profitable than good information. Even many reasonable, scientifically-literate people still use magic words to describe audio and claim to hear impossible differences between incredibly transparent audio gear. To some inescapable degree, high-end audio is about feelings, not physics :(. So long as scammers can sell people feelings, they'll make a lot of money doing so, often even pretending to themselves that their lies are true; that their AC power cord really "made more sense of the music." How? Well, by making the Stereophile reviewer "a happy guy." He felt better having a fancy AC cable, so that alone makes it better. It's even possible the reviewer felt happy because he got paid to sit at home and listen to AC cables; a sweet gig if you can't get it. Humans are incredible creatures, but they are not reasonable and never will be; Reason is our last-ditch option used only after zeal and fear are spent. Questioning what someone believes to hear is exactly the same as questioning a religious belief; we're just blasphemers and naysayers interfering with their truly blissful ignorance. You can't defeat highly invested Bliss with a distortion chart. The more ridiculous the Bliss, the more powerful it becomes. With sufficient Bliss, you'll find yourself listening to vinyl LP's on $35,000 worth of audio equipment on a flat Earth that's just over 5,500 years old and realize that Audio Science Review is a CIA operation.
I got one for you. Next time a vinyl enthusiast swears their turntable is magical, ask them if they know about the effects of having large inductance at the end of a long cable. If they know anything, they would say that it is a bad idea cause it makes the cable to have way more significant role in the filter this arrangement creates. Then ask if that is good for interference. Then ask why their 10k turntable does not have a buffer inside its tonearm, as close as possible to the coil that produces the sound signal. That why this piece of marvelous and superior tech does not have an pre-amp and RIAA internally, since that is the place it should be if sound quality is our #1 target. Absolutely no engineer would design turntable the way they were made back in the day, as passive devices. We would place the first buffer as close to the cartridge as possible to get rid of that inductance ASAP. Then we would have pre-amp before we expose cabling to the outside world. There are no ifs and buts, this is the only way to do it properly. And yet.. you can find 100k turntables without active circuitry... A swiss clock that has perfect balance, incredibly smooth bearings and then.. cable coming out of its ass, going to the external pre-amp. Why? Because you can't sell "audiophile quality" turntables with active electronics, that is for some reason forbidden. When it is, and i can't stress this enough: the ONLY way to do it is with active circuitry. The signal is going to be amplified so it is better to amplify it as close to the source to a level where our cabling does not impact anything.
to be fair, a $10k record player likely has a much more dramatic effect on sound over a $100 record player than a $10,000 power cable has on a $5 power cable.
The least surprising find of the century. Thanks for taking the time and personal expense! Contact resistance is generally the most important parameter for cables, moreso than the wires themselves (except for some poor conductor choices like aluminum). Gold plated contacts go a long way. The problem with IEC connectors is that contact resistance will vary a lot because of inconsistent manufacturing, plating choices, alignment variations etc. I can imagine scenarios where someone has a particularly crusty wall receptable and a new cable either helps clean some corrosion off the contacts or creates better contact because of dimensional differences. If you're at an ohm or more in terms of contact resistance, I can imagine that having some impact on peak power for your setup along with safety concerns from the contacts melting. Ironically, it could ever so slightly help with noise because it would form an RC filter haha. ;)
I bought one of these expensive power cables and was pissed when I "listened" to it. It was so effective at removing distortion, that Jimi Hendrix's Stratocaster sounded like an acoustic guitar.
I think they call that airy with black back ground. I might ask Jay if he want's to try one of my gold earthing rods for his turn table as it really brings the sound stage out.
My basic question to any company that does not include measurements at all is how do you control quality in production if you have nothing but a hearing test to go by? Does some grab each cable and listen to it, in both directions mind you, and generate a pass or fail for quality? Keep up the great work Amir.
Amir, May I ask what your reference system consists of for your subjective listing test, cant find that ? I believe your measurements, but I’m also believing my ears. The cable measurements are kind of static measurements. Is it possible that when music played there will be different behaviour? Like the transformer demands power from the grid I assume since music is dynamic the demand will also change every sec or less. Is there a way audiograde cables are better able the deliver the asked current? Im just thinking out loud, but it’s strange I really hear differences even I didn’t bought any audiophile cabeling yet.
Not a big power cord guy myself, but feel a hundred here or there is a rounding error for a multi-thousand, even tens of thousand dollar system. Not a big deal, and cost less than a car detail job. Comparatively, power cord looms do look good. Aesthetics can not be dismissed entirely. Piano black or veneer finish anyone? I have wondered if shielded power cords do reduce EMI radiation that can supposedly be picked up by other cables and electronics. This, separate from the noise coming through the wire, which is cleaned up by the internal PS anyway. I thought the review to be fair, open minded, clear in his own views, and very well done.
Amir is kind of the Batman in this industry. Truly apretiate you efforts Amir! Signed up for a small patreon contribution, keep it up! 👌👍 Go Amir! Go ASR!
I enjoyed this one immensely. I think Amir was being extremely fair and rigorous. I don't fall into the measurements are the most important thing camp but in the case of mains cables I am with him 100%. I buy relatively cheap aftermarket cables( less than £50 ) because they have better IEC plugs, look good and handle better. I recently bought a Kinki Studio EX-M1 amp ( great amp imho ) and was amused to note it did not come with what they call an El Cheapo power cable as they know Audiophiles are going to want to provide their own "better" cable A great way to save a couple of bucks while flattering their customer (you are too much of an expert to want to use a generic cable) and flatter their own product ( it's so good it deserves a posh cable ). Clever marketing.
Do you have a video to explain what do those measurements mean and how they are done? Do you agree there might be something else to measure in terms of sound quality? I ask this question beacuse I didn't believe power cable can make a difference too. Recently I got a chance to try an AudioQuest Niagara 1200 with a Y3 cable. Compare to plugging into wall directly, the Niagara 1200 doesn't make too much difference (maybe my power line is already clean). But to my surprise the Y3 cable makes a big difference!
And with this video I subscribe! I was eyeing this cable for long wondering how a 2m power cable would change my speakers to sing differently .. from $100 to $10000 speakers!
Have you ever tried to test Cardas audio cables? I would be very disappointed if there was no measurable difference especially on mid to high range interconnect & speaker cables. I am a big fun of these cables and every time I compare them to everything else they are clearly sounding better to my mind and senses. Thank you for your reviews, they are very educating and informative and help people make better choices
I wish I have known Audio Science Reviews in the past, before having had invested thousands in cables & power conditioners etc... I had to learn my lesson the hard way as a naive, curious audiophile . Great Review!
@@legrandmaitre7112 It looks like it's you that's the mug. Have you tried praying to Jesus to get better sound? It has the same effect, that is, none at all.
Great video! It reminds me of a quote I read from Nelson Pass. A reviewer was interviewing him at his lab/workshop noted that he used generic power and speaker cables to test his amps and they asked why. He said "I don't want anyone else taking credit for my work." That was a pretty cagey answer but I took that to mean he didn't see any value in fancy cables. And if generic was good enough for The Nelson Pass...
Commercial Electronics engineer here, the only ring that affects a power cable is the quality of the interconnect (which itself has more to do with dimensional tolerances and the amount of copper in the cable, ie is there enough to avoid temperature increase for the required current). That’s it! Thanks for making these videos and putting some sanity back in the world!
Thanks Amir. I'm putting all my money into some Verity Lakme, as opposed to BS cables. Would love a review, though I listened to them extensively and loved their sound.
Another great video thanks Amir. Just one question when I use high end audio mains cables to power my audio equipment why does my audio system sound different to the stock power cords?.... I hear a fuller richer sound using the more expensive cables its unclear why this is? The cables I'm using are double screened so this may help screen out EMI/RFI and are manufactured using a much larger diameter conductor size (6mm2) as apposed to 1.5mm2 so this may have an impact on the sound I hear? Your thoughts?
@Douglas Blake Hello Douglas yes the mind can lean towards favoring and interpreting the higher priced cable as sounding better than the stock cable because of its higher specs and higher price and also we want it to sound better so our minds trick us and we interpret this as better sound but it is not........
Simple explanation is that you hear differently when you buy something new and listen to hear what is different. That very act imparts different impression of sound even if nothing is changed. This is why I suggest repeating such tests blind. Have someone else swap cables on you without you knowing. Do it a dozen times and see if you can tell 10 out of 12 times which is which.
