Wire World Power Cords. [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

PDA

View Full Version : Wire World Power Cords.



frenchmon
03-18-2012, 08:23 AM
I have had the pleasure of having 4 after market power cords in my system.

The first power cord was the Pangea AC-9SE. After instalation I noticed a great improvement in my system. Blacker back ground, instruments sounded more controlled and defined. System seemed to play louder. It was a very good improvement.

The next power cord was the Pangea AC-14S I got from a friend here at AA who was happy to part with it after I told him I had ordered one from my dealer. After receiving it in the mail, I tried it on my Tubed preamp and it was just awful! It set the sound stage slightly off to the right and it just didn't sound good at all on the preamp...very bad synergy. So I decided to try it on my MF XRAYv8's XXX external power supply. Right away I noticed a darker back ground with this cord as well. Pangea has a way of sucking the noise out of the back ground that you really dont notice untill its gone. I was really not all that satified with anything else about that cord. So I got online and read a few reviews that said after about 2 or 3 hundred hours the music will improve. So I left it alone and after some time it did improve. Sounded much better than the stock cord on the MF XXX power supply. So it was a keeper.

So having ordered the Pangea from my dealer, before I was gifted the same cord by LeRoy, and having been given a tip by LeRoy that the Wire World Cords are great, I quickly called my dealer and asked if he could cancel the Pangea and ordre a Wire World Aurora™ 52 instead. He complied and I recieved the Wire world Aurora™ 52 a few days later. Very excited to listen how it would sound, I quickly installed the cord and had ear bleed. The Aurora™ 52 was silver which introduced brightness into my system. I knew it was silver before I purchased it but did not think about the fact that Canton speakers are not a boring speaker but a lively speaker and Vincent a tubed preamp, is not a syrupy sweet tubed preamp like a Conrad Johnson but more like a ARC tubed sound...full of life. So the brightness of the silver pushed it over the top. I quickly made a phone call to my dealer to exchange for the next power cord up in the Wire World chain which was the Electra™ 52 which is in the Reference level of their power cables.

Upon arrival and installation....this cable dropped me to my listening chair with amazement. It was even better than the Pangea AC-9SE! Just when you thought your preamp was performing at its peak level, you get even more tubed goodness...the Vincent SA-T1 is now performing like it was holding back up till this time! the Electra™ 52 sucked out more noise out of the back ground as the Pangea and gave me a great sound stage, but unlike the Pangea's, it gave a rich warmness in the mid range. Instruments are more defined and set in it own space. Better slam and even greater decay, instruments having no hard edges but very good smoothness. Detail is great but not like good defined detail thats sterile. The Electra™ 52 has a certain romance and passion to its presentation that is very good with violins and simple brush stroke on drums...they have a rich warm tone to them and the slightest cymbal tap even has a natural tone and plushness to them. This is truly a great cable that has great synergy in my system!

At the same time when I picked up the Electra™ 52 from my dealer, I borrowed his demo Grado phono amp as well. This thing combined with the Electra™ 52 makes a outstanding pair. They have great synergy together... The Grado adds a certain rhythmic romantic touch as well and when both the Electra™ 52 and Grado are running through tubes, music just swings with foot tapping enjoyable passion. Not analyzing anything but enjoying and taking it all in. The Grado has the swing in the bottom end as well as the seductive mid section....at least in my system. But this thread is about the Wire World Electra™ 52...so just in case some one is contemplating power cords, and you want to add a little reference fidelity and a little warmth to your experience in the mid ranges, you may want to consider the Wire World Electra™ 52

JohnMichael
03-18-2012, 11:48 AM
I avoid silver. I have owned both all silver IC's and silver clad. If I lose my high frequency hearing I may invest in a pair.

I have yet to use an after market power cord with the Krell. When I read the manual for the S-300i it stated that the power cord was sufficient. It discouraged me from trying a power cord. I have used a PS Audio power cord with the Cambridge Audio 640A but have not tried one since. The Krell is very low in noise and I have never felt the need to try one. Of course you are increasing my interest.

