A $1,000 power cable?!

[DeathFromBelow]

Geez. Are those folks serious?

Sadly, yes. I'm kind of a stereo/hi-fi/whatever (I refuse to call my self an "audiophile") guy, so I hang around quite a bit on forums such as audiokarma. The amount of snake-oil one gets served up by certain people on these sites is pretty mindboggling...

 

[MVE]

I especially love how every testimonial reads, "Its the single best thing I have ever purchased for my system..."

The other day I sat infront of a 30k system, all MacIntosh front and power into Martin Logans. That was the first time I have every really experienced a totally carte' blanche system, and the best I can say about it is that it sounded better in the magazine pictures I used to drool over.

And I have pretty damn good ears.

 

[Cirk]

*quickly sketches out a boneheaded invention that has no realistic sonic qualities, but could make stupid money if made from purpleheart*
Sadly, this is true. If rich people want to be stupid, who am I to get in theoir way?

 

[Against Will]

It's absolutely necessary to combat the effects of Power Goblins and Martian Rays!

 

[BawanaRik]

I especially love how every testimonial reads, "Its the single best thing I have ever purchased for my system..."

The other day I sat infront of a 30k system, all MacIntosh front and power into Martin Logans. That was the first time I have every really experienced a totally carte' blanche system, and the best I can say about it is that it sounded better in the magazine pictures I used to drool over.

And I have pretty damn good ears.

I'll bet it still sounded pretty good.

The issue with many systems is the room they are. And the way it's arranged.

My system used to sound better the way I had it arranged. My ex rearranged it to look better and I've just left it like it is.

Trust me, when you lay out 30K for a system it will sound good to you. There's a link in the brain for most folks between how much they spend and how good it sounds.

I'm more of a bargain guy and just wanted a sold system.

 

[BawanaRik]

*quickly sketches out a boneheaded invention that has no realistic sonic qualities, but could make stupid money if made from purpleheart*
Sadly, this is true. If rich people want to be stupid, who am I to get in theoir way?

Salesmanship doesn't just affect the rich. When you're looking for a car or even an oven or fridge if you're not careful you too can end up with a bottle of snake oil.

 

[HolmeBass]

A lot of Talkbass ink has been spent shouting down the foolishness of an expensive power cable. There is quite a bit shouting down the foolishness of expensive instrument cables too, but that's a different matter, for another day.

I have always felt that any power cable in good working order is going to be good enough. There have been reviews in Bass Player magazine that touted some high-end cables, but never one this expensive. I've usually dismissed these reviews.

But in the most recent Bass Player Ed Friedland discusses using a "high-end" power cable that was delivered with his test Glockenklang BlueSoul amp. He said he tried the high-end power and other cables with the BlueSoul and his "reference" GenzBenz SM 9.2. He said the high-end power cable improved the bass sound of both amps. I am not quick to discard Ed's comments. Could the high-end power cable bashing be misplaced criticism?

A decent double-blind test, with a broad spectrum of bassists and non-bassists, to account for difference in hearing acuity and training, might be worth trying.

 

[Bob Lee (QSC)]

But in the most recent Bass Player Ed Friedland discusses using a "high-end" power cable that was delivered with his test Glockenklang BlueSoul amp. He said he tried the high-end power and other cables with the BlueSoul and his "reference" GenzBenz SM 9.2. He said the high-end power cable improved the bass sound of both amps. I am not quick to discard Ed's comments. Could the high-end power cable bashing be misplaced criticism?

A decent double-blind test, with a broad spectrum of bassists and non-bassists, to account for difference in hearing acuity and training, might be worth trying.

A few years ago my Bass Player subscription renewal came up just after fawning review of an advertiser's power cable that apparently has magic powers. I decided against renewing. Apparently advertisers still enjoy a substantial priority over readers.

Bottom line: it's a power cable. All it needs to do to be as nearly perfect as possible can be done for just a few bucks.

 

[Munjibunga]

A few years ago my Bass Player subscription renewal came up just after fawning review of an advertiser's power cable that apparently has magic powers. I decided against renewing. Apparently advertisers still enjoy a substantial priority over readers.

Bottom line: it's a power cable. All it needs to do to be as nearly perfect as possible can be done for just a few bucks.

