Audiophool homemade power cable (pics removed, only links)

[chrissugar]

Audiophool power cables.

This time not only subjective impressions but also some objective data.
We had some discussion about this subject long ago, and most of the thread was about making fun about audiophools. I understand this because the audiophile world is full of bullshit and absurd prices but this is not a reason to dis without at least doing some objective/subjective tests.

Everything started when a friend of mine called me to listen to his audiophile system because he received for testing four identical Siltech power cables.

I thought that is insane but it costs me nothing to go there and make some tests. He had the cables for more than two weeks, so it was enough time to do many tests. To make the long story short the shocking conclusion was that the system powered from those cables sounded much better/detailed/transparent than with the "cheap" power cables.
That was the moment that made curious to see what the hell makes the system sounding much better with those cables.
My quest became to build a relativelly cheap cable that can produce similar or identical results like Siltech cables.

I started to make a list with criteria to keep in mind:
-large diameter core, not necessarily because of power consumption but to have the lowers possible resistance, and when all the devices powered from the same power distribution unit (star grounded connection) to have "similar 0 volt value" on the chassis of each device. This will assure very small currents flowing in the ground connections between different devices.
- all cables of identical length, because of the same reason
- shielded with steel braid armour for better efficiency
- high AL ferrites at each end of the cable to reduce high freq contamination (radio stations, CB radio, computers, motors, cell phones etc)
- high quality, solid connectors to ensure very good contact with the wire and also with the mains adaptor or the IEC inlet.
- shield and ferrites should not only help the system from the outside world noises, but also should minimise noise radiated to the outside world from the power cable (for example audio cables should not pick noise from the power cables).

chrissugar

 

[chrissugar]

The largest diameter shielded steel braid armoured cable I could find, was a RAYDEX type with 3 cores, 4 square milimeter each core.

Next step was to find some suitable ferrites because it had to be high AL for efficiency but also should match the external cable diameter.I found ferrites with AL9000, internal diameter 14mm, external 26mm.

I was looking for a long time for some solid euro power plug, and bought lots of samples until I found a very good one. Solid metal connectors, heavy duty case, accepts large diameter cable and as a bonus is water/gas proof. The big advantage is I can buy them from a local store and they are relativelly cheap.

The IEC was the biggest problem because I couldn't find one solid enough that accepth large cables without costing a fortune. At this moment I use some cheap 3euro/IEC plugs.
Also used some thermo retractable tubes to lock the ferrites to the cable and to add more stregth to the connector/cable joint.

 

[chrissugar]

Total cost for a complete 2 meter power cord:
2x10euro the cable
2x2euro ferrites
1x3euro power plug
1x3euro IEC
1x2euro thermo retractable tube

Total=32euro

 

[chrissugar]

Let's start with some objective measurements.
I used one ordinary computer cable that came with any studio or HI-FI gear and the ones built by myself.

TEST No.1
Power alternativelly a 100watt consuming device with one or the other cable.
Place an unbalanced audio cable that connects lets say the preamp out to the amp in direct physical contact with the power cable for a 1meter length and listen to the sound in speakers.
At high gain the computer cable produce enough noise in audio to hear it in the speakers. With the "audiophool homemade cable" there is no hearable noise at the same gain setting.

TEST No.2
Use a tuner capable of AM and use a wire as an antenna.
Power alternativelly a 100watt consuming device with one or the other cable.
Put the "antenna" close to the computer power cable and tune the receiver till you hear the effect of the high freq noise induced by the cable. You can test by moving the computer cable closer or farther to the antenna.
When I did the same test with the "audiophool homemade cable" induced noise was much, much lower.

TEST No.3
Power alternativelly a 100watt consuming device with one or the other cable.
Put the tip of the oscilloscope probe to the plastic surface of the power cable.
Now here is the big surprise. The noise picked by the probe with 10mV/div setting from the computer cable looks like this (aprox 40mV peak-peak):

So as you can see it is not only about some audiophool BS. It looks like a well built cable like this can do some measurable/detectable improvement to the system. Also the zero Volt at each metal case is closer to zero and to each other compared to the voltages measured with computer cables of different types/length. This will minimise interchasis currents significantly.

 

[chrissugar]

And now about the listening tests.
With the whole system connected to the power outlet with identical "audiophool homemade cable" the system sounds significantly cleaner and better than with the ordinary computer cable. Low level details are heard much better.