@Douglas Blake Hello Douglas it would be interesting to carry out a blind test following the detailed lab tests to see if component A sounds better than component B (Amir often compares the tested component with other similar components) to verify the lab results as we don't listen to lab results we listen to hifi components. Amir has just uploaded a video of a tube amplifier the VTA ST-70 and this measured absolutely s**t drastically worse than any solid state amplimer but how does it sound?.. is the sound as bad as the lab report shows.......?
Hi Amir, Excellent review, Thanks for the information. Have you had a chance to test the Bella Sound Kaula 2 or Shunyata Research ac power cords yet? Would love to read your opinion on them.
Excellent review. I actually borrowed aq powercables to 'hear' it for myself. And zero difference. One question though: placing powercables near interlinks / speaker cables. Would you advice on a minimal distance between them? Cheers!
US code states 12 inch separation between line and low voltage lines. I would follow that or cross them at 90 degrees (or thereabouts). But really, if you are not hearing hum and buzz (or if you do and it doesn't change when you move cables), then you don't have anything to worry about.
@@AudioScienceReview cheers! Unfortunately no option for the distance then, but will take a look at crossing them where i can. Luckily no hums :-) Fun fact, we recommend you on some big forums in the Netherlands when we refer to fact instead of woo talk. Doesn't always go down that well, but at least we put the word out lol. (Htforum).
@Douglas Blake oh trust me i know:) the borrowing was part of me catching up on things, and having fun. I had a neighbour swearing he hears a difference and a tech expert who shows it shouldn't. So i just had to try:)
@Douglas Blake ouch. Ye i am not gonna bankrupt myself. Always doing research, bit too much sometimes lol. These days the hardest thing is to find reliable sources like here:) And meet unexpected people ;) I do like this hobby a lot hehe, Cheers
Funny you should say that generic power cable can be used as a high-quality signal carrier, Amir - that's exactly what I do. I remember a review of speaker cables in a British hi-fi magazine (I think the review was carried out by Barry Fox) about 40 years ago, which included mains cable as a wildcard: it came second overall. So that's what I use it for!
Tweaker/reviewer Jimmy Hughes writing in HIFI answers "kicked off the whole solid core industry" when he suggested UK 15A twin & earth for speaker cable as far as I can remember.
Does anybody know if the Audioquest Niagara 3000 surge suppressor/line conditioner is a significant upgrade over my Furman Elite-15 Power Factor i (PFi) Linear Power Conditioner? Thanks!
One video for 'audiophile' speaker cables stated it made the front soundstage wider, made the surrounds sound further back. So these wires altered the way the speakers image? How? What can a wire do to alter the way a speaker images?
I still dont understand how a change in cable BEFORE the power supply is supposed to chang anything.........as long as the connectors have a low resistance BTW could you do a test on CAT6 as speaker cable twisted or not ?
Have used cat6 as speaker cable for a while only issue is that it was solid core so more brittle than the stranded stuff, which got annoying, other than that it worked great, it doesn't make good usb cable though(at least the unshielded stuff doesn't).
I love that the methodology and accuracy used in testing is the same, even if it is a proven snake oil product like expensive cables or an actual product. No prejudice and highly analytical, like all things in life should be..
I just love the logic - why worry about the metre or so of the unit cable when there's yards of it outside & inside your house you have no control over?!! Incidentally I wonder why I have never suffered a ground loop problem with any of my equipment in the UK or Portugal? Is it something to do with the relation of cycles & voltage compared to 120v/240/230 perhaps or am I just lucky? Thanks again for your reviews Amirm. Looking forward to an objective & technical review of the Wiim Mini streamer... 👍
I spent 10 years is test and measurement for the US Navy ( NSA detachment) from small signal analysis from microwave , ground integrity on to telecom and all its foibles. .Then another 6 years in telecom as an analyst. Lots of test equipment lots of measurements, lots of "that fricken blows my mind " moments. There was a reason that wire insulation evolved over time to Teflon . There is a reason that better copper is needed to assure long-term reliability. But forget all that, the thing being missed here is contacts and contact degradation and resistance are lurking. The nemesis of any Submarine or Aircraft etc,. ( or anything else) built over time immemorial. The first question to ask IMHO: What would be the ideal reference in connecting almost anything electronic to a power source .? If that has an answer then it must be considered. (Recalling that The "last two meters" is the war cry. of many audiophiles). But we are forgetting something here: Forgetting that the previous X amount of meters of 16 ga. Romex starts at the distribution panel , goes through a fuse or breaker ( resettable) and then on to 4 or five other outlets ( wired in series) whose contact resistance and integrity are often ignored and often poor. . . So is there an absolute reference? For the sake of argument concerning power distribution..YES. (To back up for just a moment, the role of a power cable needs some basic explanation: Do no harm! Don't be a filter and don't be worse than romex for conductivity, impulse response and high frequency high current demands). So the reference.?Some magic needs to be employed ( maybe more like imagination) . If every component in your system were somehow directly wired to the AC D, panel and soldered directly to the input side of the transformer (in each component) that would be as good as it gets , it would seem. As long as the peak current demand is not exceeded. at the panel.... not likely. So NO contacts no "pinch points " . Just straight wire connected to every component on its own circuit..soldered down. THAT IS A FEFERENCE to me. How do you approach that? You prioritize differently perhaps. You clean every contact ( is use KONTAK for that ) that includes the male and female sides of everything you can think of , starting at each the outlet ( ovevrkill allowed) . The goal; As much as possible make it look like lust another piece of wire After everything is clean with oxidation removed ( remember an oxidized car battery terminal can stop an engine from turning over) . Now protection. There are some products that work well to protect the cleaned area from re-oxidizing ; thin coats always. That is where that battle begins. If you want to be startled at how good your system actually is and expose other weaknesses ; you start here. (For older equipment the power switch definitely comes into play as well). Now you can assess power and speaker cable from a much better vantage point. Oh, and the other 4 or 5 duples oulets in line with you equipment , do the same thing, Take the outlet out, if it is funky, junk it and replace with a hospital grade outlet. Remember to clean the copper ( on the romex) to a bright finish then add some oxidation protection. Okay , NOW you can proceed and things will be lightyears easier to asses upstream. The moto: "ALWAYS START AT THE SOURCE". Okay, just one more thing if you can stand it. When a new outlet or ac plug is installed , let it sit overnight as the cooper ( esp. solid cooper) will deform resulting in a less than ideal connection. Now retighten it again, and you will notice it did need some final tightening.. OVERKILL That's it. Merry Christmas.
these cables are actually a great investment. prices went up about 20-40 % over the last few years. so buy them, don't open the package, store them and try to sell them after a while. oh, and hope that not too many see this video...
What about the fancy power cords with the conductors braided in "counter rotation geometry"? I bet those filter out the noise, right? Unreal imaging and sound stage, super black background as well.
If a cable does any filtering as just a length of copper (no capacitors, diodes, electronics) then why would it only filer baddies, why no goodies too. How would it know? Is it zen with the universe and just bring balance to the force.
The basis of UL, CE, CSA is fire prevention. Your insurance company has a valid reason to deny a loss clime due to fire if it started in a non listed product.
Not just fire prevention. CE covers safety in terms of shock hazards (insulation, pull tests, plug and socket dimensions), chemical hazards (from plating, solder, plastics, etc), and also electromagnetic compatibility. The lack of CE marking would prevent the cable from being legally sold in Europe.
So in the USA, if a cable is sold without UL, its not illegal but optional? Now, can a home owner, if say a fire started due to a non UL listed cable sue the maker of the cable?
@@alcamacho1844 UL is not a legal standard. It is a optional standard. Being the most common standard you will find it required in the local building codes. Many cities have their own standards which may be more stringent than UL. LA city building codes are an example that in some cases exceeds UL. As for your insurance company their job seems to be to to find reasons not to pay out climes. The bottom line is here we have a $1000 chunk of 16/3 cable with some molded plugs on each end. You would think that they could afford too have the cable listed.
Does the AudioPrecision need to be recalibrated periodically, or does the manufacturer make a newer model with better accuracy? You've mentioned that the AP is state if the art, but also a few years old. There must be something better by now.
No, it doesn't need calibration. I used to have a 20 year old one that worked like the day it was new. Calibration is only needed if you need a piece of paper to prove you have done your work (e.g. for government work). As to something better, there isn't.
So, when is AudioQuest going to make miles long cables for the lengths from the power company, down the miles of power lines, to someone's house and to someone's outlet? Is a little 1-6ft cable supposed to make up for the lines from the power station and to the outlet?
