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Essential Sound Products MusicCord-PRO Power Cable
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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Average Rating
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100% of reviewers
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$164.50
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8.5
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Description:
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2-meter power cable with standard C-13 connectors.
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Author
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TwoGearGeeks
Registered User
Registered: September 2009
Location: Seattle
Posts: 263
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Review Date: Sun December 6, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $180.00
| Rating: 7
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Pros:
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Audible tone difference, even if slight
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Cons:
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High cost; unwieldy
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I will state at the outset that I came to this review with a very healthy skepticism of this product. I mean, $180 for a power cable?! C’mon. But, I dropped down my hard earned cash and gave it a whirl in the quest for GearGeek-dom.
I tested the 2-meter version with my 1965 Fender Jazz bass and my new Modulus VJ bass through (a) an Eden Metro and (b) Eden WT400 and WTX-260 amps through 2 Aguilar GS112 cabinets. Note that I did not test this cable with any 5 or 6 string basses (I don’t use them), and I did not use any super high powered amps (I don’t own anything over 400 watts). I also did not test any guitar amps, as I only own vintage amps with hardwired power cables.
The Good Stuff:
The first thing you’ll notice is that this is — by far — the biggest, thickest, gnarliest power cable that you’ve likely ever seen. This thing is massive, and it even comes with its own carrying case! The MusicCord-PRO means business. For $180, though, it better mean business!!
After A/B-ing the cable with a standard power cable, I will admit that I can hear an audible difference with the MusicCord-PRO. There seem to be more fundamentals in the lower register and less definitely lower noise overall. It was not the biggest difference ever, but it did sound better to my ears. I know it is difficult to define, but I will give it a thumbs-up for making my tone sound more “musical” and “warm” than with a standard power cable. I heard fewer harsh overtones in my bass tone for sure.
I will say that the noise issue was more noticeable than the tone difference. I typically pick up radio frequencies through my amps at home, and I didn’t get a single stray news cast when using the MusicCord-PRO.
The difference in tone and noise seemed most noticeable to me when running a passive bass (my 1965 Jazz) through a class-d amp (Eden WTX-260). Class-d amps have torroidal transformers (and are much more reliant upon a good power signal), so this was not much of a surprise. However, having a massive and relatively unwieldy power cable for a 3.5 lb micro bass head sort of defeats the portability of the class-d amps IMHO. The MusicCord-PRO seems to weigh the same as my WTX-260…
The Bad Stuff:
As hinted at above, the MusicCord-PRO is difficult to maneuver, especially in tight spaces. The cable is quite thick and stiff, and it is sometimes difficult to twist the end to fit into the back of the amp. But, the connectors are seriously top-notch, so once the cable is plugged in I was not the least bit worried about it jimmying out while playing.
The elephant in the room is that $180 is a big chunk of change for a power cable. But, if you must have the latest and greatest for your gear, the MusicCord-PRO should be on your list.
Overall:
The MusicCord-PRO is quite an impressive power cable and it will make an audible difference in your bass tone. However, I am not so sure that it makes an $180 difference in my tone. That said, I will definitely be keeping the MusicCord-PRO in my gig bag for future shows and studio work. Overall, I would give this product a thumbs-up for quality and I would encourage bass gear technophiles to give it a try!
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Lakland Owners Group #341 -- Official Fender Precision Bass Club #373 -- Official Ampeg Portaflex Club #121
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Gizmot
Registered User
Registered: March 2009
Location: Nashville area
Posts: 262
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Review Date: Mon August 2, 2010
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $149.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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It does make my rig sound much better
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Cons:
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hard to maneuver
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The MusicCord Pro makes a HUGE difference in my sound - the dynamics, the low end, the tonality, the transients are all much better using this cable. I know a bit about engineering and design and when I first heard about it I was skeptical - however, after hearing it in my rig, it is the least expensive upgrade you can do to any decent bass rig.
This is a FANTASTIC product - well-made, bullet-proof and you'll hear the difference quickly
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