I'm on the lookout for the very best sounding off the reel 'Per Meter' mains cable there is available to go with my system. At the moment I am looking at NEOTECH NEP-3200 and NEP-3001. How good is this stuff? Can I do better? Any advice would be appreciated here.
Very best/finest mains cable on the planet?
- Thread starter Dan Osib
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Bernard
Well-known member
The subject of making your own mains cable has come up here before, I think. But no one has yet identified the best connectors to use. Is Hubbel as good as or better than Furutech? Then again, you can get cryo'd plugs. Should you use those instead? The options are enough to drive one crazy.
amey01
Well-known member
Nordost Odin? Someone put a review of that stuff here a few months ago - try searching.
BUT.......seriously - the "best" cable in my opinion is something a little more modest.
Put that money into better electronics or a speaker upgrade. Or even speaker cable. Or music. Or a better power conditioner. Exotic valves? The list is endless, and any one of them will most certainly give you a better result than a power cord.
BUT.......seriously - the "best" cable in my opinion is something a little more modest.
Put that money into better electronics or a speaker upgrade. Or even speaker cable. Or music. Or a better power conditioner. Exotic valves? The list is endless, and any one of them will most certainly give you a better result than a power cord.
Nordost Odin is the very best but the price is absolutely ridiculous. I want to approach that performance but at a realistic price.
amey01
Well-known member
Well, you did say - and I quote - "finest on the planet".
As I said though - a $10,000 amp with stock power cable will always outperform a $1,000 amp with $9,000 power cable. Spend money elsewhere.
Maybe my shortcoming, but I've never been able to fathom - when power has travelled hundreds of kilometres from the generation plant, through substations, transmission systems, transformers, etc, how can it possibly affect the sound to change the last 1/2 metre of wire. It just doesn't make any sense.
If you connected your speakers up with coathangers or lampwire, do you really think it would change anything if you tacked 1/2 inch of Odin on the end?
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tonepub
Senior Member
It's because you don't understand how power works...
The power cord isn't the last six feet of wire, connecting to 100 miles of cable, it's the first six feet of cable connecting up to the well which is power.
Even the best power cord won't transform your system into something it isn't, but attention payed to the power on your end (dedicated line, upgraded outlets, better power cables and of course good line conditioning) will offer a marked difference in the overall sound and resolution of your system.
There are plenty of things to address in your system before you start to spend serious money on power cords, but it is something to consider at some point.
The power cord isn't the last six feet of wire, connecting to 100 miles of cable, it's the first six feet of cable connecting up to the well which is power.
Even the best power cord won't transform your system into something it isn't, but attention payed to the power on your end (dedicated line, upgraded outlets, better power cables and of course good line conditioning) will offer a marked difference in the overall sound and resolution of your system.
There are plenty of things to address in your system before you start to spend serious money on power cords, but it is something to consider at some point.
Bernard
Well-known member
Did we not have a similar discussion before, way back when, and did it not result in much pulling of hair (not your own) and rending of garments (not a pretty sight)?
Personally I would love to hook up my speakers with coat hangers and hear how they sound. But then how would I hang up my coats?
amey01
Well-known member
Agreed 99.5 %. The only thing I'd change is the "it is" for "may be".
amey01
Well-known member
What about hooking up your mains with coat hanger too??
PS for stupid people - Don't actually try that.
Satch
Well-known member
Hey! What'd you call me? 
Gordon Gray
Well-known member
Totally system dependent. Too many variables.
There is no correct answer. There is no "best".
Audition in your own system and determine if the amount of money spent is worthwhile.
There is no correct answer. There is no "best".
Audition in your own system and determine if the amount of money spent is worthwhile.
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RichTeer
Well-known member
With Nordost Odin, duh! :devil:
(I kid; Odin is beyond my reach at the moment but all of my non-AC cables are Nordost Frey.)
groovyslick
Well-known member
I think we should make a list for people to reference when upgrading. I know I could not hear many nuances in my system untill I made certian upgrades and that in turn inspired other upgrades.
