I hope you all are enjoying the time, money, and effort I put into this video, as much as you enjoy your audio system. I hope all of you can achieve the highest level of audio satisfaction and be as happy with it as possible. Feel free to leave a like, subscribe to my channel, comment your thoughts, and share this video with your audiophile friends.
Well, THAT is an actual possible advantage. If you've got some proper good grounding on your home electrics, a good shielding on all cables can do something. Then again, thick shielded wire is like what, 2 dollars a meter or so, 5 max? EDIT: also, routing cables differently likely does the same, avoiding any analog signal cables passing over the power cords could solve it, that is, if they aren't already shielded to begin with, as they should.
I’m glad to hear that! Timbre can really change how a piece of music feels. It’s those subtle details that can elevate your listening experience from just hearing to truly enjoying the sound. Great to see you finding value in that!
Thanks for sharing. I own tube and solid state mono block amps. From my experience upgrading from standard power cable to Audioquest RNG-Y3, Z3, Monsoon for all components including 2 line conditioners. Its not about a musical value. Improve current delivery, reduce RF, noise dispersion interference. My system has a cleaner power delivery in soundstage width and depth with improved imaging accuracy. Nuances will vary per hifi system. Hope this helps. Cheers
I just replaced all my power cables in my hifi system last year. The difference was huge!! It was like getting all new components. This simple change makes listening to music so much more interesting!
@@TheAudioStuff I got two types of Shunyata cables. I got the Alpha v2 XC to plug from the wall to my power conditioner. The other cable is the Alpha v2 NR that connects all my components from my power conditioner. These were a bit on the pricey side, but man they sound so good! I highly recommend them!
@@TheAudioStuff XC stands for "dynamic transient current delivery." This cord is best suited to power the power conditioner whereas the NR cable is best for cd players, turntables, pre amps, etc.
I get that! Power cable upgrades can be surprisingly impactful. It’s always exciting to hear success stories from the community. What upgrades do you think you might try out on your own system?
I’m glad to hear that! Many people overlook how much cables can impact sound quality. Upgrading can be a game changer, and it’s exciting to pursue those improvements in your own setup. Happy experimenting!
The smaller interference with other cables makes sense. If balanced solves this is unclear for me, but it seems that it is worth spending 75 eur on a shielded cable. If nothing else, it looks nice.
Haha not really. In the video I did that on purpose, as I had to take a lot of shots, it was easier not to push it all the way in, so I can easily unplug it and plug it back into a different device.
Absolutely! The power supply affects so much more than just volume; it can change the dynamics and even the tone of the sound. It's amazing how small details can have such a big impact!
I’ll never understand why soo many people with strong unwavering beliefs against this topic feel the need to watch these videos. Boredom ? Reach their anger hours for the day ? Cables make a sonic difference IMO, and that’s ok. Whether one believes it or not :) There’s now been multiple people that have created real measurable differences between cables. Thanks for making the video ✌️
I believe that I do understand why that is. People are just interested in other perspectives on certain things, that's why they watch videos they don't agree with.
That's the thing right there. _People_ have _created_ real differences (in their head). Also there are measurable differences. Most of them are inaudible unless you have sensitive equipment. Sensitive in that it reacts to parameter variance, i.e. less stable Noise can be present in low level signals from surrounding equipment. I feel a lot of audiophile cables don't include shielding for that though
It's about outrage time..even if there is a tiny difference, the plug comes from the wall, you have normal wires delivering power. Difference canceled.
Right? Those Monosaudio cables are indeed built to last. Their robustness really makes them suitable for heavy use, especially if you're constantly on the go. A good investment for any serious audiophile!
That’s a great question! The value of high-end power cables can really depend on your setup and preferences. It’s definitely worth exploring based on your specific needs.
That's a great question! I think when it comes to power cables, it really does depend on the specific brands and their build quality. I've noticed that while some premium brands definitely offer some advantages, my experience showed that the differences might not always justify the price tag. It's all about matching components and finding what works best for your setup.
"I spent a lot of money and now I must justify it all by making myself think that I achieved significant improvement" or cognitive bias as most of us know it.
Why would you think that? Nothing can be further from the truth. Before I continue, for full disclosure, I have to tell you that I have a masters degree in psychology. In the past, if I didn't mention this up front, people would get extremely upset with me. I don't know why, because the information is still the same, but now you know. When dealing with personal biases, it seems like a simple thing to measure and test. Its not. In order for a test like this to be accurate, you have to know what someone's biases are. Just the act of finding out what someone's bias are will almost certainly throw the test. To prove differences in cables, there are much better ways to test. The 2 I use are null testing and blind testing. However, with blind testing, you have to know what you're doing. The average person typically thinks double blind testing is the way to go. I understand why they would think that, but its not. You can't control all the variables you need to using a double blind test, so your results won't yield scientific results. If this is something you want to look into, I would recommend null testing. Its easier, and if done correctly, the results have to be accurate.
@@052RC how can a null test be the same as a full system playing (it can’t). Also, a biased person can still be correct about what they are assessing. To assume bias = ‘always error’ is not logical. Negation bias is bias towards disproving something.
@@052RC do you think a better digital cable can positively affect the sound in a system? Shortcut - you probably don’t. Truth - you are completely wrong if you believe that 😂
I totally understand where you're coming from! It's easy to get caught up in justifying expensive upgrades, yet they indeed make an audible difference in high-resolution systems!
Power cables are probably the least effective upgrade path, most people wont notice any difference, most power cables are built to a iso Eu standard that should be suitable for given device, the only benefit i see is to get a power cable with good shielding and strong connector's that might help in some situations depending on some equipment. In fact some of these hifi cables haven't even been accredited and could theoretically be dangerous and cause a fire, just make sure they have the right pass marks, standards otherwise you dont want your house to catch fire. I think a better investment would be better interconnects or speaker cable but even that can be a hotley contested subject. Power conditioners or regenerators maybe the better options especially if your power supply is not stable or clean
You raise some important points about safety and standards. It's crucial for viewers to understand what they are buying and to invest wisely in their setups. Solid cables can make a difference, but investing in good audio sources is often the better path.
I see where you're coming from, but my goal wasn't to trick anyone. It's more about exploring how different components can affect the overall audio experience. Everyone's audio journey is unique, and sometimes what seems like a foolish investment to one person can be a game changer for another.
@@TheAudioStuff Physics aren't unique for each person. That "journey" you're talking about sounds spiritual or even religious, and has nothing to do with reality and technology.
Electricity is sent to your home over miles of the cheapest copper wire/cables that would do the job and then distributed through your house by the cheapest wire that met building code, but somehow that 4 feet between the outlet and your equipment can magically enhanced electricity via a $2 grand power cord.
I prefer having cables that I could hide or are flexible; just a few of those chunky cables and now you have to have space for the equivalent of another piece of gear lol
Power cords definitely make a difference. Without them you have zero dynamic range. ;-D All joking aside, this myth needs to be put to bed. High end power cords don't make a difference with competently designed and build audio gear.
Glad you enjoyed the video! The debate around power cords is definitely polarizing, but I've seen passionate arguments on both sides. While some swear by high-end cords, others feel they make little difference with quality gear. It’s always interesting to see where people stand on these subjects, and I appreciate your light-hearted take on it!
Neither. Contact The Cable Company. They're the largest audio cable retailer in the world. The reason they're the biggest is that they keep demo units of everything they sell. So, for example, if you are interested in a new power cord, call them and they'll come up with 4 or 5 different options for you. You then get a box full of cables to try in your system without committing to a purchase. If you think one of the cables makes a difference worth paying for, buy it. If not, you don't have to buy anything. Power cords are weird. The results you get them are not consistent. You may hear no difference at all, but even if you do hear a change, its not always for the better. If you can't try them first, I say don't buy anything unless you're OK with taking a chance.