Amir, do you recommend shielded power cables, so zero measurable interference or does it matter? I believe the upcoming review of the Pangea cable will show zero measurable interference. By the way, love the reviewer's comments on this cable that it "conveys the artist intention" that's hilarious!
No I do not recommend any shielding on power cables. Our hearing sensitivity is very poor in low frequencies so takes a ton of interference to make it audible.
@@AudioScienceReview Wow, I'm surprised at that, but I really appreciate your honest answer & your honest reviews! It's funny though, some very expensive cables that I have purchased in the past were not shielded as where some of the generic cables that come with higher quality amplifiers or more inexpensive cables like Pangea Are shielded. Where I thought it would be the other way around. Lol
"Stereophile review" with NO measurements section--tells you EVERYTHING you need to know. Reminds me of a character called the Artful Dodger. AC 'cable' makes the guy feel good. Whatever. Thanks again Amir. Wonderful service to the public.
The lack of safety certification is the most absurd part, that is mind-boggling at ANY price point. As you said, it's unlikely to be of real concern, but it does speak to the misplaced priorities of a manufacturer to forgo something so basic. It also likely limits it to private applications only, as I can't imagine any recording studio or live venue even considering running non-certified cabling.
Good point about their priorities. They spend a ton of money on graphics, packaging, etc. to convince buyers of audio myths around cables but won't spend a few dollars getting safety certifications.
Thank You Amir for your enlightening video. Unfortunately, I just bought a bunch of 'Open Box' & 'gently used' Audioquest power cords hoping that they would be somewhat of an upgrade to the 'stock' power cords that came with my preamp, amps & source components. I wish I had seen this video before purchasing the power cords. They cost well over 2 grand. The good news is that they just arrived today &, for many, I can return within 30 days to get my money back. Some of The Audioquest Hurricane Power Cords cost me 500 bucks for 3 meters. I may get stuck with some. The Audioquest Niagara 3000 does not come with a power cord. Audioquest recommends using The Blizzard or Hurricane Power Cords for that surge suppressor/line conditioner. I welcome your thoughts & appreciate any guidance you can provide 🙏. I guess you could say I feel ripped off by Audioquest's false claims about the performance of their power cables.
Almost 20 years my hi fi store wrongly mixed up the price of audio quest cables. They charged the foot price for a meter. Spent less then a 100 bucks terminated it myself. Well built but couldn't beat my 14g for sound. I still see they are still at it.
Power cables that improve sound is pure marketing nonsense. You can have current starvation from having a smaller gauge conductor on a power amp, but that’s another story. Using unlisted products in power cable manufacturing is unwise at the least. Back when I made upgrade cables for power amps, I still used only listed products to make them. I used hospital grade connectors as these have better retention and contact over standard rated connectors. Having a more positive contact and higher retention may not make a hang about the audio quality, but it made sure that the connectors were making the most positive contact and therefore not likely to be questionable in quality. Using the hospital grade receptacles also helps in this. Your only as good as what lies hidden behind your walls also. Sub standard wire will not aid your efforts. The size wire determines the current it can safely carry. That’s not opinion, that’s a fact. Special circuits used just for audio equipment electrical requirements are not uncommon in high end systems. These dedicated branch circuits are specifically for audio use. Don’t expect a power cord to provide a miracle cure because it isn’t going to improve your enjoyment, it will yield a lowering to your account. It’s your money! Have fun. I’ll use listed gear and be safe. Stay safe my mates!😊👍🏻😁
Ps, on a different topic, will a thicker power cable e.g., 10 gauge make a difference compared to a regular off the shelf power cable? I really would like to know what I am missing out when I see those cables that look like pythons.. please Amir, illuminate us!! :)
The length of power cable is so short that it just doesn't matter. The power loss is very small as to be negligible. That said, I do like to get 14 gauge for my power strip and if they had 12, I would opt for that as well. Beyond that, you are buying yourself a stiff cable that can do damage to your outlets and fall out on its own.
Amir mentioned something I've thought about every time this subject comes up. My version has been "how can the last few feet of cable delivering power make much of a difference when the first several hundred feet is whatever was installed in the walls".
Hello Amir, I would love to see you review Audioquests 2 meter power cable that retails for $9,800.00. Iam sure it would perform just as well as any standard power cable.😄
When I built concert PA systems, I'd buy 12/2 S cord by the reel to run between amplifiers and speakers. Compared to the "speaker cable" of the day, S-cord was cheaper and more durable. I don't see any of those advantages with that pre-made cord.
Same, the durability of power cables makes it very attractive choice, and you can source them from about any hardware store. I still have one in my home sub.
@@squidcaps4308 exactly! Home stereo users were buying lamp cord for their speakers, and that worked just fine. Pro audio users needed more durability _and_ couldn't afford to turn lots of amplifier power into heat, or sacrifice damping factor by using high impedance lines. Insomuch as the connection between power amp and speaker driver is both signal and power, that's about the only place where power cables could possibly affect the sound coming from the speakers.
That’s exactly what Paul would tell you. They use top of the line Audioquest cables all round and plan to rig their new Octave Records studio with them as well.
Amir, I loved your review, I had a good laugh and you made my day (well at least for the moment). BUT, did you not overlook one thing. This reviewer that can see the intentions of the band trough the power cable also claims the power cable made him a "Happy Guy". I think we can all agree that this is a statement he is qualified to talk about. I think I have finally understood the magic of cables: It makes certain audiophiles HAPPY. And can you imagine how happy you can be if you spend $30000,- on a power cable? Roomer has it that the drugs cartels in Mexico are seriously worried about AudioQuest cables.... Oh and one more thing: Paul thinks they are needed. Surely that must mean something to you :D
:) The problem with audiophiles is that they are happy when they buy these tweaks but then the happiness wears off and they go buying something else that makes no real difference to their systems.
I came back for a rewatch after watching a "super high end" channel tell me he could a ton of difference on his Nordost power cable which was about 10k... I have fancy looking ones I bought for looks off ebay,all really cheap, and look awesome let alone sound great for a tiny fraction...
PAUL’S REFERENCE AudioQuest Dragon AC Power Cable 2 meter version costs $10000, "These gems have breathed new life and opened up the soundstage in ways rarely experienced in this world class system. AC power technology is well over a century old and was never designed to meet the exacting standards of today’s high resolution audio-video components. AC noise is at the utility source, and is made worse by the component power supply. This creates distortion and low-level signal losses via the “masking effect.” The AQ Dragons solve this problem by the use of superior conductors, controlling the characteristic impedance, and dissipating ground noise. Connect a Dragon to your high-end audio system today, and get ready to be amazed." and nope this not a joke, 10K for a power cable; currently sold at PS audio
I mean at least they have some relevance with the "masking effect" that's been around the past two years . But you can also just take off your mask and save $10k
Yupp, and a waste of money. Paul is a bit like steve jobs. Excellent salesman. Until you understand what he's trying to sell..... than the illusion becomes very clear
Wonder why their gear needs the help of a cable to sound right. So all of their customers without such a cable are kidding themselves that their system sounds good?
" Discovered " 😃... your excellent channel Review about the PS Audio P12 Powerplant ...a 6000 dollar useless piece of audio gear..now these Audio Quest expensive power cables...and review CX81 Cambridge Audio amplifier...Very good and useful tests... thanks...being also a Ham Radio Guy with rather big output Transmitters ....there is a lot of CRAP audio TV Gear in the world !! .prone to interference..😫
I tried one of these. maybe X2 A couple months in tried a voltage tester on it, the thing beeps like crazy. No shielding anywhere on it. Then got a lower priced W Audio cable the shielding much better plus it has 10 AWG making higher current if needed.
😬 I’ve been a recording engineer for some 40 years, and also do relevant electrical installation with trained staff. An electric conductor and its insulation are plain physics…! Angel dust or magic spells will never change that. The power grid is way too crappy with veeery long cables and a plethora of enormous transformers, creating harmonics. When would a 100 dollar 6” cable be able to change anything in this equation? Has capitalism and Hi-Fi got into a crazy partnership, or are we making too much money even in these troubled days? I thought quackery got illegal after Coca Cola had to change it’s content somewhat. I’m just flabbergasted… it’s a power cable…
Well said. Sadly people put aside all logic and go by their "ears" not realizing that their hearing is dynamic and changes what it hears when you compare cable A vs B. The confuse that with cable B sounding better and go spend literally tens of thousands of dollars on cabling!
