ESP MusicCord

[JimmyM]

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I realize this is far from a scientific demo, but I thought the monitor with the regular power cord sounded better.

 

[RHFusillo]

I see no reason why a power cord should improve the sound of an amplifier. But, as I have stated previously in this forum, my Ph.D. is in another kind of engineering.

Just to be perverse, I ordered one of these cables. If it makes my AI Focus sound better, I'm going to be happy but will probably keep my mouth shut about it. If not, I'm going to keep it anyway, just because it looks cool.

 

[NickyBass]

... and 1 physicist who has given up on discussing technical issues in the Amps forum.

This is a legit question....

Could a better power cord eliminate buzz, hum and other interferance? How about grounding issues. I'm sure it can be done cheaper, but could the ESP do that?

My house is fairly old, with old wiring. I get alot of buzz through my amps that I don't get at other people's houses.

 

[greenboy]

Could a better power cord eliminate buzz, hum and other interferance? How about grounding issues. I'm sure it can be done cheaper, but could the ESP do that?

If a cable already has a ground then any "grounding issues" come from elsewhere.

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[NickyBass]

but I thought the monitor with the regular power cord sounded better.

That's the funny thing. Everyone says that the more expensive instrument cables retain more high end---which for me, is undesirable. Especially those super high freqs that aren't much use on bass.

With that said, though, I do use Lava cables. I like the look and the quality. I sent one back recently, and he fixed it within a few days. Plus, that 'extra high end' was never noticable to me.

 

[greenboy]

OK, a signal-carrying cable between a passive bass and a preamp input can "change one's sound" because "loading" changes with different capacitance values of cable, and cable length. This is all known science, has been practically since the advent of home electricity.

Equating that with what goes on with a cable that merely delivers AC does not make sense however. And thinking that a few feet of some AC cable can change electricity that has been carried for miles and miles from a power plant, and through maybe hundreds of feet of Romex before it gets to a receptacle...

 

[NickyBass]

OK, a signal-carrying cable between a passive bass and a preamp input can "change one's sound" because "loading" changes with different capacitance values of cable, and cable length. This is all known science, has been practically since the advent of home electricity.

Equating that with what goes on with a cable that merely delivers AC does not make sense however. And thinking that a few feet of some AC cable can change electricity that has been carried for miles and miles from a power plant, and through maybe hundreds of feet of Romex before it gets to a receptacle...

I wasn't comparing the two. I was just saying that--even IF the ESP made a tonal difference, that doesn't mean that it is going to be better.

 

[greenboy]

I wasn't comparing the two.

Naw, I suspected you weren't. But in the many threads of this type a lot of people have - both with speaker cables, and AC cables. It's like nobody ever had science in school ; }

 

[billfitzmaurice]

It's not possible for a passive component to add anything. Einstein put that notion to rest nearly a hundred years ago. However, passive components, being subtractive in nature, can remove. As instrument cables they can remove signal strength and frequency response, as power cables they can restrict voltage and current flow. In both those cases they'd be considered of marginal quality, if not outright defective. If the OP find his new power cord makes a difference then it indicates his old cord was of inferior quality and was unable to meet the voltage and current flow demands of his amp, pure and simple.

 

[SFjonstarr]

This is kind of what I was trying to say. My Ac cables are an unknown quantity in my setup. They look to be just cheap generic IECs. With the high current and voltage demands of my setup it just strikes me as a logical choke point. This is just a theory I have and I don't have the expertise to test the quality of my cables. It just looks as though my cables were chosen to be functional and keep down costs.

 

[Supertanker]

Let me add my 2 cents (which is probably of even less value - my disclaimer).

I spent a few hours this past weekend talking to the guy who invented the cable.

He said he invented the cable 20 years ago and just recently brought it to market.

He explained all the reasons why his cable is better.

Most, but not all seemed legit to me. I didn't want to get into a debate with him - I just listened.

He also said these things are selling gang busters. He is equipping entire studios with his electric cables.

I asked him about 15 and 20 amp house wiring and the inherent problems it brings.
He explained that his cables had been engineered with that in mind.

We spent at least 30 minutes swapping back and forth on an Aguilar DB750 and GB MB500.

For what it's worth I could hear a difference between his cable and a standard cable.

But here's the kicker to me, would that difference matter on gig?

Absolutely not.

Was it $150.00 dollars worth of difference?

Not to me.

Was is it $50.00 worth of difference?

Yes...

I have a new addition to my bass rig...

 

[Supertanker]

You'll also be thrilled to know that he will be releasing a line of audio cables soon...

 

[willsellout]

I know I'm thrilled.

 

[Supertanker]

I know I'm thrilled.

I can tell.

It's written ALL over your face...

 

[willsellout]

 

[seamonkey]

Please, somebody post a sound clip. Put this to rest, for better or for worse.

+1
Somebody just post some scientific proof.
Why doesn't ESP do this?

 

[willsellout]

I'm officially too stupid to be posting in this thread.

 

[greenboy]

He explained all the reasons why his cable is better.

Be interesting to see in print, those reasons. So many times we are told they exist, but never the details on the solutions ; }

 

[Supertanker]

Be interesting to see in print, those reasons. So many times we are told they exist, but never the details on the solutions ; }

I tried to point out gently a few things that were lacking with his marketing.

I think at this point he has momentum and doesn't care.

He's got half a dozen high profile bass players who won't leave home without his products.

That's all he needs...

 

[Rick Auricchio]

We spent at least 30 minutes swapping back and forth on an Aguilar DB750 and GB MB500.

For what it's worth I could hear a difference between his cable and a standard cable.

A good scientific blind test would include several "dimensions" in a matrix. A recorded signal must be used to eliminate player variation.

1. Several mass-produced "standard" cables for comparison. This eliminates the possibility of one junker skewing the test results.

2. Several randomly-selected premium cables, to verify that they're consistent.

3. Several electrical supplies, perhaps at different venues, to determine if outlet & supply influences affect any audible differences. (An undesirable variable: the acoustics of different venues, but there's no easy way to simulate a mix of electrical outlets and circuits in one venue.)

4. Several different amplifiers, to know if some exhibit more audible differences than others.

5. Several listeners, just to see whether it's only a golden-ear thing that can be heard.


If we presume three standard cables, three premium, three amps, three venues, then we run 3 * 3 * 3 * 3 or 27 tests. All listeners report their findings and we tally it all up.


Again, just science here. No ad-hominem attack on the OP at all.