Compared to the expensive Siltech cables? The system sounds with my cables almost as good like with the expensive ones. There was no diference between my cables and the expensive ones when I changed the cable at CD transport, preamp, DAC, turntable with one exception, the power amp. I changed the cables at the power amp at least 15 times and every time with the expensive one it sounded a bit better.
I have no idea or explanation why. But even in this case I'm totally happy and satisfied because the difference between an ordinary 3euro computer cable and the 32euro "audiophool homemade cable" is huge and the difference between the "audiophool homemade cable" and the Siltechs is very small at the power amp, and nonexisting with the other devices.

So, as a conclusion, I think this project was a real success, and now all my mastering setup is powered with these cables.

chrissugar

 

[Kev]

thanks chris

not into the audiofool thing but I do agree with the correct engineered of parts will go most, if not all of the way to getting things working right.

the equal length and 0 volts ?
not sure that I agree but don't see that there isn't any harm in it
many of my units don't audio 0 volts through the Safety Ground route
but in a world of unbalanced audio I get it

if the current capablity has headroom I don't see that equal length in the confinds of a control room is all that needed or measurable

sheilding ... yeah/nah ... as long as it doesn't push the price up too much.

nice looking connectors

good stuff :thumb:

:?
are the ferrites on the outside of the shield ?
what about the un-shielded cable in the walls
RF could already be in there


Jv1080 !!
yes ?
and 3 what's on the left
waldorf ?

 

[bobkatz]

Nice tests, Chris. I assume we're looking at a portion of the 50 Hz fundamental in the first scope photo, with higher harmonics the squiggles in there. But the second photo looks like you put a hard ground to the probe. I find it very hard to believe. Not even a squiggle on the second scope photo? Pretty amazing.

Comments?

But anyway, looks like shielded power cables are a very good idea!

BK

 

[chrissugar]

Hey Kev

Thanks for your coments. I tried to look at this project from the objective side and find solutions at reasonable costs. I think the measurements and scope pics are relevant to the subject.

[quote author="Kev"]
are the ferrites on the outside of the shield ?
what about the un-shielded cable in the walls
RF could already be in there
[/quote]

Yes the ferrites are outside of the shield, this is how the Siltechs are made.
Yes, RF could be in the walls but at least it is not radiated outside the power cable into the audio interconects close to them, and probably the ferrites help also.


chrissugar

 

[chrissugar]

Bob

The probe is shielded, only the 10milimeter tip of the probe is unshielded and that is the part that behaves like an antena. I did this test to be sure that everything is right two times consecutivelly

The shield of the power cable is connected only at one end, to earth (ground) at the power plug ( not at the IEC)

chrissugar

 

[Kev]

[quote author="chrissugar"] I tried to look at this project from the objective side and find solutions at reasonable costs. I think the measurements and scope pics are relevant to the subject.[/quote]
yes and an excellent presentation
I've often said that audiofoolery is born out of a degree of fact. So staying close to the fact and making the quantifiable measurement is the way to go.. again good stuff.

My other comment to measurement was focused on the equal length thing.
3m or 4m is going to be very hard to quantify.

 

[Kid Squid]

Hiya Chris,
I got some of that cable in work,
where did you get the ferrite rings,
If i get chance, I'll have a go at a couple on nights this week.
I've always been quite sceptical about this :wink: , but, i think I'm going to have to try for myself.

Regards,
Steve :thumb:

 

[NewYorkDave]

I'd like to read this thread--but I'm tired of the text jumping around as the big images load up, so I'll just have to let this one go.

 

[chrissugar]

Yes Dave, you are right, so I edited the posts and now there are only links to the pics to make the thread load instantly.

chrissugar

 

[DerEber]

I´m still not convinced.....
It´s like finding the "perfect" plugin setting.
.....bypassed
:green:

 

[laitue5]

Note that photobucket generate automatic thumbnails.
So if you use the URL of the thumbnail you can get stuff like this:


The source code for a thumbnail in photobucket is:

[url=http://UrlOfYourPicture/PictureName.jpg][IMG]http://UrlOfYourPicture/th_PictureName.jpg[/IMG][/url]

You just have to add a “th_” in front of the picture name to get the small picture.

 

[Larrchild]

When you put the scope probe tip to the unshielded wire jacket and see a ragged waveform and put it to the sheilded uber-cable and it's clean, that's because it's not radiating out of the cable anymore. It's still present in the ac voltage coming into the unit.
Also, the ragged stuff radiates from all the unshielded wiring in the walls that most places have (somewhere), and by rude dimmers and laser printers. So I would think the distance to nearby walls or unshielded power sources would enter into this.