Hi Amir, I will send you a can of my Audiophile Paint to test. The difference in audio quality is night and day. Wider sound stage, greater dynamics and detail. You can tell what the artist had for breakfast. I also have a range of Quantum Magic Beans that counter the distortion caused by the Earth’s magnetic field.
hi Dr Amir thank you for the very kind and valuable advice i liked in particular your point that they should support with lab tests reports what they state they should put a plot where their mouth is kindest regards gino
I plug my amp into a female mains socket 1/4 mtr from my mains... Bypassing 15 m of in wall cable... It is obvious.. The sound is considerably better.. The cable on my amp is captive bog standard thin cable... Total cost nothing... Amir is a test meter head... He is totally wrong
Наука
What a natural presenter Amir is. He just presses record and churns out content that is entertaining and easy to follow. Not a common skill.
=
yeap 100% agree on that. very pleasing
I guess you would gain that ability when you have worked for Microsoft AND Sony.
@@Jordonater Age and experience also helps. I was quite shy before i had a business and served thousands of customers.
@@Jordonater i know many successful people who can't speak extemporaneously like this. It probably is just one of those things where once you know so much about a topic, it becomes trivial to talk about it at length.
I've got one of these connected to my Mac Mini. I like nice looking cables and I needed a longer one to plug into my UPS. I couldnt find any lower cost ones at the length I needed so I grabbed one of these. I gotta say, while I didnt expect it, the difference is staggering. The picture, the sound... Even my hard drives performance got a bump. My 1TB SSD can now hold over 2TB. Im thinking of getting one for my refrigerator so my leftovers can last longer.
🤣
Well, whatever you do, don't use them on vacuum cleaner. Company says the cord is directional so your vacuum would spit out dirt rather than suck it in....
@@AudioScienceReview HA. That's some quality AV based humor right there!
@@AudioScienceReview Good one!!!
If the refrigerator thing works out, let me know, huh? Groceries are getting expensive!
My brother in law was a electrical engineer for Rockwell Collins Aerospace and funny my other brother in law is a electrical engineer for a small private company that engineers GPS systems for farm equipment here in Iowa. I have shown them a few of your video's and even though neither are audiophiles they both agree with your testing methods and equipment to provide adequate information about equipment performance. They said the same thing as you. Even the super sophisticated sensitive equipment they work with doesn't go to the lengths of these audio companies to function properly. If the equipment is engineered properly ya shouldn't need a fancy cable.
Thanks. That is very reassuring to hear.
"Even the super sophisticated sensitive equipment they work with doesn't go to the lengths of these audio companies to function properly." Wtf sort of English comp is that?
@@johnsmith1474 Its obviously referring to the cables they use with test equipment or cables/wiring used with other precise sensitive equipment.... They are also both senior electrical engineers and see no issue with Amirs practices. I took college comp 1,2 a writing class and speech. I'm not writing a farking paper for an exam, its youtube comments on my phone I don't give a schiit.
Nice. I can say the same for network cables. Datacenters are packed with generic patchcables and wiring. Kilometers. Due to the network protocols which check packet consistency etc.
The only exception is fiber. These are of higher quality because the ends are polished better etc. But even then, before it reaches your house the total could exceed 4000 km. I.e. a qobuz Datacenter to your house.
I have cheap fiber interlinks and utp cables. No need for fancy stuff
@@johnsmith1474 "wtf sort of english comp is that"
I'll ask you the same question. Wtf sort of English comp was that.
If the person's point wasn't clear, ask him. Please don't correct grammar for the sake of correcting grammar. No one wants another English teacher
Such a bargain, I'll get one for my electric kettle to dissipate the noise.
It will probably get you better kettle whistle tonality on the boil. A theme is emerging with AQ products.
@@ericr385 my tea never tasted better !
Actually I think given the very low DC resistance, it wouldn't drop as much AC voltage across it as the kettle consumes huge amounts of current so you would be able to get your water to boil a couple of seconds quicker funny enough it is probably the best use case for this cable!
I would buy it if came in a cool color and on the used market for a good discount. Mostly for looks and theater
The Stereophile reviewer, Stephen Mejias, now works for Audioquest. Make of that what you will.
This reminds me of big pharma executives becoming FDA executives and vice versa, a revolving door syndrome as it is called.
I find these power cables add a 7-9% increase in nobility and enchantment. If cryogenically treated they add an additional 5-8% sense of wonder. After a 150 hour burn in the bloom increases by about 6%
😂😂😂
What if you raise them off of the ground, how much will that add😂
@@a0r0a7 You'll need Teflon cable trestles. Maybe a couple Shun Mook disks. And be sure they run East-West. Never North-South.
Sounds promising...
Just wait until you experience the wireless speaker cables...
🤣
The most important part is when and how you install the cable: this should be done during a blood moon while just havin bathed in goats blood.
Haven't even watched the whole video yet, and already got a good chuckle out of it. Thanks for all your time and effort ASR.
You do a great service for the community, the results were as expected. Thanks for your efforts on our behalf even though you reviewed the speakers I have rather poorly at least you gave ways to mitigate their problems.
You know what, after listening to your video on that, as a " beginner level " audio man , this confirms what i've been thinking for years and i never understood why demos and audiophiles would spend a few hundred on AC power cables .. I mean this is straight connected to the power outlet, so makes one with all the " spaghettis " that are in the walls and usually gets cut/filtered etc when it gets inside most audio equipment. By simple logic, one would think that the line interconnect cables could matter, because of low voltage/power , but AC cables ? Neway another great simple to understand yet instructive video ! Bravo !
I'm glad that you do these tests. Even though we all could guess the result, we should never assume things- this is why we test and verify.
Great effort here to describe sound quality with measurements. Many - Many people have tried this and failed for Many years now.
Many thanks for ASR for this interesting and eye opening review. Easy to follow and understand. Cheers and have a grea day.
Can't wait for your wiim mini review. Really excited to see your objective data on it.
I am making two comments today, this one is more serious. I was working on plasma chambers with DC power supplies of around 60kW output. One of the requirements is it minimize arcing and micro arcing. Micro arcing is when you get a short from the cathode in to the plasma. To suppress arcs and micro arcs, the power supply can measure these and will temporary reverse the polarity of its output (which is really impressive if you think about the speed and power these things have to switch). Some plasma power supplies can will give a count of the micro arcs which can be very useful for trouble shooting and development purposes. We had one type of cable that would use a huge bundle of 20 gauge Teflon wires. rather than one big conductor. The reasoning is that when you get an arc, the inertia of the electrons is so big that even reversing the polarity of the power supply is not enough to reverse the electron flow fast enough to suppress the arc. By having parallel wires, the the electrons are divided over more paths and the inertia is also divided by the amount of wires. And indeed the micro arc counter on the plasma power supply can measure the difference. This is the only instance I know, where cables make a difference. It was an eye opener none the less.
What you are describing is not inertia. Electrons move extremely slowly in a conductor even when the current is many amps. They also have minimal mass. But inductance could be what you're describing, since that will tend to maintain a current flow for a period of time when the current source is removed and inductance of a cable is reduced by using cables in parallel (ten cables in parallel gives one tenth of the inductance, for example, and also one tenth of the resistance if that is important).
Great video, as usual, Amir!
Folks, just imagine how much money (let's say you had a disposable income and were thinking about buying based on such Stereophile recommendations) you are saving thanks to Amir and his measurements that any Faculty of electrical engineering in the world would be happy to endorse. Watch the Jay Audio channel where he claims the power cords do matter, he truly believes it. That is the power of placebo
Jay is just another talking head "audio reviewer" clown
The thing is, some of these people manage to be smart enough to create decent essays about why this stuff is supposedly better, but refuse to believe any scientific things including psychological effects .
dude it's an $80 cable... my advice is to stick to your low-end best buy stereo system and the cords that come with it. Any upgrade of cables with your system will NEVER make an effect to your listening ears.🙄
@@BumpNrun69 who the fuck are you talking to? Cables make no difference. Wake up
I'd like to see a class action lawsuit against whichever company sells the most $ value of these, force triple damages on gross sales for false claims consumer fraud.
OMG another cable video! - Having a hard time distinguishing this channel from a comedy channel, lol... Good job Amir!
The cable has magical properties when connected to PS Audio components! 😉
Improved wallet draining - level 6
@@CyberBeep_kenshi Add a power plant for the full experience. LOL.
