Power Cords
- Thread starter Scott_F
- Start date
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: Power Cords
I have one I found a long time ago. I'm pretty sure its an 8 gauge, but i can't get the amp to see for sure.
I have one I found a long time ago. I'm pretty sure its an 8 gauge, but i can't get the amp to see for sure.
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: Power Cords
Yep, Proco FatMax 8 gauge. Its a big fat amp cable.Not sure htey even make it anymore.Marshall amp cable is 14 gauge I think.
It's also possible to find some big internal speaker wiring for the cabinet. Thats what you want if you run 8 gauge speaker cable. I'll try and find a link.
( I'm sorry, I see this is for wall power cords- still, they run into the thousands of dollars , at least for Hi-Fi- but IF you go thqat route, you do want the 8 gauge speaker cord and the 10 gauge internal cabinet wiring.)
Yep, Proco FatMax 8 gauge. Its a big fat amp cable.Not sure htey even make it anymore.Marshall amp cable is 14 gauge I think.
It's also possible to find some big internal speaker wiring for the cabinet. Thats what you want if you run 8 gauge speaker cable. I'll try and find a link.
( I'm sorry, I see this is for wall power cords- still, they run into the thousands of dollars , at least for Hi-Fi- but IF you go thqat route, you do want the 8 gauge speaker cord and the 10 gauge internal cabinet wiring.)
Last edited:
L
Little Pigbacon
Guest
Re: Power Cords
I'm not into Elrod power cords either. Not only can I not afford them, they are difficult to work with. I picked them as an example of the lengths that audiophiles will go to.
To me, high-end audio is part fashion. It's carrying your stuff around in a $170 leather bag when a $12 nylon backpack from Target would do the job. Or a free plastic shopping bag, for that matter. Half the reason I like expensive cables is because of how they look. Sometimes I want to spend a little more and get away from the free plastic shopping bag, or even the $12 nylon backpack. It's supposed to be fun. Anyone who doesn't think it's fun shouldn't be doing it.
I'm not into Elrod power cords either. Not only can I not afford them, they are difficult to work with. I picked them as an example of the lengths that audiophiles will go to.
To me, high-end audio is part fashion. It's carrying your stuff around in a $170 leather bag when a $12 nylon backpack from Target would do the job. Or a free plastic shopping bag, for that matter. Half the reason I like expensive cables is because of how they look. Sometimes I want to spend a little more and get away from the free plastic shopping bag, or even the $12 nylon backpack. It's supposed to be fun. Anyone who doesn't think it's fun shouldn't be doing it.
Re: Power Cords
Marketing...no other way to explain it.
12 AWG.? THAT is bigger gauge than what is in the wall of a residence.
Power and Speaker cable are the exact same theory.....they are a high power conductor. Nothing that is nearby a guitar amp is going to influence them, unlike a Very Low Voltage instrument cable.
My wife has a nice pair of Klipsch Chorus Speakers. We just moved them into a much bigger room, so i need longer cables.
I went to Home Depot and bought one of these. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-50-ft-16-2-Outdoor-Extension-Cord-53050HDX/206460233
I cut That in half, installed banana plugs, and i now have excellent speaker cables that rival any cables, anywhere, at any price.
If the wires can handle the power, it makes a perfectly, excellent speaker cable. If the connectors are good (and GOOD Connectors are NOT Expensive) and properly installed.....you are good to go.
My speaker cables were about 40 bux for 50 feet. They sound just as good as Any 25 foot speaker cable that somebody might have paid 150-350-750-1250 dollars, etc etc etc.
PLUS.....mine are an Awesome Neon Green.
AC cords are the same thing. They can either handle the wattage going into your amp, or they cannot. If your amp draws 3.5 Amperes, installing a power cord that can handle 400 Amps is not going to improve anything.
good luck
Marketing...no other way to explain it.
12 AWG.? THAT is bigger gauge than what is in the wall of a residence.
Power and Speaker cable are the exact same theory.....they are a high power conductor. Nothing that is nearby a guitar amp is going to influence them, unlike a Very Low Voltage instrument cable.
My wife has a nice pair of Klipsch Chorus Speakers. We just moved them into a much bigger room, so i need longer cables.