There are some upgrades that must come first. the farther you go in upgrades the more the little things show..at least from my experience. i.e. no point upgrading to MLs if you are running an awia bookshelf system.. not that any of us are but ya know what I mean.
recievers to separates
speaker upgrade
placement upgrade..spikes, isolators etc.
room treatments
interconnects
more gear upgrades
you get the idea..
that, i think, would eliminate some of these arguments because by the time one gets to the power cord upgrade they are so well versed in the science of the hobby they only need to discuss personal product reviews.
just my .02$
tonepub
Senior Member
Seriously, the last thing I'd upgrade in any system, if you were on a budget is the power cords. While they add a meaningful difference, it is still somewhat subtle and not the biggest bang for the buck.
I'd certainly throw much more time and $$ at getting rid of the problems with the room. You'll get way more sonic improvement with a $150 throw rug for your floor than you will with a power cord.
Same thing with a set of bass traps and some modest room treatment. etc etc.
Run a couple of dedicated power lines if you can, and get some good power conditioning. There are also a few basic vibration control things that can be done that are reasonably priced. And get that big rack of gear out from between your speakers!
Once you have that stuff sorted, it will be much easier to hear the diff that wire will make.
The best and easiest way to hear what the cords will do is get a set from your dealer to replace everything in your system. I know the Shunyata dealers are very big on this approach, so that you aren't just mixing one cord in with the stock stuff and perhaps other brands.
Even a full set of their least expensive Venom 3's will make a marked difference, and it's not a terribly expensive proposition. I'd start there. Do as much as you can as inexpensively as you can before throwing large chunks of cash at power cords and interconnects.
I'd certainly throw much more time and $$ at getting rid of the problems with the room. You'll get way more sonic improvement with a $150 throw rug for your floor than you will with a power cord.
Same thing with a set of bass traps and some modest room treatment. etc etc.
Run a couple of dedicated power lines if you can, and get some good power conditioning. There are also a few basic vibration control things that can be done that are reasonably priced. And get that big rack of gear out from between your speakers!
Once you have that stuff sorted, it will be much easier to hear the diff that wire will make.
The best and easiest way to hear what the cords will do is get a set from your dealer to replace everything in your system. I know the Shunyata dealers are very big on this approach, so that you aren't just mixing one cord in with the stock stuff and perhaps other brands.
Even a full set of their least expensive Venom 3's will make a marked difference, and it's not a terribly expensive proposition. I'd start there. Do as much as you can as inexpensively as you can before throwing large chunks of cash at power cords and interconnects.
amey01
Well-known member
Problem is, as Gordon said - it is very system dependent. What is right for one may not be right for another.
Bernard
Well-known member
Sanity reset here guys! Dan O asked about "off the reel" cable, i.e. roll your own, and we are suddenly discussing Nordost Odin! Ye Gods! Have we all lost our minds? Excepting me, of course!
tonepub
Senior Member
It's really pretty simple, get your hands on a few upgraded power cords, listen to a piece of music that you are very familiar with and if you hear a marked difference, go for it.
If you don't hear a meaningful difference (i.e. one you really have to strain to hear, if at all) don't bother.
A good local dealer, the cable company or music direct should be able to help you with this.
If you don't hear a meaningful difference (i.e. one you really have to strain to hear, if at all) don't bother.
A good local dealer, the cable company or music direct should be able to help you with this.
Sanity reset here guys! Dan O asked about "off the reel" cable, i.e. roll your own, and we are suddenly discussing Nordost Odin! Ye Gods! Have we all lost our minds? Excepting me, of course!
Bernard,
I was going to make a comment about how daft we all must be to spend what we spend, when we spend what we spend, but then Jeff comes up with something that sounds totally reasonable and normal.....go figure.
Gordon Gray
Well-known member
Hi guys,
I thought that's what I said in Post No. 11.
Probably means more coming from JD.
GG
I thought that's what I said in Post No. 11.
Probably means more coming from JD.
GG
Bernard
Well-known member
Joe,
I agree completely with Jeff's approach; it's the same as what Mr. Gray said more succinctly. I was trying to get the discussion back on track since we were discussing caviar and Champagne whereas the original poster was looking for the best pretzels and beer.
Perhaps the luckiest people are those who have components with non-detachable power cords, like my preamp and monoblocks. I played with power cords that I bought off Audiogon when I had a CDT and DAC, and could not hear a difference, so gave up on them. These days I spend more time listening than I do tweaking. Maybe I am cured of audiophilia nervosa?
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