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ESP MusicCord

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#61
Bob Lee (QSC) said:
A power cord won't make a difference unless you're comparing it to a defective one.

But it's entirely possible to believe that it does. It gets harder to believe the more aware one is about what a power cord actually does.

When I was five years old I bugged my parents to buy me a pair of PF Flyers sneakers because the TV commercials promised that they make you run faster and jump higher. I spent just about the entire first day with the new sneakers running and jumping all around the house. I said to my Mom, "Wow, they really do make me run faster and jump higher!"

I didn't know about expectation bias back then.
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OMG, Bob!! PF Flyers!!! Thanks for the flashback without LSD!
 
#62
billfitzmaurice said:
Yes. Mark them A and B to write down the results, and it's the tester who writes the results, not you. You never know whether cord A or B is in use. Part of the test is that the tester doesn't actually change the cords for every 'vote'.
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I would even take this a step further...take the musiccord, the normal power cord and the one from your computer (or some other one that's laying around) and label them A, B and C. Then have someone randomly select two of the cables and test them eye doctor style, where they compare the two (did you like the first cable better than the second cable?) without telling you which cable was which. I would say do it at least 30 times for a statistically significant sample size, then compare the ratings. Also, the more power cables and tests, the better.
 
#64
I bought another one, they're on an even bigger sale this weekend. Why did I buy another one? Well, just like the PF Flyers versus the generic Walmart sneaks from the same factory - people notice the PF Flyers.
 
#65
cybersnyder said:
I bought another one, they're on an even bigger sale this weekend. Why did I buy another one? Well, just like the PF Flyers versus the generic Walmart sneaks from the same factory - people notice the PF Flyers.
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Awesome! Now you can plug one into the other for twice the benefit! You're gonna have to turn down your amp.

(Sorry, just kidding! I Couldn't help myself.) ;)
 
#66
cybersnyder said:
Well, just like the PF Flyers versus the generic Walmart sneaks from the same factory - people notice the PF Flyers.
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Being concerned about the impression people get from your gear explains much. This guy has the same syndrome, and what he schleps doesn't work either:

living-large-smiling-bob-enzyte-doing-it-right-demotivational-poster-1258905123.jpg
 
#67
scotch said:
Awesome! Now you can plug one into the other for twice the benefit! You're gonna have to turn down your amp.

(Sorry, just kidding! I Couldn't help myself.) ;)
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Nah, I got a 3 meter cable for my pedalboard. I didn't hear any difference using a standard power cord versus the MusicCord but it's more visible up front. It's different and if someone asks me about it I'm cemented in their long term memory.

I heard, I guess I should say "perceived" a difference with the amp whether there really was a difference or not is debatable but the cords are built extremely well and worth the price just on build quality.

Half tempted to try Asterope.
 
#68
billfitzmaurice said:
Being concerned about the impression people get from your gear explains much. This guy has the same syndrome, and what he schleps doesn't work either:
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I think you're reading too much into what I'm saying.

Aesthetics are important. Your speaker designs, for example, are not very appealing to the eye. If you put more thought into the visual you would sell a lot more. I've never seen your cabs played anywhere. They probably sound good but the visual is more akin to a worker droid from Star Wars, IMHO. Perception is reality.
 
#69
cybersnyder said:
I think you're reading too much into what I'm saying.

Aesthetics are important. Your speaker designs, for example, are not very appealing to the eye. If you put more thought into the visual you would sell a lot more. I've never seen your cabs played anywhere. They probably sound good but the visual is more akin to a worker droid from Star Wars, IMHO. Perception is reality.
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I beg to differ:

Jack12ZolkoW.jpg


That's a nice looking cab by any standards.
 
#70
fdeck said:
I beg to differ:

Jack12ZolkoW.jpg


That's a nice looking cab by any standards.
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That one looks good, but most on the site don't, IMHO.

Worker droid:

Invalid Link Removed


I'll probably get a timeout from the mods, but if I can be the subject of a personal attack and likened to the penis pill guy, I think my comments on the aesthetics of speakers are more than fair game.
 
#72
Bob C said:
Where do you get power cords for 50 cents (Actually, the way you wrote it, it's really 1/2 cent)? I got some at a surplus store, and they still cost two or three dollars.
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I had a whole drawer full from work from servers that were racked and they used different cables. Tossed most of those in the last office move.
 
#74
It seems like every three months there is yet another thread about the "wonders" of an AC power cord. If they were that good, then why does almost nobody use them? A trip to Home Depot or Lowes to pick-up a length of 12-3 and connectors and you're all set. Granted the IEC connector may have to be ordered from someplace like parts express but still, that's WAY cheaper and you can "customize" your power cord to the exact length required…

Snake oil in a cable for sure.