Electricity is noisy, and it does not matter where you live. The best thing anyone can do for overall sound quality is to run a direct circuit, or line, from the main panel to the audio gear. A direct line, or "Home Run" from the panel to the gear, eliminates any possibility of those other outlets and switches adding excess noise to the circuit. Most folks do not know that electricity actually vibrates. It vibrates enough that it will loosen electrical connections over time. If you use the inexpensive "stab" outlets (USA), the vibrations of the electricity will actually break the copper wire. Everyone laughs about this stuff, but the truth says different. Will a power cord make a difference? It just may, depending upon the circuit and what is going on outside of the house at the transformer. Ham Radio guys know this stuff, and it is no different with our AV gear.
@@TheAudioStuff The same holds true for the network/ethernet, I use an LHY SW8 filtering switch and the Netgear GS108eV3 switch. The Netgear switch is just as good as the much more expensive LHY switch. The Netgear unit runs around $50 US on Amazon, it runs on 12v, I do use an LHY linear power supply on it too. The real tell was with video streaming, the PQ on my Sony Bravia went up a few notches. I had one guest ask me when I bought a new TV. If you stream, it is worth picking up one of these Netgear switches, If it does not work to your liking, send it back. I have never had anyone I recommended this switch to send it back. ;-)
I don't understand what the connection is between the "quality" of the power cable and the performance of the audio system. I strongly believe that the difference is made by the filtering part, the quality of the mains transformer, the quality of the parts, a good shielding of the preamplifier and a correctly sized final stage with sorted components. I knew a passionate audio amplifier engineer who managed, with long-tested components, to build a transistor amplifier in the final stage that sounded better than a tube amplifier. Otherwise... just a waste of time.
Once you filter the power, you have to transport it to the device in a way, that remains pure and high quality - that's what that all seems to be about.
@@TheAudioStuffThe funniest bit is that you are "hearing" the improvement in reproduction of recordings made with miles of ordinary cabling and mixed by sound engineers, who would die of laughter hearing that nonsense.
@@paulb4661 it’s like saying that hi-fi speakers don’t make a difference, because the songs are mixed on much lower quality studio monitors - nonsense.
I did a scientific test about this many years ago. Using speaker chamber test with microphones. The response curve and sinus waves are exactly the same. We need to know that the miles and miles of power cables going into our house is not this level of quality, therefore a 3 foot cable of the best quality doesn't do anything. This is in my humble opinion a placebo effect. It's the quality of the amplifier and the signal source itself that impacts the sound. Not the power cables between the amplifier and the wall. If it's connected to a capacitor bank it might have a bit more omph due to power reserves when it needs to hit that hard base with high volume. But that's it. Because a good amplifier should have a big enough capacitor bank built in.
@@elborgundfrequency is only part of what you hear. You are measuring the wrong things. If you only listened to test tones that test might be somewhat valid for measuring differences in cables, but not for music.
I'm going to tell you something and I'm not trying to insult you. Its just a fact. What you did is commonly referred to as junk science. I'm not saying it was intentional, but if you want to claim scientific results, you have to adhere to the scientific method, and there are no exceptions. What were you testing for, and why? The first step in the scientific method is to have some type of observation that can't be explained with our current understanding of how things work. If you don't have a clear observation of an event that can't be explained, you don't have a test. Its just that simple. And if you do have a observation, it needs to be replicated as part of the test. If you want to see a perfect example of junk science, look no further than the audio science review channel here on youtube. The guy is a fraud. He's building his youtube channel by telling people what they want to hear. I would refer you to the posts I've made on his channel because I completely prove he's doing junk science using his own videos as evidence. However, that's not possible because he removes my posts the second he see them. But the point is, science is something very specific. You can't just ignore the evidence and take it upon yourself to prove, or disprove an event that you took no part in. Well, you can, but you just can't call it science. Just to be clear, I'm not saying what you did was wrong. You can do anything you want. If your testing gave results that you were able to use to your advantage, that's fine. You just can't call it science. That's all I'm trying to say.
Hello, the video title suggests the contet would be about power cables an their potential effect on your system, but it seems the video is entirely about advertising one company and is full product line of cables incl. even USB cables. What kind of channel do you want to be ? A serious, trustworthy and reliable reviewer or an advertising channel ? Ask yourself please.
Hello! There's no advertising involved. I just wanted to talk about the cables I have from the MonosAudio, including power cables. I haven't been paid at all for this video. I hope you understand.
They make no difference that is detectable by measuring equipment or the human ear, but if you imagine it is better they spend away. you are not hurting anyone and enjoying your hobby.
What about the power points, the wire in the walls, the wiring in the fuse box, the fuses, and the wiring to the street? That has a much greater effect than the 1.5m cord from the gear to the point.
I can confirm the extra bass on a decent amplifier. I only replaced the supplied power cable because it was a bit flimsy and wouldn't attach properly. I got a cable from a different manufacturer (I won't say the name, but starts with PS and ends with wave 😁). I wasn't expecting sound changes but, out of the blue, I was earing stronger bass. I haven't changed other equipment or speaker placement, so I assume it was due to a better power cord
Bass is possibly the place where the most improvements can be heard, mostly due to things such as contact and cable resistance, which tends not to be great on stock cords.
This seems like an awful lot of improvements in every single aspect to be coming from power cables alone. There are some tests that show cables can make a difference in certain conditions, but as long as they are thick enough and not the absolute worst quality, tests also show that what actually comes out of the speakers is for all intents and purposes, the same. So, first thought was that this is either placebo or bias, but then you mention that the cables removed static noise when idle for you. That generally means you have an issue somewhere, though if its removed by swapping the cables then it makes me very curious what you were using before. If all your old cables was really bad or insufficient for the workload, then this makes alot of sense to me. I once tried reusing speaker wires from tiny satellite surround speakers on some floor standing 4-way towers, mostly because it was what I had at hand and I was impatient. Obviously, those wires were never designed to carry that load, and when I got around to make some decent cables with the correct gauge, I experienced alot of the same things you talk about here. Cables are, in my humble opinion, one of those things that are either good enough or not. Yes or no. And when they are good enough, I havent found any benefit to upgrading. I am genuinly curious though, Im thinking that there has to be something going on here. Either that your old cables were unsuitable, or you living on top of a radio station or something. I find it a bit hard to believe that all the things you describe here comes from "dirty power" alone though, but if you want to test that you could always pick up a a simple power conditioner for like 50 bucks and swap all your old cables back in. If it still sounds as good with the old cables and a power conditioner, then you might have some weird stuff going on with your mains power, but if it goes back to sounding like before the upgrade, im fairly convinced the issue was your old cables being underspecced for the work you ask them to do.
You raise some really solid points here! It’s true that cable quality can sometimes get overlooked, but you're completely right-if the cables are up to spec, the differences can be subtle. I did have some inadequate cables prior, and it's fascinating how much better things sound now. I'll definitely consider your suggestion about testing with a power conditioner; it's a smart way to rule out any other factors.
They indeed do! For the purpose of a video, out of curiosity, I borrowed my friend's PS Audio preamp. Currently, I'm running my system without one, you're right ;)
@@TheAudioStuff Take it one step further ... ask WHY you heard the difference. It makes no sense that a hunk of wire is going to change the sound of your system... so at least be curious enough to ask "What else changed?" For example: sitting just an inch or two off center when listening can totally change what you hear.