@@mark-anthonyhutchings8915 have you tried shoving 12 gas turbines in your livingroom? 😉🤣
Even if I basically know the outcome even before starting the video now, I could watch your "Reviews" about "Debunking Stuff" all day.
Do all the video you want about Cable, Purifier, Power Plants and such. I will watch everyone of them!
Oh, that is very kind of you.
Thank you for the review and your time spent, measuring lofty claims.
“If we wanted to reason through this then we wouldn’t have even tested.” Priceless!
Thanks for that. Great analysis.
Hello Amir. Thank you for your website, articles, and these videos. I understand why some manufacturers and maybe some audio enthusiasts don't like what you do, but I do not understand why anyone in the consumer community or Reviewers who claim to be objective / science-based would be prompted to criticize you. You are providing truth in audio and you are completely unsponsored. You are providing a great service to me and the audio enthusiast/consumer community. Please keep up the good work!
What then amir is the best way to get rid of noise in the mains ? Is there a cable/product or equipment which addresses it. What about the ifi ac purifier ?
This might sound like a silly question, but exactly what limitations would a so-called high quality mains cable be expected to overcome?
Remember years ago one of my buddies was a band member and I used to hang out at the music shop where he worked. There was one guy who would rave about how good his $1000 power cable made his gear sound and he swore by it and waved it around as though it was the Excalibur. Everyone else swore he was batsh*t crazy, and I thought he was just an isolated old crank. People like this can’t really exist in numbers. And then a couple years ago I saw an “Ask Paul” video and was blown away by the fact that this is real. People believe this stuff, and on a large scale. Seeing someone pay $10k for a record player and saying it’s the only way to listen to music is truly something out of the twilight zone for someone like me having come from car audio. I had a reel to reel when I was young, but only so I could dub studio masters that my brother got from a collector. I would have never considered it to be vastly superior to CD even with the nostalgia factor. It’s amazing what can happen when people are not properly educated. When they are deluded to the point that even basic reasoning does not work.
The situation has gotten seriously bad in that people think these myths are the norm. I get cables to test from many who were told by a salesman to buy them and they thought they should. Ditto for what they read online. Hopefully we can turn the tide with solid facts and objective data.
I love Amir's work and have been wanting this kind of public testing since the 1980's, but I also feel the need to be realistic about what we can do here. People have been scamming audiophiles out of their money for many decades and yet there are probably more believers, and thus buyers, of this nonsense today than ever before.
Why? Because advertising has money and psychology experts, while you and I do not. The Internet has made information more available than ever, yet what we've learned is that bad information is far more virulent and profitable than good information.
Even many reasonable, scientifically-literate people still use magic words to describe audio and claim to hear impossible differences between incredibly transparent audio gear. To some inescapable degree, high-end audio is about feelings, not physics :(. So long as scammers can sell people feelings, they'll make a lot of money doing so, often even pretending to themselves that their lies are true; that their AC power cord really "made more sense of the music."
How? Well, by making the Stereophile reviewer "a happy guy." He felt better having a fancy AC cable, so that alone makes it better. It's even possible the reviewer felt happy because he got paid to sit at home and listen to AC cables; a sweet gig if you can't get it.
Humans are incredible creatures, but they are not reasonable and never will be; Reason is our last-ditch option used only after zeal and fear are spent. Questioning what someone believes to hear is exactly the same as questioning a religious belief; we're just blasphemers and naysayers interfering with their truly blissful ignorance. You can't defeat highly invested Bliss with a distortion chart. The more ridiculous the Bliss, the more powerful it becomes. With sufficient Bliss, you'll find yourself listening to vinyl LP's on $35,000 worth of audio equipment on a flat Earth that's just over 5,500 years old and realize that Audio Science Review is a CIA operation.
I got one for you. Next time a vinyl enthusiast swears their turntable is magical, ask them if they know about the effects of having large inductance at the end of a long cable. If they know anything, they would say that it is a bad idea cause it makes the cable to have way more significant role in the filter this arrangement creates. Then ask if that is good for interference. Then ask why their 10k turntable does not have a buffer inside its tonearm, as close as possible to the coil that produces the sound signal. That why this piece of marvelous and superior tech does not have an pre-amp and RIAA internally, since that is the place it should be if sound quality is our #1 target.
Absolutely no engineer would design turntable the way they were made back in the day, as passive devices. We would place the first buffer as close to the cartridge as possible to get rid of that inductance ASAP. Then we would have pre-amp before we expose cabling to the outside world. There are no ifs and buts, this is the only way to do it properly.
And yet.. you can find 100k turntables without active circuitry... A swiss clock that has perfect balance, incredibly smooth bearings and then.. cable coming out of its ass, going to the external pre-amp.
Why? Because you can't sell "audiophile quality" turntables with active electronics, that is for some reason forbidden. When it is, and i can't stress this enough: the ONLY way to do it is with active circuitry. The signal is going to be amplified so it is better to amplify it as close to the source to a level where our cabling does not impact anything.
to be fair, a $10k record player likely has a much more dramatic effect on sound over a $100 record player than a $10,000 power cable has on a $5 power cable.
Vinyl is indeed superior to CD.
The least surprising find of the century. Thanks for taking the time and personal expense! Contact resistance is generally the most important parameter for cables, moreso than the wires themselves (except for some poor conductor choices like aluminum). Gold plated contacts go a long way. The problem with IEC connectors is that contact resistance will vary a lot because of inconsistent manufacturing, plating choices, alignment variations etc. I can imagine scenarios where someone has a particularly crusty wall receptable and a new cable either helps clean some corrosion off the contacts or creates better contact because of dimensional differences. If you're at an ohm or more in terms of contact resistance, I can imagine that having some impact on peak power for your setup along with safety concerns from the contacts melting. Ironically, it could ever so slightly help with noise because it would form an RC filter haha. ;)
Power cable review… bring on the crazies. 🍿
Amir liking this means he is biased. Nice one!
@@gioponti6359 We’re all biased. That’s why we do the measurements.
@@timealchemist7508 what measurements do you chose to do when you’re convinced the damn cable doesn’t make a difference?
I use fancy power cables. They look great and not expensive. It’s mostly for show and theater
I bought one of these expensive power cables and was pissed when I "listened" to it. It was so effective at removing distortion, that Jimi Hendrix's Stratocaster sounded like an acoustic guitar.
I think they call that airy with black back ground. I might ask Jay if he want's to try one of my gold earthing rods for his turn table as it really brings the sound stage out.
My basic question to any company that does not include measurements at all is how do you control quality in production if you have nothing but a hearing test to go by? Does some grab each cable and listen to it, in both directions mind you, and generate a pass or fail for quality?
Keep up the great work Amir.
Yeh, a critical question to ask....
Great question
Amir,
May I ask what your reference system consists of for your subjective listing test, cant find that ?
I believe your measurements, but I’m also believing my ears. The cable measurements are kind of static measurements. Is it possible that when music played there will be different behaviour? Like the transformer demands power from the grid I assume since music is dynamic the demand will also change every sec or less. Is there a way audiograde cables are better able the deliver the asked current?
Im just thinking out loud, but it’s strange I really hear differences even I didn’t bought any audiophile cabeling yet.
Not a big power cord guy myself, but feel a hundred here or there is a rounding error for a multi-thousand, even tens of thousand dollar system. Not a big deal, and cost less than a car detail job. Comparatively, power cord looms do look good. Aesthetics can not be dismissed entirely. Piano black or veneer finish anyone?
I have wondered if shielded power cords do reduce EMI radiation that can supposedly be picked up by other cables and electronics. This, separate from the noise coming through the wire, which is cleaned up by the internal PS anyway.
I thought the review to be fair, open minded, clear in his own views, and very well done.
I really enjoyed this review. It made me laugh. Thank you for doing this work, debunking the obviously ludicrous has real value.
Amir is kind of the Batman in this industry. Truly apretiate you efforts Amir!
Signed up for a small patreon contribution, keep it up! 👌👍 Go Amir! Go ASR!
You are very kind. :)
I enjoyed this one immensely. I think Amir was being extremely fair and rigorous. I don't fall into the measurements are the most important thing camp but in the case of mains cables I am with him 100%. I buy relatively cheap aftermarket cables( less than £50 ) because they have better IEC plugs, look good and handle better.
I recently bought a Kinki Studio EX-M1 amp ( great amp imho ) and was amused to note it did not come with what they call an El Cheapo power cable as they know Audiophiles are going to want to provide their own "better" cable
A great way to save a couple of bucks while flattering their customer (you are too much of an expert to want to use a generic cable) and flatter their own product ( it's so good it deserves a posh cable ).