I remember that. I think it was Herrera that wrote it. Pathetic, but I still renewed. They gotta pay the bills somehow.

 

[Munjibunga]

A lot of Talkbass ink has been spent shouting down the foolishness of an expensive power cable. There is quite a bit shouting down the foolishness of expensive instrument cables too, but that's a different matter, for another day.

I have always felt that any power cable in good working order is going to be good enough. There have been reviews in Bass Player magazine that touted some high-end cables, but never one this expensive. I've usually dismissed these reviews.

But in the most recent Bass Player Ed Friedland discusses using a "high-end" power cable that was delivered with his test Glockenklang BlueSoul amp. He said he tried the high-end power and other cables with the BlueSoul and his "reference" GenzBenz SM 9.2. He said the high-end power cable improved the bass sound of both amps. I am not quick to discard Ed's comments. Could the high-end power cable bashing be misplaced criticism?

A decent double-blind test, with a broad spectrum of bassists and non-bassists, to account for difference in hearing acuity and training, might be worth trying.

I'm not quick to discard Ed's statements either ... except that one.

 

[jason weatherby]

PLEASE be careful with these special power cables !!! They MUST ALWAYS be stretched-out as straight as possible. If you must coil it because it is too long you HAVE to use a clock-wise coil in the Northern Hemisphere and a counter clock-wise coil in the Southern Hemisphere or the Earth's magnetic field will cause your lectrons to back-up and the flux-crapacitor will reverse-charge causing your input fuse to blow all your output transmissions. BTDT and it HURTS!

 

[BurningSkies]

A few years ago my Bass Player subscription renewal came up just after fawning review of an advertiser's power cable that apparently has magic powers. I decided against renewing. Apparently advertisers still enjoy a substantial priority over readers.

Bottom line: it's a power cable. All it needs to do to be as nearly perfect as possible can be done for just a few bucks.

The power of suggestion and placebo effect can apparently inflict people no matter how good a player they are.

I hate that it so very obviously logically doesn't make sense even if you don't understand the underlying science behind electricity, yet people still buy it. Your amp's wiring isn't 'special', nor is the wiring in your house, or the venue you play in. So, how does that 6 feet of magic do anything (even if it DID do something) if it's sandwiched on either side with mundane ordinary copper.

 

[SpottedBass]

From http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0203/powersnake.htm

"The Anaconda vX occupies the top rung on the Noise-Reduction power cord ladder and at a retail of $1,995, is not for the feint of heart or the light of wallet."

So, this one is a steal at $999, that's almost $1000 off list price, eh?

 

[BurningSkies]

From http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0203/powersnake.htm

"The Anaconda vX occupies the top rung on the Noise-Reduction power cord ladder and at a retail of $1,995, is not for the feint of heart or the light of wallet."

So, this one is a steal at $999, that's almost $1000 off list price, eh?

I was hoping the whole thing was going to be about paper towels.

 

[seamonkey]

A lot of Talkbass ink has been spent shouting down the foolishness of an expensive power cable. There is quite a bit shouting down the foolishness of expensive instrument cables too, but that's a different matter, for another day.

I have always felt that any power cable in good working order is going to be good enough. There have been reviews in Bass Player magazine that touted some high-end cables, but never one this expensive. I've usually dismissed these reviews.

But in the most recent Bass Player Ed Friedland discusses using a "high-end" power cable that was delivered with his test Glockenklang BlueSoul amp. He said he tried the high-end power and other cables with the BlueSoul and his "reference" GenzBenz SM 9.2. He said the high-end power cable improved the bass sound of both amps. I am not quick to discard Ed's comments. Could the high-end power cable bashing be misplaced criticism?

A decent double-blind test, with a broad spectrum of bassists and non-bassists, to account for difference in hearing acuity and training, might be worth trying.

I'm all for double blind tests, and/or ABX tests. They never seem to convince people because there seems to be a distrust of science. There's a lot of pseudo science and it isn't easy to always tell what's real and what's hype.

There have been double blind tests for power cables on HiFi gear. One old example:
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_11_4/feature-article-blind-test-power-cords-12-2004.html
Summary: There's no difference among the cables.