My system is low in noise but if I drop the noise floor another level that would be great. The Krell is very low in noise and the Moon 110LP is the quietest phono preamp I have heard in my system. The surge protector/filter that I have everything but the Krell reduced a lot of crap. What was most surprising was how well my maple rack reduced/absorbed vibrations and cleaned up the sound. Yes I think it is time to try a power cord.

LeRoy
03-18-2012, 01:43 PM
Good news Frenchmon. I had never considered going up the Audio World power cord chain but with the great success your having with the Electra it looks like I am gonna have to get one soon. Now with the Electra in play do you feel the need to experiment with tubes or do you like the system sound as it currently is?

frenchmon
03-18-2012, 03:47 PM
Good news Frenchmon. I had never considered going up the Audio World power cord chain but with the great success your having with the Electra it looks like I am gonna have to get one soon. Now with the Electra in play do you feel the need to experiment with tubes or do you like the system sound as it currently is?

Yeah...I am more interested in seeing what different tubes do to the sound, much more than needing to change tubes. Im more curious than anything.

Jack in Wilmington
03-18-2012, 05:30 PM
Yeah...I am more interested in seeing what different tubes do to the sound, much more than needing to change tubes. Im more curious than anything.

Ok Frenchie you got my attention. I'm looking at the WW Electra 5.2. Where in my system would you add your first cable?

frenchmon
03-18-2012, 07:21 PM
Ok Frenchie you got my attention. I'm looking at the WW Electra 5.2. Where in my system would you add your first cable?

Hi Jack! I have only had two brands in my system. The Pangea and the Wire world. The Pangea only seemed to suck out noise I never knew was there and afterward seems to make instruments more defined. And it seem to give more energy to the presentation. I have the Pangea 9 on my amp.

The Wire World which gave the most to my rig, seemed to give a certain level of fidelity that I did not have before and not given with the Pangea. There is a more natural tone to every thing and plus the added richness and warmth I had with the Bel Canto is now present in the mid range through the energy of the Electra 52 which is on the Vincent preamp. Seeing you have a integrated amp, that is where I would start.

Jack in Wilmington
03-19-2012, 06:17 AM
Thanks Frenchie, I just ordered a power cord from VooDoo Cable. It's the "Tiger" model. I figured why not try something different from what you tried as this is my first power cord upgrade. I'll swap it for my stock cable on my Anthem integrated when it comes in. My local HiFi shop has been wanting me to take home an Audioquest NRG-4 power cable to try out also, so I guess I'll take them up on it and I'll have something to compare besides the stock cable.

E-Stat
03-19-2012, 02:38 PM
I have had the pleasure of having 4 after market power cords in my system... Blacker back ground, instruments sounded more controlled and defined. System seemed to play louder. It was a very good improvement.
Welcome to the world of voodoo according to some. :)

I've been using aftermarket power cords for over a decade and find the same kinds of benefits. Most non-experiential theorists opine that that the last three feet of cable couldn't possibly make a difference. The problem is they are asking the wrong questions. The villains lie within your own home, often only a couple of feet away.

I've had some really funny conversations over the years with guys like Mtrycrafts, Woodman, FLZapped, Monstrous Mike, Skeptic and Resident Loser. All of them fully believe their speculation is more valuable than actual experience.

Here are a couple of amusing threads:

"there is simply nothing that a power cord can do that will have the slightest ompact on the output " (http://forums.audioreview.com/audio-lab-tweaks-mods-diy/golden-ears-fail-again-9347.html)

So what is the missing metric? (http://forums.audioreview.com/cables/great-article-cables-11903.html)

as opposed to those that merely think that they do (http://forums.audioreview.com/audio-lab-tweaks-mods-diy/ac-power-thread-cable-asylum-6705.html)

The musical attributes aside... (http://forums.audioreview.com/cables/ac-power-cable-suggestions-please-1518.html)

frenchmon
03-19-2012, 05:05 PM
Thanks Frenchie, I just ordered a power cord from VooDoo Cable. It's the "Tiger" model. I figured why not try something different from what you tried as this is my first power cord upgrade. I'll swap it for my stock cable on my Anthem integrated when it comes in. My local HiFi shop has been wanting me to take home an Audioquest NRG-4 power cable to try out also, so I guess I'll take them up on it and I'll have something to compare besides the stock cable.