Clever marketing.
Do you have a video to explain what do those measurements mean and how they are done? Do you agree there might be something else to measure in terms of sound quality?
I ask this question beacuse I didn't believe power cable can make a difference too. Recently I got a chance to try an AudioQuest Niagara 1200 with a Y3 cable. Compare to plugging into wall directly, the Niagara 1200 doesn't make too much difference (maybe my power line is already clean). But to my surprise the Y3 cable makes a big difference!
And with this video I subscribe! I was eyeing this cable for long wondering how a 2m power cable would change my speakers to sing differently .. from $100 to $10000 speakers!
would you be reciewing the fiio k9pro ess?
Have you ever tried to test Cardas audio cables? I would be very disappointed if there was no measurable difference especially on mid to high range interconnect & speaker cables. I am a big fun of these cables and every time I compare them to everything else they are clearly sounding better to my mind and senses.
Thank you for your reviews, they are very educating and informative and help people make better choices
I wish I have known Audio Science Reviews in the past, before having had invested thousands in cables & power conditioners etc... I had to learn my lesson the hard way as a naive, curious audiophile . Great Review!
I've spent money on multiple power cables because I can hear what they bring to my system. Who's the mug?
Good power conditioners can definitely improve the sound.
@@legrandmaitre7112 It looks like it's you that's the mug. Have you tried praying to Jesus to get better sound? It has the same effect, that is, none at all.
@@TombstoneTube Nope. Not possible.
@@MrsZambezi yes sir
Great video! It reminds me of a quote I read from Nelson Pass. A reviewer was interviewing him at his lab/workshop noted that he used generic power and speaker cables to test his amps and they asked why. He said "I don't want anyone else taking credit for my work." That was a pretty cagey answer but I took that to mean he didn't see any value in fancy cables. And if generic was good enough for The Nelson Pass...
Commercial Electronics engineer here, the only ring that affects a power cable is the quality of the interconnect (which itself has more to do with dimensional tolerances and the amount of copper in the cable, ie is there enough to avoid temperature increase for the required current). That’s it! Thanks for making these videos and putting some sanity back in the world!
Thanks Amir. I'm putting all my money into some Verity Lakme, as opposed to BS cables. Would love a review, though I listened to them extensively and loved their sound.
If I can get a hold of them, yes, happy to test. Drop them a line and see if they are willing to send a sample in for testing.
Googled them because they sounded like a Nepalese hot drink. A beautiful looking speaker.
@@jimfarrell4635 lol, delicious Lakme
Another great video thanks Amir. Just one question when I use high end audio mains cables to power my audio equipment why does my audio system sound different to the stock power cords?.... I hear a fuller richer sound using the more expensive cables its unclear why this is? The cables I'm using are double screened so this may help screen out EMI/RFI and are manufactured using a much larger diameter conductor size (6mm2) as apposed to 1.5mm2 so this may have an impact on the sound I hear? Your thoughts?
@Douglas Blake Hello Douglas yes the mind can lean towards favoring and interpreting the higher priced cable as sounding better than the stock cable because of its higher specs and higher price and also we want it to sound better so our minds trick us and we interpret this as better sound but it is not........
Simple explanation is that you hear differently when you buy something new and listen to hear what is different. That very act imparts different impression of sound even if nothing is changed. This is why I suggest repeating such tests blind. Have someone else swap cables on you without you knowing. Do it a dozen times and see if you can tell 10 out of 12 times which is which.
@@AudioScienceReview OK I will try the blind test swapping out the mains cables for the cheap stock cables
@Douglas Blake Hello Douglas it would be interesting to carry out a blind test following the detailed lab tests to see if component A sounds better than component B (Amir often compares the tested component with other similar components) to verify the lab results as we don't listen to lab results we listen to hifi components. Amir has just uploaded a video of a tube amplifier the VTA ST-70 and this measured absolutely s**t drastically worse than any solid state amplimer but how does it sound?.. is the sound as bad as the lab report shows.......?
Hi Amir, Excellent review, Thanks for the information. Have you had a chance to test the Bella Sound Kaula 2 or Shunyata Research ac power cords yet? Would love to read your opinion on them.
Great Test.
Who says cable TV is dead? This is a great cable TV channel!
Excellent review. I actually borrowed aq powercables to 'hear' it for myself. And zero difference.
One question though: placing powercables near interlinks / speaker cables. Would you advice on a minimal distance between them? Cheers!
US code states 12 inch separation between line and low voltage lines. I would follow that or cross them at 90 degrees (or thereabouts). But really, if you are not hearing hum and buzz (or if you do and it doesn't change when you move cables), then you don't have anything to worry about.
@@AudioScienceReview cheers!
Unfortunately no option for the distance then, but will take a look at crossing them where i can. Luckily no hums :-)
Fun fact, we recommend you on some big forums in the Netherlands when we refer to fact instead of woo talk. Doesn't always go down that well, but at least we put the word out lol. (Htforum).
@Douglas Blake oh trust me i know:) the borrowing was part of me catching up on things, and having fun. I had a neighbour swearing he hears a difference and a tech expert who shows it shouldn't. So i just had to try:)
@Douglas Blake ouch. Ye i am not gonna bankrupt myself. Always doing research, bit too much sometimes lol. These days the hardest thing is to find reliable sources like here:)
And meet unexpected people ;)
I do like this hobby a lot hehe,
Cheers
@@CyberBeep_kenshi Did you ever do any "research" on the price of this cable? ... and that will "bankrupt" you? euh-boy🙄
Funny you should say that generic power cable can be used as a high-quality signal carrier, Amir - that's exactly what I do. I remember a review of speaker cables in a British hi-fi magazine (I think the review was carried out by Barry Fox) about 40 years ago, which included mains cable as a wildcard: it came second overall. So that's what I use it for!
You are right in that many people buy extension cords and use them for speaker wire.
Tweaker/reviewer Jimmy Hughes writing in HIFI answers "kicked off the whole solid core industry" when he suggested UK 15A twin & earth for speaker cable as far as I can remember.
Does anybody know if the Audioquest Niagara 3000 surge suppressor/line conditioner is a significant upgrade over my Furman Elite-15 Power Factor i (PFi) Linear Power Conditioner?
Thanks!
Thank you for honest review and examination.
Great Video . Wish an High End Audioquest power cable testing. Like the "AudioQuest Thunder Power Cable" .
One video for 'audiophile' speaker cables stated it made the front soundstage wider, made the surrounds sound further back. So these wires altered the way the speakers image? How? What can a wire do to alter the way a speaker images?
Power of imagination is quite high.....
@@AudioScienceReview So is the power of suggestion.
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
I still dont understand how a change in cable BEFORE the power supply is supposed to chang anything.........as long as the connectors have a low resistance
BTW could you do a test on CAT6 as speaker cable twisted or not ?
Yeh, I can do that. I have seen people use them as speaker cable.
@@AudioScienceReview Nice of you !!!
Have used cat6 as speaker cable for a while only issue is that it was solid core so more brittle than the stranded stuff, which got annoying, other than that it worked great, it doesn't make good usb cable though(at least the unshielded stuff doesn't).
I think Audiholics tested this years ago
Perfect video a always
I love that the methodology and accuracy used in testing is the same, even if it is a proven snake oil product like expensive cables or an actual product.
No prejudice and highly analytical, like all things in life should be..
let's see Paul response.. will he maintain the "torn on the side of the COMMUNITY" narrative??? bets are on.. thank you, Amir
Is he missing? Perhaps one of his magic boxes shorted out and he fell off his soundstage.
I just love the logic - why worry about the metre or so of the unit cable when there's yards of it outside & inside your house you have no control over?!!
Incidentally I wonder why I have never suffered a ground loop problem with any of my equipment in the UK or Portugal? Is it something to do with the relation of cycles & voltage compared to 120v/240/230 perhaps or am I just lucky?
Thanks again for your reviews Amirm. Looking forward to an objective & technical review of the Wiim Mini streamer... 👍
Just lucky. :)
I spent 10 years is test and measurement for the US Navy ( NSA detachment) from small signal analysis from microwave , ground integrity on to telecom and all its foibles. .Then another 6 years in telecom as an analyst. Lots of test equipment lots of measurements, lots of "that fricken blows my mind " moments. There was a reason that wire insulation evolved over time to Teflon . There is a reason that better copper is needed to assure long-term reliability. But forget all that, the thing being missed here is contacts and contact degradation and resistance are lurking. The nemesis of any Submarine or Aircraft etc,. ( or anything else) built over time immemorial.
