Great cheap tweak

[zatoichi]

Has anyone replaced the IECs on their after-market AC cords with the Marincos? I just did it to my Marigo AC cords after thinking about it for seven years when the Marincos were first introduced!

The improvement was very noticeable on my ML-Sequel II speakers. I noticed immediate improvement in midrange and treble. Lot more articulation in vocals; less cardboardy cymbals. The sound was also warmer and fuller, yet faster. I even think it improved panel-woofer integration--I know that doesn't make sense, but the speakers have a little more swing now.

If you are interested in getting the Marinco IECs, I recommend that you contact Stuart Ono of Audio Directions Ltd. Stu is one of the most knowledgeable people in the industry and his ears and judgment are always spot on. If you want to know more about him, he goes by the moniker unclestu52 in audioasylum.com. You can contact him at [email protected].

All the Best.

 

[nsgarch]

Anything that you know of that makes them superior?

 

[kach22i]

Anything that you know of that makes them superior?

Clean connections and fresh copper I bet.

 

[zatoichi]

Better materials, better mechanical connection (clamping), cryogenic treatment.

 

[Tj Bassi]

As usual I'm skeptical about power cord tweaks.......

T-

 

[Huey]

Me too....sounds like a commercial

 

[Pcar928fan]

As usual I'm skeptical about power cord tweaks.......

T-

I am equally skeptical about interconnects and speaker cables and would just bet MONEY I could take anyone who thinks one is so much better than another and blind fold them and they would not be able to tell me which was what...

 

[zatoichi]

I think you guys are confusing power tweaks with cabling. Power is another matter. Good electrical conductivity makes a serious difference and is not a matter of taste like cabling. I suggest that if you are skeptical that you replace your household ac outlet with a hospital or spec grade duplex outlet. You will hear a pretty big difference, particularly in the bass.

I noticed that one of you has a Richard Gray line conditioner. Filtration is important but so is conductivity. If you doubt me, ask Richard Gray himself. Those stock 18-3 cords are hindering your system's performance.

 

[TomDac]

Since ML speakers draw very little current (they convert AC to DC to charge the panels) there is no reason to spend any money on tweaking your power cords.

The only thing an aftermarket power cord can do is shield the other cables and ICs from the flux that is resident around your cables when your amp or other device is drawing alot of current.

When thinking of power cords, you should also think about replacing all the romex in your house then, because your power cord is only the last 2 feet of the conductive circuit. I have a friend who did just that when he had his whole house re-wired.

Not to say you did this, but once a person spends 300 clams on a power cable, he needs to justify this expense and of course he's gonna say "I can hear the difference".

I've played around with lots of different power cables on my reQuests and NEVER did I hear a difference. The folks at ML will tell you the same thing.

 

[raygunn]

I think "unclestu..." is spamming us. The older Sequel 2 is an easy mark...

I had them as well as the Sequels. Indeed powercords did alter the sound of the panels. However, this is because the power supplies in these early ML's didn't have very good filtration.

The ESP Essence made them notably cleaner-sounding in the lower midrange and upper bass. However, these cords were like 25% the cost of the speakers!

I have not noticed any change in sound on ML's with the upgrade of powercords since the Quest Z's. These are the speakers I had previous to picking up the CLS2z's.

...but don' get me started about speaker cables. That's a whole 'nuther ball game. :wow:

 

[MiTT]

I am equally skeptical about interconnects and speaker cables and would just bet MONEY I could take anyone who thinks one is so much better than another and blind fold them and they would not be able to tell me which was what...

James, I'd take that bet on my system. I've done it several times with folks who were over and swore they couldn't tell the difference - until they heard it with their own ears, both power cords and interconnects. It's all about resolution, and I believe on the right system the differences would be discernable to you as well.

Nordost does a great demonstration on their cables every year at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest. I've sat through it 3 years in a row and 100% of the people in the room recocnize a describable difference.

I don't want to start any flame wars, BUT, I believe that in the right systems (ones that are very synergistic and resolving), these differences are apparent.