@@donerskine7935 Modern cars don't have spark plug wires. At least the vast majority of them. The ignition coils are mounted directly on to of the plugs. That said, the sound of the car wouldn't change even if it did have spark plug wires. I guess if you have a miss due to a bad cable, the sound of the car would change when you fixed it, but that's about it.
@@TheAudioStuff Anyway bass is not supposed to be always perceived as tight - it suppose to have no permanent character and present readible for listener full melody line withot overlaying rest sounds and instruments. At least up to my taste.
For such systems, built around genelec speakers for example, cables surely aren't very important. However, I'd really encourage you to try some serious passive speakers in a well-optimized setup to see what it's all about.
Digital signals are either 1 or 0. I would agreed that "expensive quality built" cables gives a better result on analog signals. If digital cables affects the sound quality, it must be due a DAC that messes up?? Maybe a quality off-grid shielded system could improve sound quality better than justr buy expensive power cables?? As the grid is full of "noise"
EMI filters are cheap and get rid of all that noise, no need for expensive cables. Switching power supplies isolate all that noise in the ac to dc part, so EMI filters only work in linear power supplies. And you are right, there are only two types of digital cables, the ones that work and the ones that don't
Your forgetting how each digital input has been implemented inside a component. Whether it’s galvanically isolated etc. The digital input itself could impact the sound before considering what a cable may or may not do.
You're missing one thing. You can't send 1's and 0's through a piece of copper wire. Digital cables are really analog. In order to send a digital signal through the cable, its converted to an analog representation of the digital signal. And because the digital signal is now analog, it can be effected by anything that would normally effect any analog signal.
Interestingly, I had converted a 10 gauge extension cord by removing the standard plugs and replaced them with precisely the same Monosaudio plugs you used in your video complete with the rhodium coating. Unfortunately, the sound was worse than the stock connectors, surprisingly (less dynamics, not as revealing, etc.). I viewed this as the ultimate experiment at least in terms of evaluating the effects of the higher quality plugs since I had used the same cable. I plan to replace this converted cable to a proper HiFi power cable soon, and will not be using it in my system. Of course, I can't comment on how what I did would compare to the your use case...combination of the higher quality copper, shielding, in addition to the higher quality plugs. But, based upon your review and my experience, I would surmise most if not all of the improvement you observed was coming from the cable and shielding, and not the plugs themselves. BTW, I have a very revealing system so your experience may be different than mine (BHK 250 amp, tricked out Freya+ pre, Heresy IV speakers, REL S 510 sub, etc.). Hope this was helpful.
That's interesting! Did you terminate the cable yourself, or did you buy it pre-made? A secure connection between the wires and the connector is crucial for maintaining good sound quality. Loose connections can increase resistance, which can negatively affect the dynamics of your audio. If you made the cable yourself, double-check your soldering or crimping job. If it's pre-made, you might want to inspect the connector for any signs of damage.
@TheAudioStuff I did assemble myself. I'm an engineer and so I made the best of what was available. With that said, the terminal connections within the plug housings (e.g., where the wires seat), are incredibly low quality by modern standards - both in the way in which the wires are secured as well as with the metal they had used. I'm confident the lower audio quality I heard was because of that. Either way, it was a worthwhile experiment from the standpoint of teaching me the importance of the wire and shielding used (a combinationof your results and my results from other upgrades), and the secondary importance of the quality of the plug terminals (the Monosaudio plugs were indeed worse, but not as big of a difference as one would expect when changing an entire cable). Of course, I will never purchase from Monosaudio again, but it was an important lesson.
Why do the one with long nails not insert the power cable all the way in.. Of course you will not get the benifits of the better conectors when they are inadequately used.. I hope you didn't use the cables that way!
I appreciate you swinging by for the laughs! Audiophile debates can definitely be entertaining, especially when they get a bit heated over power cables. It's all in good fun though, and I love the conversation it sparks.
For audio quality, these work best when connected to a Hi-Fi power station, with a Hi-fi national electricity distribution network, using Hi-Fi fuses, and earthed to a Hi-Fi planet. Otherwise, any sound improvement is in the deluded imagination of the listener who is easily parted from their money.
So, you believe thick shielded power cables used for the last 4 feet to your amp solved all of the noise, interference in the 50 miles of unshielded cables from the power plant? Hearing HUGE differences in power cables and USB cables, when any actual difference is too small to be measured, is 100% due to cognitive bias. Why not do an episode on cognitive bias and why it does not apply to you. That would be very interesting.
Went down the audiophile road for a while. Luckily I didn't continue. At this point it really is more about looks. And if a part makes you feel better than go for it. I always shook my head when I was looking for my front speakers and seeing all these older people (at the time) saying they heard the "big" difference between a 20 and a 200 dollar cable. Yep a 60+ year old ears hearing all these wonderous improvements. Buy this stuff for the right reasons and looks is pretty well the top one. After all you just bought a super expensive tube amp how can you live with yourself using the plain power cable?
Please, believing in snake oil is NOT the definition of an Audiophile. An audiophile is someone who loves to actually listen to music. And that does not have anything to do with the price of his/her gear.
@@marckant3611 I love actually sitting back and listening to the beautiful music. The things I have come across in shops sometimes just make me shake my head. Can't remember the name of the anti static "gun". But wanted one (they were popular back in the 80's). So there I was standing in an audiophile shop beside a Oracle Delphi LP player and the salesman actually said that they were to expensive for them to carry... what the heck? I found these removed static the absolute best. My guess is they just either didn't know they were still around or they just didn't get enough markup to carry them. I still am on the lookout for one. My other favorite was what I called the Paradigm push. You would think these things were the be all and end all by the hard sales selling so many places did on them. Really put me off and even to this day (over 20 years latter) I will never ever have one of their products!
@@marckant3611 The dictionary says a Musicophile loves music, and an Audiophile is a person having an ardent interest in stereo or high-fidelity sound equipment. That distinction is important. If you have an ardent love of the gear itself, it is near impossible to compare audio components without cognitive bias. Biases make one particularly vulnerable to snake oil.
With lower end gear, it might not have much effect. However, as you get to the better, more resolving AMPs/DACs - using the cheapo stock cord is not a good idea in the long run.
It surely does matter! When your system isn't very resolving, you're unable to hear the differences in the source gear, tweaks, power and cables. Your system could very likely not be able to RESOLVE those changes, which doesn't mean they don't exist.
A hair dryer is able to pull 1,800 CONTINUOUS WATTS from a 120V outlet using skinny cables. So you are saying these upgraded cables can magically pull more watts?
I get where you're coming from! The capacities of power cables can be surprising, but upgraded cables may not necessarily allow for more wattage but can improve the efficiency of power delivery. It’s more about reducing losses and improving overall performance than just pulling more watts at the outlet. Thanks for raising that point!
You could achieve the same effect more cheaply by putting pictures of the new cords on your walls. This is analogous to the chef who puts a sprig of parsley on the plate to make his food taste better.
There has to be a middle ground between placing power crystals to heal the energy of the room to improve audio quality, and spotify on counterfeit Air Pods from Aliexpress... Tho I have a hard time finding people in between for some reason.
I get the skepticism! “Audio voodoo” is a term I’ve heard before, and it’s definitely a hot topic. I try to demystify it in my videos, but I know some might still see things that way. It's all about finding what works for you, at the end of the day!
I can see how it might come off that way! My goal was to explore what happens when you dive into this controversial topic. Audiophile culture can be quite intense, and I wanted to highlight the varying opinions out there while having some fun with it. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!
There seems to be a misunderstanding. So let me clear it up! Replacing the last whatever length of dirty wiring is indeed not the smartest thing in the world to do - I totally agree with you! That's why in all my tests, and in my day to day use, I replace only the wiring, carrying out the clean power from my HiFi power conditioner. - That approach makes a lot more sense ;)
@@TheAudioStuff yes agreed. Anything coming out of your hifi specialized power supply is important, anything before the low noise regulated linear power supply is practically useless. That's a fact.