Hi Jack...your tiger has silver over copper. But seeing you have Dynaudio you may be fine. Can't wait to see your results. Its all about synergy, so it you don't like it, don't be afraid to move up in the chain of Voodoo cable.

frenchmon
03-19-2012, 05:07 PM
Welcome to the world of voodoo according to some. :)

I've been using aftermarket power cords for over a decade and find the same kinds of benefits. Most non-experiential theorists opine that that the last three feet of cable couldn't possibly make a difference. The problem is they are asking the wrong questions. The villains lie within your own home, often only a couple of feet away.

I've had some really funny conversations over the years with guys like Mtrycrafts, Woodman, FLZapped, Monstrous Mike, Skeptic and Resident Loser. All of them fully believe their speculation is more valuable than actual experience.

Here are a couple of amusing threads:

"there is simply nothing that a power cord can do that will have the slightest ompact on the output " (http://forums.audioreview.com/audio-lab-tweaks-mods-diy/golden-ears-fail-again-9347.html)

So what is the missing metric? (http://forums.audioreview.com/cables/great-article-cables-11903.html)

as opposed to those that merely think that they do (http://forums.audioreview.com/audio-lab-tweaks-mods-diy/ac-power-thread-cable-asylum-6705.html)

The musical attributes aside... (http://forums.audioreview.com/cables/ac-power-cable-suggestions-please-1518.html)

Hi E-stat! Thanks for the links....I will read them tomorrow at work. Its getting late here and I have a 4am call. Thanks again.

Jack in Wilmington
03-29-2012, 12:42 PM
Hi Jack...your tiger has silver over copper. But seeing you have Dynaudio you may be fine. Can't wait to see your results. Its all about synergy, so it you don't like it, don't be afraid to move up in the chain of Voodoo cable.

Well Frenchie, I installed the Tiger in my system on the Anthem 225. I'll give it a few days to break in and then I'll add the Audioquest into the mix on my Rotel CD player. The Voodoo is a fricking beast of a cable. I measured it with my calipers and it's 7/8" in diameter.

megancheung
04-12-2012, 07:00 PM
Wire world AC cords are designed to address an entirely different set of issues than audio or video cables?

frenchmon
04-13-2012, 05:20 PM
Wire world AC cords are designed to address an entirely different set of issues than audio or video cables?

And what would you say those issues are? More like a power conditioner?

frenchmon
04-13-2012, 05:22 PM
Well Frenchie, I installed the Tiger in my system on the Anthem 225. I'll give it a few days to break in and then I'll add the Audioquest into the mix on my Rotel CD player. The Voodoo is a fricking beast of a cable. I measured it with my calipers and it's 7/8" in diameter.

Jack...so are you liking the Tiger? Whats the verdict?

Jack in Wilmington
04-13-2012, 06:12 PM
Jack...so are you liking the Tiger? Whats the verdict?

I've been listening now for two weeks. I've been playing a lot of the same material to listen for the changes. That's the big trouble with break in, it happens slow and it sort of sneaks up on you. Yesterday my wife went out to have coffee with here two girlfriends around 2:30. I went in my audioroom and looked in the CD rack for something to play. I came across some comps that I got from one of our fine AR members Demetrio. It's been awhile since I gave these a spin, so I dropped one in the tray, cranked the volume up a bit more then normal and was I surprised. I remembered these as good, but not this good. Maybe it was the volume increase, who knows. I checked my notes and the last time I listened to this CD, I was running the Jolida tube amp. Now I want to pull out more material that I haven't listened to since I got the Anthem. Boy, you just never know what's next sometime.

E-Stat
04-13-2012, 06:17 PM
Wire world AC cords are designed to address an entirely different set of issues than audio or video cables?
Is that a question?