Of course YMMV...

 

[stereoman]

...
When thinking of power cords, you should also think about replacing all the romex in your house then, because your power cord is only the last 2 feet of the conductive circuit. I have a friend who did just that when he had his whole house re-wired. ....

It may be because I'm living in a condo that has 380 suites, but the PS Audio Power Plant significantly improved my system. All of my stereo components, including the Summits, are plugged in to the regenerated AC outlets. I was able to demo the unit before I purchased it, so unless my audiophile friends and I were hallucinating (no booze was allowed for the duration of the audition), each of us heard a difference (and we were all skeptics).

 

[MOON]

I put Foundation Researcl LC 1 powercords on my Oddesseys about a month ago. They have a conditioner built right into the cord. It made quite a difference indeed!!

The dealer I bought the Oddessey's from said that is the best pc for logans , bar none,and he didn't deal in Foundation Research equipment. Glad, I took the advice. The LC1 pc's are running into an Audience adept response conditioner as well.

 

[Pcar928fan]

James, I'd take that bet on my system. I've done it several times with folks who were over and swore they couldn't tell the difference - until they heard it with their own ears, both power cords and interconnects. It's all about resolution, and I believe on the right system the differences would be discernable to you as well.

Nordost does a great demonstration on their cables every year at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest. I've sat through it 3 years in a row and 100% of the people in the room recocnize a describable difference.

I would LOVE to hear that... I bet my system has enough resolution to demonstrate a difference. If I were not in a wheelchair and could get around all my gear to change stuff out at will like that and try new things easily I probably would and thus would have proved or disproved that to myself long ago! Maybe someday I'll get to hear that on a system kind of like mine anyway.

 

[edwinr]

Who cares about how they sound?

I don't!

It's all about how they look. I'm sorry, but big fat speaker cables just look SO MUCH better than thin ones... :rocker:

 

[zatoichi]

I assure you that better mechanical connections and materials make a difference. Buy a spec or hospital grade ac outlet for $6 at Home Depot and swap out that standard outlet. I think most of you will hear the difference.

BTW--Most stock power cords are 18 gauge wire with 3 conductors. Household Romex is typically 12 gauge wire with 3 conductors. If you want to get the most out of the Romex in your home, replace stock cords with a 12 gauge, 3 conductor cord, at least. Brands are not important. Yes, there are some differences, i.e., some have filter networks built in, some are shielded, but that's another discussion. One place where power cords make a really big difference is in low signal areas, e.g., turntables and cd/dvd players. Audio equipment loves current.

 

[tonyc]

Power cords DO make a difference

Here we go again! My .02 is that the ESP Essence cords I use on my Summits improve the noise floor, increase the size (width, height, and depth) of the soundstage, tighten and deepen the bottom end and improve the coherence between the panel and the woofers. Any naysayers are welcome to come listen to my system for yourself.

 

[zatoichi]

If you have an older power cord,

i.e., one without the Marinco/Kimber IEC, you owe it to yourself to replace the old iec on the cord with a Marinco or Kimber IEC. If you have a newer after-market power cord, chances are your cord has the Marinco or Kimber IEC.

 

[Tj Bassi]

Here we go again! My .02 is that the ESP Essence cords I use on my Summits improve the noise floor, increase the size (width, height, and depth) of the soundstage, tighten and deepen the bottom end and improve the coherence between the panel and the woofers. Any naysayers are welcome to come listen to my system for yourself.

Summits have a built in amp, dont they? Could it be that in this case a better linecord is beneficial due to the somewhat higher current demand of the Summit compared to a 'passive' ESL/hybrid like the reQuests?

T-

 

[tonyc]

Summits have a built in amp, dont they? Could it be that in this case a better linecord is beneficial due to the somewhat higher current demand of the Summit compared to a 'passive' ESL/hybrid like the reQuests?

T-

I think you are probably right. Different cords didn't make a difference on the Aeons, Logos, or Scenarios in my video setup. They did on the Descent.