@@al-mukhantich well... if you don't believe in that either, then I have something for you, that you can't deny. Non shielded cables are radiating noise everywhere, and it gets to all components nearby. Superior shielding is just a single part of hifi cables.
@@TheAudioStuff So when you talked about USB cable(s), you meant not about the transferred music through it, but the noise it produce in your analog circuits?
@@TheAudioStuff It easy to misunderstand each other from such short messages, but lets see. USB cable does not carry analog signal. It carries power + digital stream of data. The DAC generates analog signal from the digital data you send through the USB cable. And the sent digital data through the USB cable is not effected by noise. It is either correct or corrupt. There is no better or worst digital data. Noise can only effect your analog signal generated by your DAC.
I respect your opinion, but I truly believe that experiences differ from person to person. I aim to share my journey in audio and hope it resonates with some viewers, even if it doesn’t with everyone. It's all about personal perspective in this hobby!
All of the symptoms your are listing can be the effect of electrical noise. However, it is very unlikely that the power cable which came with your electronic device is the source of such noise unless you are using cheapo Chinese garbage. Power filtration takes place at the device level with a power filtration circuit directly off of the powered lines coming into the unit. ANY additional filtering beyond the designed filter will alter the intended sound of a device. I have used power filters before and all they did was destroy the sound of stage of devices. The largest power quality issue is going to be from your breaker box to the outlet you are using. Installing your amplifiers on isolated lines that go directly to your breaker box without breakouts going to different areas will improve thing significantly. Far more than just replacing the power cable from the wall to the device. The issue is cross talk between the devices on the power lines. Since AC is a push pull frequency, the frequencies are affected by other devices on the same line. This is what the built in power filter is for, but it can only do so much. Complete isolation of circuits is the only real solution.
Thanks for your insights! You bring up some great points about power filtration and the importance of isolation. I completely agree that power quality issues can stem from various sources, including the breaker box. Your experience with power filters resonates with many in the community who prioritize preserving the integrity of their audio gear. It's definitely a nuanced topic, and isolation can indeed be the key to achieving the best sound quality.
Now why not verify that what you're saying is true by testing the reverse: try the flimsiest, thinnest and unnecessarily long power cables that you can find and observe the changes. Between those and high end ones you should really be able to hear and even measure a difference.
That’s a great suggestion! Testing the extremes can definitely provide a clearer picture of how much difference these cables make in real-world scenarios. Stay tuned; I might explore that angle in a future video to see just how dramatic the differences can be.
I hope you all are enjoying the time, money, and effort I put into this video, as much as you enjoy your audio system. I hope all of you can achieve the highest level of audio satisfaction and be as happy with it as possible. Feel free to leave a like, subscribe to my channel, comment your thoughts, and share this video with your audiophile friends.
This kind of content is exactly what I need to take my setup to the next level.
That’s what I aim for! I love sharing tips and insights to help everyone elevate their setups. Glad to hear you found it helpful!
I was skeptical about changing power cables, but your results make me want to experiment with my own gear.
It’s totally normal to be skeptical, but I think you’ll find the changes to be worth the experiment! Let me know how it goes once you give it a try!
I tried it and it works. It lowers the noise floor. I think more due to the shielding of the cable than the OFC (I have no way to test that anyway).
Well, THAT is an actual possible advantage. If you've got some proper good grounding on your home electrics, a good shielding on all cables can do something.
Then again, thick shielded wire is like what, 2 dollars a meter or so, 5 max?
EDIT: also, routing cables differently likely does the same, avoiding any analog signal cables passing over the power cords could solve it, that is, if they aren't already shielded to begin with, as they should.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the thorough review! Your passion for audio gear really shines through-great content!
My pleasure!
Your insights on timbre added a new perspective for me. It's fascinating how much sound relies on these details!
I’m glad to hear that! Timbre can really change how a piece of music feels. It’s those subtle details that can elevate your listening experience from just hearing to truly enjoying the sound. Great to see you finding value in that!
Great job explaining the impact of good shielding! I learned so much from this video.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for sharing. I own tube and solid state mono block amps. From my experience upgrading from standard power cable to Audioquest RNG-Y3, Z3, Monsoon for all components including 2 line conditioners. Its not about a musical value. Improve current delivery, reduce RF, noise dispersion interference. My system has a cleaner power delivery in soundstage width and depth with improved imaging accuracy. Nuances will vary per hifi system.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Thanks for sharing, great tips!
Your A/B testing was well done; it helped me hear the differences in a way I could relate to.
I appreciate the feedback! A/B testing truly helps highlight the more subtle differences in audio gear. Glad it resonated with you!
I just replaced all my power cables in my hifi system last year. The difference was huge!! It was like getting all new components. This simple change makes listening to music so much more interesting!
Damn, sounds nice! What cables did you end up getting?
@@TheAudioStuff I got two types of Shunyata cables. I got the Alpha v2 XC to plug from the wall to my power conditioner. The other cable is the Alpha v2 NR that connects all my components from my power conditioner. These were a bit on the pricey side, but man they sound so good! I highly recommend them!
@@toddb1765 Oh, I see! What's the different between the XC and NR cables from Shunyata?
@@TheAudioStuff XC stands for "dynamic transient current delivery." This cord is best suited to power the power conditioner whereas the NR cable is best for cd players, turntables, pre amps, etc.
I see - wouldn't it be better to use XC for everything though? Are they more expensive or something?
You mentioned a surprise upgrade-now I'm hooked! Can't wait to find out what it was!
You and me both!
I can't believe the improvement you noticed, gives me hope for upgrading my own system.
I get that! Power cable upgrades can be surprisingly impactful. It’s always exciting to hear success stories from the community. What upgrades do you think you might try out on your own system?
The fact that you found improvements in background noise with upgraded cables has convinced me to try it myself.
I’m glad to hear that! Many people overlook how much cables can impact sound quality. Upgrading can be a game changer, and it’s exciting to pursue those improvements in your own setup. Happy experimenting!
The smaller interference with other cables makes sense. If balanced solves this is unclear for me, but it seems that it is worth spending 75 eur on a shielded cable. If nothing else, it looks nice.
Balanced connection greatly HELPS with interference. It can never fully solve the problem, but it gets somewhat close.
I suppose the ambient noise harmonics are adjusted by how far you push the plug in? Most of the demo had the plug barely engaged.
Haha not really. In the video I did that on purpose, as I had to take a lot of shots, it was easier not to push it all the way in, so I can easily unplug it and plug it back into a different device.
Definitely going to try those digital cables! If they help with soundstage depth, I’m all in.
Fingers crossed!
It's wild to see how power supply can impact sound; I never really considered it until now.
Absolutely! The power supply affects so much more than just volume; it can change the dynamics and even the tone of the sound. It's amazing how small details can have such a big impact!
I’ll never understand why soo many people with strong unwavering beliefs against this topic feel the need to watch these videos.
Boredom ? Reach their anger hours for the day ?
Cables make a sonic difference IMO, and that’s ok. Whether one believes it or not :)
There’s now been multiple people that have created real measurable differences between cables.
Thanks for making the video ✌️
I believe that I do understand why that is. People are just interested in other perspectives on certain things, that's why they watch videos they don't agree with.
That's the thing right there. _People_ have _created_ real differences (in their head).