The first question to ask IMHO: What would be the ideal reference in connecting almost anything electronic to a power source .? If that has an answer then it must be considered. (Recalling that The "last two meters" is the war cry. of many audiophiles). But we are forgetting something here: Forgetting that the previous X amount of meters of 16 ga. Romex starts at the distribution panel , goes through a fuse or breaker ( resettable) and then on to 4 or five other outlets ( wired in series) whose contact resistance and integrity are often ignored and often poor. . . So is there an absolute reference? For the sake of argument concerning power distribution..YES. (To back up for just a moment, the role of a power cable needs some basic explanation: Do no harm! Don't be a filter and don't be worse than romex for conductivity, impulse response and high frequency high current demands).
So the reference.?Some magic needs to be employed ( maybe more like imagination) . If every component in your system were somehow directly wired to the AC D, panel and soldered directly to the input side of the transformer (in each component) that would be as good as it gets , it would seem. As long as the peak current demand is not exceeded. at the panel.... not likely. So NO contacts no "pinch points " . Just straight wire connected to every component on its own circuit..soldered down. THAT IS A FEFERENCE to me.
How do you approach that? You prioritize differently perhaps. You clean every contact ( is use KONTAK for that ) that includes the male and female sides of everything you can think of , starting at each the outlet ( ovevrkill allowed) . The goal; As much as possible make it look like lust another piece of wire After everything is clean with oxidation removed ( remember an oxidized car battery terminal can stop an engine from turning over) . Now protection. There are some products that work well to protect the cleaned area from re-oxidizing ; thin coats always. That is where that battle begins. If you want to be startled at how good your system actually is and expose other weaknesses ; you start here. (For older equipment the power switch definitely comes into play as well). Now you can assess power and speaker cable from a much better vantage point. Oh, and the other 4 or 5 duples oulets in line with you equipment , do the same thing, Take the outlet out, if it is funky, junk it and replace with a hospital grade outlet. Remember to clean the copper ( on the romex) to a bright finish then add some oxidation protection. Okay , NOW you can proceed and things will be lightyears easier to asses upstream. The moto: "ALWAYS START AT THE SOURCE".
Okay, just one more thing if you can stand it. When a new outlet or ac plug is installed , let it sit overnight as the cooper ( esp. solid cooper) will deform resulting in a less than ideal connection. Now retighten it again, and you will notice it did need some final tightening.. OVERKILL That's it. Merry Christmas.
these cables are actually a great investment. prices went up about 20-40 % over the last few years. so buy them, don't open the package, store them and try to sell them after a while. oh, and hope that not too many see this video...
Amir, have you tried it your TV or coffee maker? Was the coffee better?
What about the fancy power cords with the conductors braided in "counter rotation geometry"? I bet those filter out the noise, right? Unreal imaging and sound stage, super black background as well.
If a cable does any filtering as just a length of copper (no capacitors, diodes, electronics) then why would it only filer baddies, why no goodies too. How would it know? Is it zen with the universe and just bring balance to the force.
Another great review based on scientific measurements, not marketing hype. Thank you.
The basis of UL, CE, CSA is fire prevention. Your insurance company has a valid reason to deny a loss clime due to fire if it started in a non listed product.
If the policy says UL etc. was required for coverage.
Not just fire prevention. CE covers safety in terms of shock hazards (insulation, pull tests, plug and socket dimensions), chemical hazards (from plating, solder, plastics, etc), and also electromagnetic compatibility. The lack of CE marking would prevent the cable from being legally sold in Europe.
So in the USA, if a cable is sold without UL, its not illegal but optional? Now, can a home owner, if say a fire started due to a non UL listed cable sue the maker of the cable?
@@alcamacho1844 UL is not a legal standard. It is a optional standard. Being the most common standard you will find it required in the local building codes. Many cities have their own standards which may be more stringent than UL. LA city building codes are an example that in some cases exceeds UL.
As for your insurance company their job seems to be to to find reasons not to pay out climes.
The bottom line is here we have a $1000 chunk of 16/3 cable with some molded plugs on each end. You would think that they could afford too have the cable listed.
@@jimnunn9232 Thanks for reply!
Does the AudioPrecision need to be recalibrated periodically, or does the manufacturer make a newer model with better accuracy? You've mentioned that the AP is state if the art, but also a few years old. There must be something better by now.
No, it doesn't need calibration. I used to have a 20 year old one that worked like the day it was new. Calibration is only needed if you need a piece of paper to prove you have done your work (e.g. for government work).
As to something better, there isn't.
So, when is AudioQuest going to make miles long cables for the lengths from the power company, down the miles of power lines, to someone's house and to someone's outlet? Is a little 1-6ft cable supposed to make up for the lines from the power station and to the outlet?
Amir, do you recommend shielded power cables, so zero measurable interference or does it matter?
I believe the upcoming review of the Pangea cable will show zero measurable interference.
By the way, love the reviewer's comments on this cable that it "conveys the artist intention" that's hilarious!
No I do not recommend any shielding on power cables. Our hearing sensitivity is very poor in low frequencies so takes a ton of interference to make it audible.
@@AudioScienceReview Wow, I'm surprised at that, but I really appreciate your honest answer & your honest reviews!
It's funny though, some very expensive cables that I have purchased in the past were not shielded as where some of the generic cables that come with higher quality amplifiers or more inexpensive cables like Pangea Are shielded. Where I thought it would be the other way around. Lol
Love your reviews Amir. Wish you were my dad.
21:56 it helps convey artists intentions when you use it as a telephone cable so you can call them up
That's so funny.... :)
"Stereophile review" with NO measurements section--tells you EVERYTHING you need to know. Reminds me of a character called the Artful Dodger. AC 'cable' makes the guy feel good. Whatever. Thanks again Amir. Wonderful service to the public.
"A superb piece of writer's imagination" - pronounced JA.
Directional cable for alternating current
The lack of safety certification is the most absurd part, that is mind-boggling at ANY price point. As you said, it's unlikely to be of real concern, but it does speak to the misplaced priorities of a manufacturer to forgo something so basic. It also likely limits it to private applications only, as I can't imagine any recording studio or live venue even considering running non-certified cabling.
Good point about their priorities. They spend a ton of money on graphics, packaging, etc. to convince buyers of audio myths around cables but won't spend a few dollars getting safety certifications.
Thank You Amir for your enlightening video.
Unfortunately, I just bought a bunch of 'Open Box' & 'gently used' Audioquest power cords hoping that they would be somewhat of an upgrade to the 'stock' power cords that came with my preamp, amps & source components.
I wish I had seen this video before purchasing the power cords. They cost well over 2 grand.
The good news is that they just arrived today &, for many, I can return within 30 days to get my money back. Some of The Audioquest Hurricane Power Cords cost me 500 bucks for 3 meters. I may get stuck with some.
The Audioquest Niagara 3000 does not come with a power cord. Audioquest recommends using The Blizzard or Hurricane Power Cords for that surge suppressor/line conditioner.
I welcome your thoughts & appreciate any guidance you can provide 🙏.
I guess you could say I feel ripped off by Audioquest's false claims about the performance of their power cables.
Almost 20 years my hi fi store wrongly mixed up the price of audio quest cables. They charged the foot price for a meter. Spent less then a 100 bucks terminated it myself. Well built but couldn't beat my 14g for sound. I still see they are still at it.
Power cables that improve sound is pure marketing nonsense. You can have current starvation from having a smaller gauge conductor on a power amp, but that’s another story. Using unlisted products in power cable manufacturing is unwise at the least. Back when I made upgrade cables for power amps, I still used only listed products to make them. I used hospital grade connectors as these have better retention and contact over standard rated connectors. Having a more positive contact and higher retention may not make a hang about the audio quality, but it made sure that the connectors were making the most positive contact and therefore not likely to be questionable in quality. Using the hospital grade receptacles also helps in this. Your only as good as what lies hidden behind your walls also. Sub standard wire will not aid your efforts. The size wire determines the current it can safely carry. That’s not opinion, that’s a fact. Special circuits used just for audio equipment electrical requirements are not uncommon in high end systems. These dedicated branch circuits are specifically for audio use. Don’t expect a power cord to provide a miracle cure because it isn’t going to improve your enjoyment, it will yield a lowering to your account. It’s your money! Have fun. I’ll use listed gear and be safe. Stay safe my mates!😊👍🏻😁
Ps, on a different topic, will a thicker power cable e.g., 10 gauge make a difference compared to a regular off the shelf power cable? I really would like to know what I am missing out when I see those cables that look like pythons.. please Amir, illuminate us!! :)
The length of power cable is so short that it just doesn't matter. The power loss is very small as to be negligible. That said, I do like to get 14 gauge for my power strip and if they had 12, I would opt for that as well. Beyond that, you are buying yourself a stiff cable that can do damage to your outlets and fall out on its own.