…and generally it's your ability and not the look of your gear that will impress. I've seen way too many "dudes" with hi-dollar gear that can't play a lick or even worse, have ZERO feel. Its talent that will get you noticed first.
 
#75
Sliderbass said:
It seems like every three months there is yet another thread about the "wonders" of an AC power cord. If they were that good, then why does almost nobody use them? A trip to Home Depot or Lowes to pick-up a length of 12-3 and connectors and you're all set. Granted the IEC connector may have to be ordered from someplace like parts express but still, that's WAY cheaper and you can "customize" your power cord to the exact length required…

Snake oil in a cable for sure.

…and generally it's your ability and not the look of your gear that will impress. I've seen way too many "dudes" with hi-dollar gear that can't play a lick or even worse, have ZERO feel. Its talent that will get you noticed first.
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You're just jealous of my Dr Bass cab. Heh.

Please don't pick and choose one statement and dwell on that. Look at my statements as a whole. I hear a difference, not a lot but a difference. I could just be my imagination but it works for me. Sonic qualities aside, it's an extremely well built cable. I had a cheapo cable that was out of specs or something wiggle out of my amp while I was playing so I'm happy to pay $109 for a high quality cable that I can depend on regardless of any sonic qualities. The cable I bought for my amp was to have a cord that I can depend on, the one for my pedalboard is a conversation starter. I didn't hear any difference with the MusicCord hooked up to the pedalboard.
 
#76
Bob C said:
Where do you get power cords for 50 cents (Actually, the way you wrote it, it's really 1/2 cent)? I got some at a surplus store, and they still cost two or three dollars.
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Mostly I don't pay for them at all. They come in the boxes with the gear they power, and I hold on to them even if I don't have, for example, my computer from 1998 anymore. I've got quite a collection, now.

There was a place in Oakland, CA called Mike Winn's that sold used electronic stuff, really crazy laboratory equipment and overstocked components. They sold power cables for .50 a pop, and I picked up a buncha Apple power cables because I thought they looked cooler than the plain black ones.

I'd love to see something similar to Bongomania's oscilloscope testing of instrument cables on these puppies. I worked for years as an electrician, so I'm pretty skeptical when it comes to power cord claims because I know what's in my walls...I just don't see how a meter of cable is going to trump hundreds of feet of Romex, never mind the mains lines from my service to the APS generator.

I suppose it's possible if there's some electronic stuff going on in the cable, or if the cable's made out of something besides copper, but I still bet you'd get more return for your money having your amp's power supply gone over and some caps replaced for not too much more money.
 
#77
WalterBush said:
I worked for years as an electrician, so I'm pretty skeptical when it comes to power cord claims because I know what's in my walls...I just don't see how a meter of cable is going to trump hundreds of feet of Romex, never mind the mains lines from my service to the APS generator.
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You can answer what I've been trying to find out - what guage wire is typically used in residential / commercial installations? Any idea what guage wire is in a typical power cord? My google skills found answers all over the place, so it's good to find someone who would know. My theory is that if I did hear a difference and I have no scientific claim other than I'm pretty sure I heard a difference then my theory is that the typical power cords are really crap.

Thanks!
 
#78
cybersnyder said:
I had a whole drawer full from work from servers that were racked and they used different cables. Tossed most of those in the last office move.
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+1

IEC power cords breed in drawers, near any computer installation. The most prized ones are the 14-footers, because they often eliminate the need for an extension cord in smaller venues.
 
#79
3506string said:
May be a dumb question, but couldn't a simple null test prove or disprove many of the claims of audible differnce?
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Great point. Yes, a null test would prove there's a difference in the cables.

Blind testing of two cables is only going to prove there's no difference or that there is an audible difference with the gear under test. It's not going to show which is better.

Measurements are needed.

As with the Monster Bass cables, you could hear a difference if one cable degraded the sound, like the monster does. And you might pick out the degraded one as sounding better. A little tweak of the EQ would do the same.

Blind testing with several people and several cables is a more valid test.

Here measuring both cables, then adding capacitance to the non-monster to make them match and null out, then running a blind test would result in no difference.

A lot of snake oil is around audio cables is degraded performance. Many interpret any degradation in the sound is an improvement, just because they can hear a difference.

There are several cable blind tests already conducted. No audible difference of one sounding better. And yet pages and pages of discussion of flaws in the tests.
 
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