Also there are measurable differences. Most of them are inaudible unless you have sensitive equipment. Sensitive in that it reacts to parameter variance, i.e. less stable
Noise can be present in low level signals from surrounding equipment. I feel a lot of audiophile cables don't include shielding for that though
@@RennieAsh These cables in the video are indeed shielded.
It's about outrage time..even if there is a tiny difference, the plug comes from the wall, you have normal wires delivering power. Difference canceled.
Power cables cannot possibly make a sonic difference and that’s ok. Whether one believes it or not :)
Those Monosaudio cables look so robust. I can only imagine how they hold up under heavy use!
Right? Those Monosaudio cables are indeed built to last. Their robustness really makes them suitable for heavy use, especially if you're constantly on the go. A good investment for any serious audiophile!
Heavy use? You mean something like towing a car with them?
Hahahaha, he probably meant plugging and unplugging them often or something like that
I’m curious if you think high-end power cables are worth the investment compared to budget options.
That’s a great question! The value of high-end power cables can really depend on your setup and preferences. It’s definitely worth exploring based on your specific needs.
I’m curious, how do these compare to some of the top-tier brands in the market?
That's a great question! I think when it comes to power cables, it really does depend on the specific brands and their build quality. I've noticed that while some premium brands definitely offer some advantages, my experience showed that the differences might not always justify the price tag. It's all about matching components and finding what works best for your setup.
Cables require experimenting...I've had many that made no difference....but wireworld stratus and QED reference optical were fantastic.
Thank you for sharing!
"I spent a lot of money and now I must justify it all by making myself think that I achieved significant improvement" or cognitive bias as most of us know it.
What about negation bias?
Why would you think that? Nothing can be further from the truth. Before I continue, for full disclosure, I have to tell you that I have a masters degree in psychology. In the past, if I didn't mention this up front, people would get extremely upset with me. I don't know why, because the information is still the same, but now you know. When dealing with personal biases, it seems like a simple thing to measure and test. Its not. In order for a test like this to be accurate, you have to know what someone's biases are. Just the act of finding out what someone's bias are will almost certainly throw the test. To prove differences in cables, there are much better ways to test. The 2 I use are null testing and blind testing. However, with blind testing, you have to know what you're doing. The average person typically thinks double blind testing is the way to go. I understand why they would think that, but its not. You can't control all the variables you need to using a double blind test, so your results won't yield scientific results.
If this is something you want to look into, I would recommend null testing. Its easier, and if done correctly, the results have to be accurate.
@@052RC how can a null test be the same as a full system playing (it can’t). Also, a biased person can still be correct about what they are assessing. To assume bias = ‘always error’ is not logical. Negation bias is bias towards disproving something.
@@052RC do you think a better digital cable can positively affect the sound in a system? Shortcut - you probably don’t. Truth - you are completely wrong if you believe that 😂
I totally understand where you're coming from! It's easy to get caught up in justifying expensive upgrades, yet they indeed make an audible difference in high-resolution systems!
Power cables are probably the least effective upgrade path, most people wont notice any difference, most power cables are built to a iso Eu standard that should be suitable for given device, the only benefit i see is to get a power cable with good shielding and strong connector's that might help in some situations depending on some equipment. In fact some of these hifi cables haven't even been accredited and could theoretically be dangerous and cause a fire, just make sure they have the right pass marks, standards otherwise you dont want your house to catch fire. I think a better investment would be better interconnects or speaker cable but even that can be a hotley contested subject. Power conditioners or regenerators maybe the better options especially if your power supply is not stable or clean
You raise some important points about safety and standards. It's crucial for viewers to understand what they are buying and to invest wisely in their setups. Solid cables can make a difference, but investing in good audio sources is often the better path.
Thanks for putting in the time!
No worries!
a haircut and a real job. Lyrics from a pop song.
@@artsimannisto5659 should I get a haircut? :o
This video is a great essay on the old adage “A fool and his money are soon parted”.
I see where you're coming from, but my goal wasn't to trick anyone. It's more about exploring how different components can affect the overall audio experience. Everyone's audio journey is unique, and sometimes what seems like a foolish investment to one person can be a game changer for another.
@@TheAudioStuff Physics aren't unique for each person.
That "journey" you're talking about sounds spiritual or even religious, and has nothing to do with reality and technology.
"A fool...." Yes, you are.
For the thumbnail. 2 wire power cable vs 3 wire powercable.
Of course the 3 wire one can be life changing! 😂
It indeed is! Haha
I learned a long time ago to stop chasing perfect sound with nonsense like super-expensive cables and just enjoy the music. Life's too short.
Everyone has their own perspective on audio. If you're satisfied with your system, more power to you! ;)
Wonder if they’ll work with powered tower speakers ?
As long as the plug style is the same (it likely is), then it will work.
Electricity is sent to your home over miles of the cheapest copper wire/cables that would do the job and then distributed through your house by the cheapest wire that met building code, but somehow that 4 feet between the outlet and your equipment can magically enhanced electricity via a $2 grand power cord.
That last 4 feet is clean power going from a power filter to its final destination.
Wich he1000 have you there?
Hmm? I don't have any HE1000 right now, but I probably will very soon.
I prefer having cables that I could hide or are flexible; just a few of those chunky cables and now you have to have space for the equivalent of another piece of gear lol
I like the look of cables, but not when they tangle up - that's just ugly.
Power cords definitely make a difference. Without them you have zero dynamic range. ;-D All joking aside, this myth needs to be put to bed. High end power cords don't make a difference with competently designed and build audio gear.
@@scottwheeler2679 that would have to be some $50,000 + audio gear though
@@Pete.across.the.street Nope. Competence isn't a function of retail price
@@scottwheeler2679 price true, but there is a TON of incompetent designs then by your definition. Or you parroting ASR's definition
@@Pete.across.the.street I'm going by the actual definition.
Glad you enjoyed the video! The debate around power cords is definitely polarizing, but I've seen passionate arguments on both sides. While some swear by high-end cords, others feel they make little difference with quality gear. It’s always interesting to see where people stand on these subjects, and I appreciate your light-hearted take on it!
i have a Nad 3020i with single no ground power cable , it it better to change it , or leave it alone as it is ?
I’d go for this one
Neither. Contact The Cable Company. They're the largest audio cable retailer in the world. The reason they're the biggest is that they keep demo units of everything they sell. So, for example, if you are interested in a new power cord, call them and they'll come up with 4 or 5 different options for you. You then get a box full of cables to try in your system without committing to a purchase. If you think one of the cables makes a difference worth paying for, buy it. If not, you don't have to buy anything.
Power cords are weird. The results you get them are not consistent. You may hear no difference at all, but even if you do hear a change, its not always for the better. If you can't try them first, I say don't buy anything unless you're OK with taking a chance.
@@052RC It's also a great option, didn't know they did that! That's fantastic for in-home trial.
Electricity is noisy, and it does not matter where you live. The best thing anyone can do for overall sound quality is to run a direct circuit, or line, from the main panel to the audio gear. A direct line, or "Home Run" from the panel to the gear, eliminates any possibility of those other outlets and switches adding excess noise to the circuit. Most folks do not know that electricity actually vibrates. It vibrates enough that it will loosen electrical connections over time. If you use the inexpensive "stab" outlets (USA), the vibrations of the electricity will actually break the copper wire. Everyone laughs about this stuff, but the truth says different. Will a power cord make a difference? It just may, depending upon the circuit and what is going on outside of the house at the transformer. Ham Radio guys know this stuff, and it is no different with our AV gear.