A lot of audio usb cable does not have certification. I was very surpised. Got a Swedish Supra branded cable that is certified.
Yeh, USB like HDMI is screwed up in the way they didn't mandate certification from day one.
The aq cable has more holographic imaging… Thanks for the video Amir.
It does but its imaging wasn't good enough for me to imagine it is doing something useful! :)
Amir mentioned something I've thought about every time this subject comes up. My version has been "how can the last few feet of cable delivering power make much of a difference when the first several hundred feet is whatever was installed in the walls".
I prefer Pangea myself, and they look great!
Me too, and Tony my cat hates them! Love my Pangea power cords. 😉
They are awfully heavy and stiff though. I don't use mine for that reason.
@@AudioScienceReview Yeah, I only use them since they have a tighter grip. I don't believe in magic.
Hello Amir,
I would love to see you review Audioquests 2 meter power cable that retails for $9,800.00.
Iam sure it would perform just as well as any standard power cable.😄
I hear you :). But it is beyond my budget. I have tested a number of expensive interconnects from them though.
@@AudioScienceReview I know that. It would have been great though to see how useless this product is 👍
When I built concert PA systems, I'd buy 12/2 S cord by the reel to run between amplifiers and speakers. Compared to the "speaker cable" of the day, S-cord was cheaper and more durable. I don't see any of those advantages with that pre-made cord.
@Douglas Blake do you want a gold star for stating the obvious?
Same, the durability of power cables makes it very attractive choice, and you can source them from about any hardware store. I still have one in my home sub.
@@squidcaps4308 exactly! Home stereo users were buying lamp cord for their speakers, and that worked just fine. Pro audio users needed more durability _and_ couldn't afford to turn lots of amplifier power into heat, or sacrifice damping factor by using high impedance lines. Insomuch as the connection between power amp and speaker driver is both signal and power, that's about the only place where power cables could possibly affect the sound coming from the speakers.
The real magic happens when you connect one of these to the PS Audio P12.
I actually tested the P12 with my Pangea cable to satisfy those that really think that!
That’s exactly what Paul would tell you. They use top of the line Audioquest cables all round and plan to rig their new Octave Records studio with them as well.
@@UfukDirim -- For me, McGowan's climbing into bed with Audioquest was the last nail in the coffin of his credibility.
Amir, I loved your review, I had a good laugh and you made my day (well at least for the moment). BUT, did you not overlook one thing. This reviewer that can see the intentions of the band trough the power cable also claims the power cable made him a "Happy Guy". I think we can all agree that this is a statement he is qualified to talk about. I think I have finally understood the magic of cables: It makes certain audiophiles HAPPY. And can you imagine how happy you can be if you spend $30000,- on a power cable? Roomer has it that the drugs cartels in Mexico are seriously worried about AudioQuest cables....
Oh and one more thing: Paul thinks they are needed. Surely that must mean something to you :D
:) The problem with audiophiles is that they are happy when they buy these tweaks but then the happiness wears off and they go buying something else that makes no real difference to their systems.
@@AudioScienceReview That is why it made me think about drugs.
May be he’s happy because he got the Director of Communications job at Audioquest in the end.
AudioQuest, purveyors of the finest snake oil products.
Ok but did you give 2 months to burn in?
No, I did better. I have special wax that speeds that up. I put tons of it on it and it was good to go!
Keep up the great work Amir. I know you take a lot of heat, but the truth must be told. Thanks man
I came back for a rewatch after watching a "super high end" channel tell me he could a ton of difference on his Nordost power cable which was about 10k... I have fancy looking ones I bought for looks off ebay,all really cheap, and look awesome let alone sound great for a tiny fraction...
PAUL’S REFERENCE AudioQuest Dragon AC Power Cable 2 meter version costs $10000, "These gems have breathed new life and opened up the soundstage in ways rarely experienced in this world class system. AC power technology is well over a century old and was never designed to meet the exacting standards of today’s high resolution audio-video components. AC noise is at the utility source, and is made worse by the component power supply. This creates distortion and low-level signal losses via the “masking effect.” The AQ Dragons solve this problem by the use of superior conductors, controlling the characteristic impedance, and dissipating ground noise. Connect a Dragon to your high-end audio system today, and get ready to be amazed." and nope this not a joke, 10K for a power cable; currently sold at PS audio
I mean at least they have some relevance with the "masking effect" that's been around the past two years .
But you can also just take off your mask and save $10k
Yupp, and a waste of money. Paul is a bit like steve jobs. Excellent salesman. Until you understand what he's trying to sell..... than the illusion becomes very clear
Wonder why their gear needs the help of a cable to sound right. So all of their customers without such a cable are kidding themselves that their system sounds good?
@@AudioScienceReview ye, you would almost think it is a selling trick 🤣
" Discovered " 😃... your excellent channel Review about the PS Audio P12 Powerplant ...a 6000 dollar useless piece of audio gear..now these Audio Quest expensive power cables...and review CX81 Cambridge Audio amplifier...Very good and useful tests... thanks...being also a Ham Radio Guy with rather big output Transmitters ....there is a lot of CRAP audio TV Gear in the world !! .prone to interference..😫
Yeh, if you have a Ham operator next door, all bets are off. :)
Nice Video Amir! Can you maybe please test SUPRA cables? Thanks
Which cable from them?
The power cable, would be a good one.
I tried one of these. maybe X2 A couple months in tried a voltage tester on it, the thing beeps like crazy. No shielding anywhere on it. Then got a lower priced W Audio cable the shielding much better plus it has 10 AWG making higher current if needed.
W audio cost nearly the same, dude this is only an 80 dollar cable (not a 1,200 dollar cable) wake-up 😴
Such a great video. I love watching these fantasy products disappear in puffs of smoke.
I don't want "more music". I just want to hear the recording as best as I can. What is the "extra music"; noise?
😬 I’ve been a recording engineer for some 40 years, and also do relevant electrical installation with trained staff. An electric conductor and its insulation are plain physics…! Angel dust or magic spells will never change that. The power grid is way too crappy with veeery long cables and a plethora of enormous transformers, creating harmonics. When would a 100 dollar 6” cable be able to change anything in this equation? Has capitalism and Hi-Fi got into a crazy partnership, or are we making too much money even in these troubled days? I thought quackery got illegal after Coca Cola had to change it’s content somewhat. I’m just flabbergasted… it’s a power cable…
Well said. Sadly people put aside all logic and go by their "ears" not realizing that their hearing is dynamic and changes what it hears when you compare cable A vs B. The confuse that with cable B sounding better and go spend literally tens of thousands of dollars on cabling!
Audio Sense reviews😁👍
I like how that sounds, pun intended. :)
Hi Amir, I will send you a can of my Audiophile Paint to test. The difference in audio quality is night and day. Wider sound stage, greater dynamics and detail. You can tell what the artist had for breakfast. I also have a range of Quantum Magic Beans that counter the distortion caused by the Earth’s magnetic field.
I thought the Quantum magic beans would give you trouser shaking bass ;-)
@@RennieAsh The Trouser Trembling effect can be minimised by careful use of Telos Quantum X2 Stickers. Look them up, they are a real product.
@@geoff37s38 Wow. I'd love to know the science behind these (if there is any!)
You forgot one thing. This cable is exceptionally in transferring money from one pocket to another.
as with anything in this life... go figure.
hi Dr Amir thank you for the very kind and valuable advice
i liked in particular your point that they should support with lab tests reports what they state
they should put a plot where their mouth is
kindest regards gino
I have a power cable in my gear and I can tell the sound has much more presence with it than without.
:)
I plug my amp into a female mains socket 1/4 mtr from my mains... Bypassing 15 m of in wall cable... It is obvious.. The sound is considerably better.. The cable on my amp is captive bog standard thin cable... Total cost nothing... Amir is a test meter head... He is totally wrong
@@matthewtaylor7355 It's placebo in all its glory!