My observations although not scientific: Personal bias creeps in if you touch the cable and get sold on the hype up front. If a cable does anything it would degrade performance. Maybe some can hear this degradation and assume that it sounds better. All they are really hearing is a difference, not that one is better in all cases than another.

These same people that praise the high end cables and somehow end up being endorsers. Maybe special deals, free ads with their names, special recognition. etc. Sure seems like a lot of pushing the hype and next think you know they're an endorser. Not just for cables.

I want the science, I trust it.

 

[maxiegrant]

But in the most recent Bass Player Ed Friedland discusses using a "high-end" power cable that was delivered with his test Glockenklang BlueSoul amp. He said he tried the high-end power and other cables with the BlueSoul and his "reference" GenzBenz SM 9.2. He said the high-end power cable improved the bass sound of both amps. I am not quick to discard Ed's comments. Could the high-end power cable bashing be misplaced criticism?

A decent double-blind test, with a broad spectrum of bassists and non-bassists, to account for difference in hearing acuity and training, might be worth trying.

Or, how about we just examine the logic behind how a power cable with a bunch of malarkey affixed to it can make the amplifier sound better, decide that there's no such logic, and conclude that Ed was suckered.

What about a power cable can make an amplifier sound better? In my opinion, clean and consistent delivery of power is what's required. If you're really desperate for that, buy a $150 uninterruptible power supply meant for enterprise-class data centers and take it with you to gigs. It will even out all voltage spikes in your power and also allow you to keep playing for a few seconds if the house power goes out.

Other than that, I bet it won't make a difference at all. I would accept a mechanism like that as having an impact on the power, but not a bunch of silly crap glued to the cable to make it look impressive. I think I already mentioned here that I use a power cable borrowed off an IBM AIX server only because it is like 9' long, not because it has extra-big square ferrules on it or any other hooey.

Sure, go do your double-blind test. I think I'm pretty safe in assuming that a cosmetic wrapper around my power cable can be skipped and I can just go for the $9 alternative.

 

[Fuzzbass]

But in the most recent Bass Player Ed Friedland discusses using a "high-end" power cable that was delivered with his test Glockenklang BlueSoul amp. He said he tried the high-end power and other cables with the BlueSoul and his "reference" GenzBenz SM 9.2. He said the high-end power cable improved the bass sound of both amps. Could the high-end power cable bashing be misplaced criticism?

The pod people got to Ed Friedland?? I am sad.

Ed is a helluva player. I realize that his "reviews" are actually demos, but I still find them useful. His power cable comment is misguided at best.

To answer the question: high end power cable bashing is NOT misplaced criticism. These cables can't defy the laws of physics.

 

[HolmeBass]

I remember that. I think it was Herrera that wrote it. Pathetic, but I still renewed. They gotta pay the bills somehow.

Herrera did write the review.

So I know it's fun to be the grumpy, salty guy who's been playing for 30 years (or more) - but have you actually tried different power cables yourself? Bob, have you?

All I am saying is if Ed says it did something, maybe a more rigorous test is worth it. He wasn't testing/reviewing the power cable, mind you, but the amp. He didn't have to spend any ink on the cables at all, but he did. I makes me wonder.

 

[Fuzzbass]

A few years ago my Bass Player subscription renewal came up just after fawning review of an advertiser's power cable that apparently has magic powers. I decided against renewing. Apparently advertisers still enjoy a substantial priority over readers.

I remember being impressed when BP called shenanigans on the Accugroove Accu-switch nonsense, but after I read that glowing power cable review I allowed my subscription to lapse. I mean... most of us accept that BP doesn't want to lose sponsors, so we use the proverbial grain of salt, and understand that they will pull their punches. But when they resorted to out-and-out BS, I was done.

 

[HolmeBass]

I'm all for double blind tests, and/or ABX tests.

(...)

There have been double blind tests for power cables on HiFi gear. One old example:
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_11_4/feature-article-blind-test-power-cords-12-2004.html
Summary: There's no difference among the cables.

Well, as expected, but I wouldn't mind repeating with a bass rig.

Also, remember the fairly famous high-end violin test conducted recently. Most concert violinists couldn't tell the difference between the modern high-end instrument and the Strad, but *one* of them could with over 90% accuracy.

You have to test with lots of sets of ears to rule out the possibility that just because some subjects can't hear a difference doesn't mean that no one can.