Running a direct line is indeed a great thing to do, and it should be done whenever possible. Using high-quality power filters can also do wonders ;)
@@TheAudioStuff The same holds true for the network/ethernet, I use an LHY SW8 filtering switch and the Netgear GS108eV3 switch. The Netgear switch is just as good as the much more expensive LHY switch. The Netgear unit runs around $50 US on Amazon, it runs on 12v, I do use an LHY linear power supply on it too. The real tell was with video streaming, the PQ on my Sony Bravia went up a few notches. I had one guest ask me when I bought a new TV. If you stream, it is worth picking up one of these Netgear switches, If it does not work to your liking, send it back. I have never had anyone I recommended this switch to send it back. ;-)
Nice review, thanks
Glad it was helpful!
I don't understand what the connection is between the "quality" of the power cable and the performance of the audio system.
I strongly believe that the difference is made by the filtering part, the quality of the mains transformer, the quality of the parts, a good shielding of the preamplifier and a correctly sized final stage with sorted components.
I knew a passionate audio amplifier engineer who managed, with long-tested components, to build a transistor amplifier in the final stage that sounded better than a tube amplifier.
Otherwise... just a waste of time.
Once you filter the power, you have to transport it to the device in a way, that remains pure and high quality - that's what that all seems to be about.
@@TheAudioStuff Power supply does the filtering. Just study some electrotechnics books first FFS.
I love my Supanova cables that I bought a 2nd one for my 2 amps, and the speaker buzz went away!
I've also heard they're great + a company that I like produces them ;)
I do not get why people are saying it's fake. On my system, power cables make a very big difference, and placebo is not an answer to everything.
Your placebo meds have kicked in.
The deniers are guilty of negation bias.
Usually the more resolving your system is, the bigger the difference.
@@TheAudioStuffThe funniest bit is that you are "hearing" the improvement in reproduction of recordings made with miles of ordinary cabling and mixed by sound engineers, who would die of laughter hearing that nonsense.
@@paulb4661 it’s like saying that hi-fi speakers don’t make a difference, because the songs are mixed on much lower quality studio monitors - nonsense.
If 14 guage is sufficient, 16 gauge may compromise the amp and 10 gauge might be unnecessary.
It's not always just about the thickness. Shielding, connectors and materials matter as well.
Power cable need to meet the amperage peak power requirements, or a little above to be on the safe side. No more.
That's one thing, shielding and materials are something else, that also matters greatly.
I did a scientific test about this many years ago. Using speaker chamber test with microphones. The response curve and sinus waves are exactly the same.
We need to know that the miles and miles of power cables going into our house is not this level of quality, therefore a 3 foot cable of the best quality doesn't do anything.
This is in my humble opinion a placebo effect.
It's the quality of the amplifier and the signal source itself that impacts the sound. Not the power cables between the amplifier and the wall.
If it's connected to a capacitor bank it might have a bit more omph due to power reserves when it needs to hit that hard base with high volume. But that's it. Because a good amplifier should have a big enough capacitor bank built in.
Why would it change the frequency response? Your tests are flawed. The miles of cable before the house argument is flawed for sure.
@@Pete.across.the.street the frequency's are the sound you hear. If this cable can't clear it up or change it. The sound will be the same.
@@elborgundfrequency is only part of what you hear. You are measuring the wrong things. If you only listened to test tones that test might be somewhat valid for measuring differences in cables, but not for music.
It's important to note that the last couple of feet is in my case clean power going from a power filter to its final destination
I'm going to tell you something and I'm not trying to insult you. Its just a fact. What you did is commonly referred to as junk science. I'm not saying it was intentional, but if you want to claim scientific results, you have to adhere to the scientific method, and there are no exceptions.
What were you testing for, and why? The first step in the scientific method is to have some type of observation that can't be explained with our current understanding of how things work. If you don't have a clear observation of an event that can't be explained, you don't have a test. Its just that simple. And if you do have a observation, it needs to be replicated as part of the test. If you want to see a perfect example of junk science, look no further than the audio science review channel here on youtube. The guy is a fraud. He's building his youtube channel by telling people what they want to hear. I would refer you to the posts I've made on his channel because I completely prove he's doing junk science using his own videos as evidence. However, that's not possible because he removes my posts the second he see them. But the point is, science is something very specific. You can't just ignore the evidence and take it upon yourself to prove, or disprove an event that you took no part in. Well, you can, but you just can't call it science.
Just to be clear, I'm not saying what you did was wrong. You can do anything you want. If your testing gave results that you were able to use to your advantage, that's fine. You just can't call it science. That's all I'm trying to say.
Hello, the video title suggests the contet would be about power cables an their potential effect on your system, but it seems the video is entirely about advertising one company and is full product line of cables incl. even USB cables. What kind of channel do you want to be ? A serious, trustworthy and reliable reviewer or an advertising channel ? Ask yourself please.
Hello! There's no advertising involved. I just wanted to talk about the cables I have from the MonosAudio, including power cables. I haven't been paid at all for this video. I hope you understand.
They make no difference that is detectable by measuring equipment or the human ear, but if you imagine it is better they spend away. you are not hurting anyone and enjoying your hobby.
The differences in cable's resistance, capacitance, inductance, material purity, geometry are of course measurable, why would you say otherwise?
no mention on price? I'd imagine each one of those is $100 USD
also is that rose nail polish
My bad, the prices are around $180 for 1.8m of the version I showcased in the video.
Those aren't my hands, I used a woman's help in recording haha
@@TheAudioStuff good to know. I was going to unsubscribe if they were your hands
Haha, I'm not into such stuff. However, I often use somebody's help in recording, so I can take better footage for my viewers to watch ;)
What about the power points, the wire in the walls, the wiring in the fuse box, the fuses, and the wiring to the street? That has a much greater effect than the 1.5m cord from the gear to the point.
All that is getting filtered by my hifi power filter, then the goal is to transport the power in an equally clean way to the gear.
Power filters can also effect the sound in a negative way fyi
Ofc, a bad one can totally kill the dynamics, I've experienced that
I can confirm the extra bass on a decent amplifier. I only replaced the supplied power cable because it was a bit flimsy and wouldn't attach properly. I got a cable from a different manufacturer (I won't say the name, but starts with PS and ends with wave 😁). I wasn't expecting sound changes but, out of the blue, I was earing stronger bass. I haven't changed other equipment or speaker placement, so I assume it was due to a better power cord
Bass is possibly the place where the most improvements can be heard, mostly due to things such as contact and cable resistance, which tends not to be great on stock cords.
Secret World by Peter Gabriel with Tony Levin on the Chapman Stick will (really) test your bass response...
I just gave it a listen, it's really nice. I'll try to use it going forward for testing bass response. Thanks!
This seems like an awful lot of improvements in every single aspect to be coming from power cables alone. There are some tests that show cables can make a difference in certain conditions, but as long as they are thick enough and not the absolute worst quality, tests also show that what actually comes out of the speakers is for all intents and purposes, the same. So, first thought was that this is either placebo or bias, but then you mention that the cables removed static noise when idle for you. That generally means you have an issue somewhere, though if its removed by swapping the cables then it makes me very curious what you were using before. If all your old cables was really bad or insufficient for the workload, then this makes alot of sense to me.
I once tried reusing speaker wires from tiny satellite surround speakers on some floor standing 4-way towers, mostly because it was what I had at hand and I was impatient. Obviously, those wires were never designed to carry that load, and when I got around to make some decent cables with the correct gauge, I experienced alot of the same things you talk about here. Cables are, in my humble opinion, one of those things that are either good enough or not. Yes or no. And when they are good enough, I havent found any benefit to upgrading.
