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No one is a fool for being skeptical. Many of the claims
in audioland are quite foolish indeed.

Yet in a high resolution system, power cables and
interconnects can make a difference.

It appears that power cable changes can correlate with a perceived
difference in sound quality according to some but not all listeners.

The perceived difference disappears when a proper double blind test is
performed, no matter which of many possible DBT procedures are used.

In the case of power cables, rarely if ever are there any measurable affects
at the output terminals of the UUT.

Often the performance of the power cables themselves cannot be distinguished
using relevant technical tests. Yet knowledge of them being changed, whether
direct or indirect, can change some people's perceptions.

Not always an
improvement, but a difference. A large fat power cable
can augment an insufficient power supply in a real world
power situation. Admittedly not the right solution, but
it can help.

I recently changed the IC's in a Quad 306 power amplifier
(TI's to Burr-Browns) playing through some Quad 988s.
My wife (not an audiophile), walked in the room and
immediately asked what had changed... "it sounded more
alive" was her comment.

This is of course, a single blind test, not a proper double blind test.

On 2008-07-29, wrote:
No one is a fool for being skeptical. Many of the claims in audioland
are quite foolish indeed.
...
I recently changed the IC's in a Quad 306 power amplifier (TI's to
Burr-Browns) playing through some Quad 988s. My wife (not an
audiophile), walked in the room and immediately asked what had
changed... "it sounded more alive" was her comment.

The IC in a Quad 306 is a DC servo which integrates the output voltage
and sets the biassing of the input stage so that the output is as close
to zero as possible when there's no signal.

It isn't in the audio path.

Forgive me for being skeptical but that does, indeed, seem to be one of
those claims in audioland which are quite foolish indeed.

--
John Phillips

" wrote:

Yet in a high resolution system, power cables.......can make a
difference.

Compared to wet string maybe.

Otherwise a properly rated power cord willl have ZERO difference.

Have you ANY IDEA how the AC mains gets mangled to produce the DC for an
amplifier ? The possibility of some ultra-linear power cord affecting it
is beyond laughable.

And I DESIGN this stuff btw, so I DO know what I'm talking about. In great
detail.

Graham