 

[Kid Squid]

its nice to see some 'independant' Questions raised here, regarding this issue,
I have a friend in work, that constantly goes on about his setup - total audiofool :grin:
but i'm sure he's just sucked in to all the marketing hype - too much cash on his hands :wink:

a question tho - surely a bigger cross sectional diameter power cable ( cores - 4mmsq, instead of normally 0.75mmsq-1mmsq), in respect to power amplifiers - would only help the issue with current draw ?


must say, they look rather lovely tho - regardless of the results in the quality shootout.
Very industrial !

Steve :thumb:

 

[chrissugar]

[quote author="Larrchild"]When you put the scope probe tip to the unshielded wire jacket and see a ragged waveform and put it to the sheilded uber-cable and it's clean, that's because it's not radiating out of the cable anymore. It's still present in the ac voltage coming into the unit.
[/quote]

Absolutelly. The noise is not radiated outside to the sensitive low level audio cables. I forgot to mention that the two scope pics are with measurements with the cables inserted directly into the the wall power connector, no filtering device or power conditioner. It was my intention to have all the noises to see how much of it is radiated by the power cable to the outside world.
Of course if the cables are conected to the output of a power conditioning/filtering device those high freq harmonics are significantly reduced, but even in that case the unshielded computer cable will radiate the 50Hz humm and will collect like an antenna the existing noises.

There is one more aspect, even if the noise is present inside the cable, the IEC plug filter and the PSU of each device should reduce significantly the noise and produce a reasonably clean power.

My opinion is that a well made cable will help the system, because it will improve things at different levels:
- will not radiate noise and humm to the sensitive audio cables
- will not act as an antenna for external noises
- ferrites will help to kill high freq noise from outside the device, and will also help to reduce noise from digital devices to the outside world (digital processors, CD transports, etc)
- thick wire will ensure low resistance and will help to reduce interchasis currents

[quote author="Larrchild"]
Also, the ragged stuff radiates from all the unshielded wiring in the walls that most places have (somewhere), and by rude dimmers and laser printers. So I would think the distance to nearby walls or unshielded power sources would enter into this.[/quote]

I played with moving audio cables closer or farther to the unshielded power cables and it looks like at around 30-40centimeters the noise is not induced anymore. The scope probe test confirm this. So by positioning the whole audio system and audio cables at something like 0.5 to 1meter away from any unshielded power cable is safe.

chrissugar

 

[mikep]

nice work, chris. AND you nailed the audiophool "look". IMO that is 85% of these products.

I was thinking about buying some of these:

http://www.enviratest.com/emf-products/EMF/shielded-power-cord.html

what do you think about snap-on ferrites? like:

http://www.g-mag.com/cgi-bin/catalog.cgi?ProductInfo+519146677738

if you are only pulling a couple of watts, I wonder if a solution like this would be any different.

another thought, at the local hardware store I can buy flexible steel conduit with solid copper conductors inside, in all the standard NEMA gages. this is what is in my walls. why not just terminate some of that stuff with IEC+your country's power plug? weakest link and all that, why go beyond what is in the walls? it is not as flexible, but I think I could make it work. also you can get it with a liquid-tight plastic outer coating.[/url]

 

[chrissugar]

Today I did some more tests.

In the audiophool world many people claim that their systems sound bad at some hours of the day and sounds good starting from late afternoon/night. They speculate that this is connected to the "quality" of power. If this is true, it is logical because the power line is loaded with tons of nonlinear consumers that will distort the original sine waveform and also add high freq noise energy all day long. At night people use less and less devices and also most of the companies close their business in the afternoon so there is a chance for a cleaner power.

I decided to watch with the scope and the probe attached to the ordinary computer cable if there is any change in the waveform of the captured signal.

First picture was captured at 1o'clock in the afternoon, as you can see the 50Hz waveform is not really a sine wave and the amplitude of the noises is relativelly high:

The next picture was taken at 9o'clock at night. The amplitude of the noise is a bit lower:

The third picture was taken at midnight. The 50Hz wave looks almost like a sine wave (ok, at least closer to a sine wave then the other two) and also the amplitude of the noises is significantly reduced:

I will continue to watch the signal in the next few days, and especially in the weekend to see if there is a periodicity in this fenomenon.
From this test it looks like there can be a corelation between the quality of the power and how audio systems behave/sound. Of course it depends a lot on how well each particular device can handle the "dirty" power to produce a clean/noisless voltage for the audio electronics.
Will keep you all informed.

chrissugar