I am genuinly curious though, Im thinking that there has to be something going on here. Either that your old cables were unsuitable, or you living on top of a radio station or something. I find it a bit hard to believe that all the things you describe here comes from "dirty power" alone though, but if you want to test that you could always pick up a a simple power conditioner for like 50 bucks and swap all your old cables back in. If it still sounds as good with the old cables and a power conditioner, then you might have some weird stuff going on with your mains power, but if it goes back to sounding like before the upgrade, im fairly convinced the issue was your old cables being underspecced for the work you ask them to do.
I double checked, the towers where 3-way, not 4-way. Not that it matters but hey, details!
You raise some really solid points here! It’s true that cable quality can sometimes get overlooked, but you're completely right-if the cables are up to spec, the differences can be subtle. I did have some inadequate cables prior, and it's fascinating how much better things sound now. I'll definitely consider your suggestion about testing with a power conditioner; it's a smart way to rule out any other factors.
Power cables make a difference, but I don't think you have a preamp 😊
They indeed do! For the purpose of a video, out of curiosity, I borrowed my friend's PS Audio preamp. Currently, I'm running my system without one, you're right ;)
Oh my god ... Please tell me you don't actually believe this crap.
There's nothing to believe in, it can be heard.
@@TheAudioStuff
Take it one step further ... ask WHY you heard the difference.
It makes no sense that a hunk of wire is going to change the sound of your system... so at least be curious enough to ask "What else changed?"
For example: sitting just an inch or two off center when listening can totally change what you hear.
I wouldn't cheap out on tires on my supercar, why would I cheap out on cabling on high end audio.
I liked your analogy a lot haha
I hope your spark plug leads are screened, and with low-oxygen cable then. It makes the engine sound better.
@@donerskine7935 Modern cars don't have spark plug wires. At least the vast majority of them. The ignition coils are mounted directly on to of the plugs. That said, the sound of the car wouldn't change even if it did have spark plug wires. I guess if you have a miss due to a bad cable, the sound of the car would change when you fixed it, but that's about it.
Unfortunately I cannot use these types of cables, because they ARE VERY STIFF.
Is it a stiffness issue or rather just their large conectors and thickness?
If power and USB cables brought improvement to your equipment then you need better equipment.
The thing is - the more resolving/better your equipment is, the bigger difference such tiny things make.
@@TheAudioStuff Anyway bass is not supposed to be always perceived as tight - it suppose to have no permanent character and present readible for listener full melody line withot overlaying rest sounds and instruments. At least up to my taste.
The USB cable discussion was illuminating. I didn’t realize it could alter the soundstage so much.
Cable quality is often underestimated, but it definitely has its effects. Are you thinking of upgrading your cables now?
GM from Toronto ☕️
The snakiest of snake oil…..but I’m a fan of decent quality build,connections and cosmetic appeal.
true
Can't disagree with the build quality and aesthetics, it's very good on these.
Just use active speakers with a digital input (genelec, geithain, dutch & dutch, Kii) and spend your money on room acoustics. ❤ Cables are nonsense.
For such systems, built around genelec speakers for example, cables surely aren't very important. However, I'd really encourage you to try some serious passive speakers in a well-optimized setup to see what it's all about.
Digital signals are either 1 or 0. I would agreed that "expensive quality built" cables gives a better result on analog signals. If digital cables affects the sound quality, it must be due a DAC that messes up?? Maybe a quality off-grid shielded system could improve sound quality better than justr buy expensive power cables?? As the grid is full of "noise"
EMI filters are cheap and get rid of all that noise, no need for expensive cables. Switching power supplies isolate all that noise in the ac to dc part, so EMI filters only work in linear power supplies. And you are right, there are only two types of digital cables, the ones that work and the ones that don't
Not only 1 and 0. Closer to only 1 and 0 if galvanicly isolated though.
Your forgetting how each digital input has been implemented inside a component.
Whether it’s galvanically isolated etc.
The digital input itself could impact the sound before considering what a cable may or may not do.
@@damonsbest thanks for the reminder. I'll write that down
You're missing one thing. You can't send 1's and 0's through a piece of copper wire. Digital cables are really analog. In order to send a digital signal through the cable, its converted to an analog representation of the digital signal. And because the digital signal is now analog, it can be effected by anything that would normally effect any analog signal.
Interestingly, I had converted a 10 gauge extension cord by removing the standard plugs and replaced them with precisely the same Monosaudio plugs you used in your video complete with the rhodium coating.
Unfortunately, the sound was worse than the stock connectors, surprisingly (less dynamics, not as revealing, etc.).
I viewed this as the ultimate experiment at least in terms of evaluating the effects of the higher quality plugs since I had used the same cable. I plan to replace this converted cable to a proper HiFi power cable soon, and will not be using it in my system.
Of course, I can't comment on how what I did would compare to the your use case...combination of the higher quality copper, shielding, in addition to the higher quality plugs.
But, based upon your review and my experience, I would surmise most if not all of the improvement you observed was coming from the cable and shielding, and not the plugs themselves.
BTW, I have a very revealing system so your experience may be different than mine (BHK 250 amp, tricked out Freya+ pre, Heresy IV speakers, REL S 510 sub, etc.).
Hope this was helpful.
That's interesting! Did you terminate the cable yourself, or did you buy it pre-made? A secure connection between the wires and the connector is crucial for maintaining good sound quality. Loose connections can increase resistance, which can negatively affect the dynamics of your audio. If you made the cable yourself, double-check your soldering or crimping job. If it's pre-made, you might want to inspect the connector for any signs of damage.
@TheAudioStuff I did assemble myself. I'm an engineer and so I made the best of what was available. With that said, the terminal connections within the plug housings (e.g., where the wires seat), are incredibly low quality by modern standards - both in the way in which the wires are secured as well as with the metal they had used.
I'm confident the lower audio quality I heard was because of that.
Either way, it was a worthwhile experiment from the standpoint of teaching me the importance of the wire and shielding used (a combinationof your results and my results from other upgrades), and the secondary importance of the quality of the plug terminals (the Monosaudio plugs were indeed worse, but not as big of a difference as one would expect when changing an entire cable).
Of course, I will never purchase from Monosaudio again, but it was an important lesson.
Why do the one with long nails not insert the power cable all the way in..
Of course you will not get the benifits of the better conectors when they are inadequately used..
I hope you didn't use the cables that way!
It was that way just to easier record the footage, as they sit really tight in there.
I didn't use them that way, I always push all the way in ;)
There's one born every minute...
Not sure what you mean
did you change the kilometers of cables from the transformer station to your house?
No, only the cable that takes clean power from my power filter and forwards it to my devices.
Just here for the audiophool hilarity.
I appreciate you swinging by for the laughs! Audiophile debates can definitely be entertaining, especially when they get a bit heated over power cables. It's all in good fun though, and I love the conversation it sparks.
For audio quality, these work best when connected to a Hi-Fi power station, with a Hi-fi national electricity distribution network, using Hi-Fi fuses, and earthed to a Hi-Fi planet. Otherwise, any sound improvement is in the deluded imagination of the listener who is easily parted from their money.
Yes, we should not forget to change the cables in our walls, and in the street, and the turbine in your electricity factory!
Changing the cables only after the power filters should usually do the trick.
@@TheAudioStuff If the 'trick' is to relieve gullible buyers of their cash.
So, you believe thick shielded power cables used for the last 4 feet to your amp solved all of the noise, interference in the 50 miles of unshielded cables from the power plant? Hearing HUGE differences in power cables and USB cables, when any actual difference is too small to be measured, is 100% due to cognitive bias. Why not do an episode on cognitive bias and why it does not apply to you. That would be very interesting.
Went down the audiophile road for a while. Luckily I didn't continue. At this point it really is more about looks. And if a part makes you feel better than go for it. I always shook my head when I was looking for my front speakers and seeing all these older people (at the time) saying they heard the "big" difference between a 20 and a 200 dollar cable. Yep a 60+ year old ears hearing all these wonderous improvements. Buy this stuff for the right reasons and looks is pretty well the top one. After all you just bought a super expensive tube amp how can you live with yourself using the plain power cable?
