Using surge protector/power line condition with higher end power cords?

[Mr Boochie]

3) I have a built-in dislike of giant power cords stemming from a time when somebody put one on a lightweight unit and I nearly pulled it onto the floor when I went to plug it in because the cord was so stiff (and so unnecessary)!

Heavy cords can wear out the IEC female connectors. Depending on how the IEC receptor is attached to the unit, it can sometimes damage boards.

 

[whoaru99]

2) I can absolutely see how a dedicated power line might be better. Look at the AC waveform on a line with a refrigerator or other power drawing appliance. Or a mini-split with an inverter. It's anything but a sine wave and you don't want your equipment downstream on that same line.

Something I've noticed is it's fairly easy to show the effects of filters and conditioners and the like on the AC mains.

What I always thought would be more to the point is does anyone show how that translates into the actual output of an amp, preamp, whatever. I mean like measurements of noise or whatever, not glittering generalities asserting if it's better going in it must be better coming out.

 

[pac1085]

Something I've noticed is it's fairly easy to show the effects of filters and conditioners and the like on the AC mains.

What I always thought would be more to the point is does anyone show how that translates into the actual output of an amp, preamp, whatever. I mean like measurements of noise or whatever, not glittering generalities asserting if it's better going in it must be better coming out.

It would require some serious equipment to generate the rfi/emi to test against. I suppose it could be possible to find pieces of offending equipment, measure the garbage they put on the line and test against that but still difficult and requires special (expensive) equipment and knowledge. Low frequency stuff like power line harmonic distortion, sag, etc is easier to simulate and teat the device against but that wasn’t really what the OP was looking for

 

[pac1085]

Also, the parasound hint6 certainly must have some sort of power inlet filter built into it that bypasses the the hf noise to ground. It’s been common for decades

 

[whoaru99]

It would require some serious equipment to generate the rfi/emi to test against. I suppose it could be possible to find pieces of offending equipment, measure the garbage they put on the line and test against that but still difficult and requires special (expensive) equipment and knowledge. Low frequency stuff like power line harmonic distortion, sag, etc is easier to simulate and teat the device against but that wasn’t really what the OP was looking for

All that, and presumptive the ingress of concern would even be via the line cord and mains.

 

[John3655]

I don't think there are any mechanisms at play with average hifi to ensure or maximise the quality of the standard power cable. You just get the absolute basic cable that will just about carry the current. It's never a feature on a spec sheet.

Sometime high end equipment will have a robust high current cable in the box some manuals specify that it can benefit from improvements though.

So absolutely diy a better cable, it stands to reason that a cable that can supply higher current can recharge a linear psu more quickly than one that can't.

 

[whoaru99]

So absolutely diy a better cable, it stands to reason that a cable that can supply higher current can recharge a linear psu more quickly than one that can't.

It certainly could be scrutinized if so inclined as even a "normal" gauge cable won't incur material voltage drop over a few feet.

 

[2FarGone]

It is not crap, just different experience. I've absolutely heard cable differences and been 100% convinced. Along with friends. The problem is my engineering mind can't let it go without explanation. That's because from a physics standpoint, it doesn't seem likely. Then, the more I control the listening tests, removing any factors that would bias me, the smaller the difference becomes. Until, like the Cheshire Cat, it disappears entirely.

You might try reading a post by a guy by the name of Ole Lund Christensen at that *other* audio forum. Ole is an EE himself, and his post “Science and power cords” may be worth reading.

 

[Mr Boochie]

Something I've noticed is it's fairly easy to show the effects of filters and conditioners and the like on the AC mains.

What I always thought would be more to the point is does anyone show how that translates into the actual output of an amp, preamp, whatever. I mean like measurements of noise or whatever, not glittering generalities asserting if it's better going in it must be better coming out.

If you have a pretty sensitive scope, you can scope the AC line alone. Then add the line filter/conditioner. Compare the "cleanliness" of the sine waves generated. See whether the filtering produces a smoother line with fewer artifacts.

 

[whoaru99]

If you have a pretty sensitive scope, you can scope the AC line alone. Then add the line filter/conditioner. Compare the "cleanliness" of the sine waves generated. See whether the filtering produces a smoother line with fewer artifacts.

Yes, this part I know. I've seen examples of before and after of AC.

The question though is the trickle down to the actual sound considering the AC is transformed, rectified, filtered, maybe regulated, yada yada yada.

Question for our resident scientists and engineers...

If an amplifer, DAC, preamp, whatever, is fed "dirty" power from the mains then again with "clean" power from a conditioner, but the fundamental measurements of the amp, DAC, preamp (whatever) of say THD and SNR test the same regardless of clean or dirty power, is it plausible to expect a difference in the sound?

 

[Mr Boochie]

If an amplifer, DAC, preamp, whatever, is fed "dirty" power from the mains then again with "clean" power from a conditioner, but the fundamental measurements of the amp, DAC, preamp (whatever) of say THD and SNR test the same regardless of clean or dirty power, is it plausible to expect a difference in the sound?

I'm betting part of what makes a great unit is the engineering behind its built-in power supply. How well it matches the unit's needs, provides clean surplus current, and handles transients.

I suppose a good ultra-isolator and filter device may help a little. Probably more so with a system that has not-so-great onboard power-supply circuits.