Please, believing in snake oil is NOT the definition of an Audiophile. An audiophile is someone who loves to actually listen to music. And that does not have anything to do with the price of his/her gear.
@@marckant3611 I love actually sitting back and listening to the beautiful music. The things I have come across in shops sometimes just make me shake my head. Can't remember the name of the anti static "gun". But wanted one (they were popular back in the 80's). So there I was standing in an audiophile shop beside a Oracle Delphi LP player and the salesman actually said that they were to expensive for them to carry... what the heck? I found these removed static the absolute best. My guess is they just either didn't know they were still around or they just didn't get enough markup to carry them. I still am on the lookout for one. My other favorite was what I called the Paradigm push. You would think these things were the be all and end all by the hard sales selling so many places did on them. Really put me off and even to this day (over 20 years latter) I will never ever have one of their products!
@@marckant3611 The dictionary says a Musicophile loves music, and an Audiophile is a person having an ardent interest in stereo or high-fidelity sound equipment. That distinction is important. If you have an ardent love of the gear itself, it is near impossible to compare audio components without cognitive bias. Biases make one particularly vulnerable to snake oil.
@ggroch So you belive a water filter on your sink doesn't clean the water because it has flowed miles through dirty pipes?
Just use the one in the box and forget about it. They have no effect on performance.
With lower end gear, it might not have much effect. However, as you get to the better, more resolving AMPs/DACs - using the cheapo stock cord is not a good idea in the long run.
@@TheAudioStuff Wrong. They have no effect on performance.
What system have you been testing that on?
@@TheAudioStuff It doesn't matter. They have no effect on performance because it isn't possible that they do.
It surely does matter! When your system isn't very resolving, you're unable to hear the differences in the source gear, tweaks, power and cables. Your system could very likely not be able to RESOLVE those changes, which doesn't mean they don't exist.
Technical friends say it's impossible.
My, and others ears say it's possible.
@@TheAudioStuff Now say your eyes see better than JWST instruments
A hair dryer is able to pull 1,800 CONTINUOUS WATTS from a 120V outlet using skinny cables. So you are saying these upgraded cables can magically pull more watts?
That being said, sometimes those cables heat up from the current xd
I get where you're coming from! The capacities of power cables can be surprising, but upgraded cables may not necessarily allow for more wattage but can improve the efficiency of power delivery. It’s more about reducing losses and improving overall performance than just pulling more watts at the outlet. Thanks for raising that point!
this is a satire, right?
try it for yourself and see
Snake oil!
Why'd you think that way?
Most expensive power cables are not worth buying
I have yet to try some ultra high-end ones, but ones from Monosaudio aren't overly expensive in my opinion.
These power cables and data cables make NO difference. (I'm an electrical engineer).
They do. (I'm an audiophile).
@@TheAudioStuff Try being a bit scientific instead.
In my videos? Is there anything specific you'd like to see?
You could achieve the same effect more cheaply by putting pictures of the new cords on your walls. This is analogous to the chef who puts a sprig of parsley on the plate to make his food taste better.
Why do you even bother watching a video like this?
There has to be a middle ground between placing power crystals to heal the energy of the room to improve audio quality, and spotify on counterfeit Air Pods from Aliexpress... Tho I have a hard time finding people in between for some reason.
Power crystals? What even is that? haha
aaah the famous audio voodoo irl
I get the skepticism! “Audio voodoo” is a term I’ve heard before, and it’s definitely a hot topic. I try to demystify it in my videos, but I know some might still see things that way. It's all about finding what works for you, at the end of the day!
Such a silly video. Perhaps a satire on audiophile gullibility??
I can see how it might come off that way! My goal was to explore what happens when you dive into this controversial topic. Audiophile culture can be quite intense, and I wanted to highlight the varying opinions out there while having some fun with it. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!
Upgrade the last 150 cm of all crap residential electrical wiring to the power station.
Great 👍
One less garbage channel to watch.
There seems to be a misunderstanding. So let me clear it up!
Replacing the last whatever length of dirty wiring is indeed not the smartest thing in the world to do - I totally agree with you!
That's why in all my tests, and in my day to day use, I replace only the wiring, carrying out the clean power from my HiFi power conditioner. - That approach makes a lot more sense ;)
@@TheAudioStuff yes agreed. Anything coming out of your hifi specialized power supply is important, anything before the low noise regulated linear power supply is practically useless. That's a fact.
@@al-mukhantich well... if you don't believe in that either, then I have something for you, that you can't deny. Non shielded cables are radiating noise everywhere, and it gets to all components nearby. Superior shielding is just a single part of hifi cables.
you know that quality of digital data cannot be improved, right? there is no better quality bit value 1 and worst quality bit with value one.
Of course, it can't, otherwise the internet wouldn't work at all. Those cables carry power though and radiate noise - that's what matters.
@@TheAudioStuff So when you talked about USB cable(s), you meant not about the transferred music through it, but the noise it produce in your analog circuits?
@ when you plug in a usb cable to a dac, it outputs analog signal which can be affected by noise and other factors
It’s not like the files are going to magically change after transferring them with a different cable
@@TheAudioStuff It easy to misunderstand each other from such short messages, but lets see.
USB cable does not carry analog signal. It carries power + digital stream of data. The DAC generates analog signal from the digital data you send through the USB cable. And the sent digital data through the USB cable is not effected by noise. It is either correct or corrupt. There is no better or worst digital data.
Noise can only effect your analog signal generated by your DAC.
BS
I respect your opinion, but I truly believe that experiences differ from person to person. I aim to share my journey in audio and hope it resonates with some viewers, even if it doesn’t with everyone. It's all about personal perspective in this hobby!
All of the symptoms your are listing can be the effect of electrical noise.
However, it is very unlikely that the power cable which came with your electronic device is the source of such noise unless you are using cheapo Chinese garbage.
Power filtration takes place at the device level with a power filtration circuit directly off of the powered lines coming into the unit.
ANY additional filtering beyond the designed filter will alter the intended sound of a device.
I have used power filters before and all they did was destroy the sound of stage of devices.
The largest power quality issue is going to be from your breaker box to the outlet you are using.
Installing your amplifiers on isolated lines that go directly to your breaker box without breakouts going to different areas will improve thing significantly.
Far more than just replacing the power cable from the wall to the device.
The issue is cross talk between the devices on the power lines.
Since AC is a push pull frequency, the frequencies are affected by other devices on the same line.
This is what the built in power filter is for, but it can only do so much.
Complete isolation of circuits is the only real solution.
Thanks for your insights! You bring up some great points about power filtration and the importance of isolation. I completely agree that power quality issues can stem from various sources, including the breaker box. Your experience with power filters resonates with many in the community who prioritize preserving the integrity of their audio gear. It's definitely a nuanced topic, and isolation can indeed be the key to achieving the best sound quality.
Now why not verify that what you're saying is true by testing the reverse: try the flimsiest, thinnest and unnecessarily long power cables that you can find and observe the changes. Between those and high end ones you should really be able to hear and even measure a difference.
That’s a great suggestion! Testing the extremes can definitely provide a clearer picture of how much difference these cables make in real-world scenarios. Stay tuned; I might explore that angle in a future video to see just how dramatic the differences can be.
Have you had your nails done? 😂
These aren't my hands 🤣
Was this dude wearing nail polish?or was it a woman with very manly hands?
These are not my hands 😂😂
Is the cable cooking 🍳???
Hmm?