I went to Home Depot and bought one of these. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-50-ft-16-2-Outdoor-Extension-Cord-53050HDX/206460233
I cut That in half, installed banana plugs, and i now have excellent speaker cables that rival any cables, anywhere, at any price.
If the wires can handle the power, it makes a perfectly, excellent speaker cable. If the connectors are good (and GOOD Connectors are NOT Expensive) and properly installed.....you are good to go.
My speaker cables were about 40 bux for 50 feet. They sound just as good as Any 25 foot speaker cable that somebody might have paid 150-350-750-1250 dollars, etc etc etc.
PLUS.....mine are an Awesome Neon Green.
AC cords are the same thing. They can either handle the wattage going into your amp, or they cannot. If your amp draws 3.5 Amperes, installing a power cord that can handle 400 Amps is not going to improve anything.
good luck
Last edited:
L
Little Pigbacon
Guest
Re: Power Cords
Neon green is a fashion choice.
Neon green is a fashion choice.
Re: Power Cords
Not considering noise in the power lines - Anyone who claims they can hear a difference in the gauge or cost power cords is only hearing the sound of their own ego or justification of $$$ spent. All the random RF kicking around in your house/garage/studio/venue from literally every electronic device and wall wart has a far bigger impact than a power cable...
Not considering noise in the power lines - Anyone who claims they can hear a difference in the gauge or cost power cords is only hearing the sound of their own ego or justification of $$$ spent. All the random RF kicking around in your house/garage/studio/venue from literally every electronic device and wall wart has a far bigger impact than a power cable...
Re: Power Cords
I would still think that consistent power is more important than an expensive cable, I know for certain I couldn't hear (or pin a difference in sound) down to a power cable. Why not spend $$$ for cable within your amp or guitar? People balk at silver wire for pickups but will send $150 on a 3' IEC cable.
I would still think that consistent power is more important than an expensive cable, I know for certain I couldn't hear (or pin a difference in sound) down to a power cable. Why not spend $$$ for cable within your amp or guitar? People balk at silver wire for pickups but will send $150 on a 3' IEC cable.
Phantasmagoria
watch where you point that sabre
Re: Power Cords
I use the regular 14 AWG "server grade" cords they sell on ebay (6ft usually) and to my ears they make an audible difference from stock 18AWG power cords. Bigger/better lows & more open in the mids. I would'nt buy cords that cost 100's of $$$ though..theretrns probably are'nt worth it.
I use the regular 14 AWG "server grade" cords they sell on ebay (6ft usually) and to my ears they make an audible difference from stock 18AWG power cords. Bigger/better lows & more open in the mids. I would'nt buy cords that cost 100's of $$$ though..theretrns probably are'nt worth it.
L
Little Pigbacon
Guest
Re: Power Cords
People can believe what they want and pay what they want but whenever I built an amp I measures the voltage at the socket I plugged in (wall) and then At the iec socket inside the amp and they were always identical, measured to two decimal points, with whatever regular cheap cable I used.
I'm not buying into the hype at all witht this. Current is current.
People can believe what they want and pay what they want but whenever I built an amp I measures the voltage at the socket I plugged in (wall) and then At the iec socket inside the amp and they were always identical, measured to two decimal points, with whatever regular cheap cable I used.
I'm not buying into the hype at all witht this. Current is current.
PFDarkside
of the Forum
Re: Power Cords
There are so many other areas to really change the amp's behavior in the power supply alone (B+ Voltage, Rectifier design, power filtering cap choice, etc.) that anything other than a standard power cord seems ridiculous.
(I assume) under full load? I really think voltage drop is the only consideration.
There are so many other areas to really change the amp's behavior in the power supply alone (B+ Voltage, Rectifier design, power filtering cap choice, etc.) that anything other than a standard power cord seems ridiculous.
Last edited:
XSSIVE
OCDologist
Re: Power Cords
Every time I rewire my rack and move things around I usually have to order new IEC plug power cables for my amps and rack gear and inevitably get different gauges based on the specific lengths I need, what's in stock, or if I want a right angle and what direction that angle needs to face. So I've extensively (inadvertently) tested different gauge power cables for amps, preamps, poweramps, pedal power supplies and rack gear and there's absolutely a big difference...in price, that's it.
Every time I rewire my rack and move things around I usually have to order new IEC plug power cables for my amps and rack gear and inevitably get different gauges based on the specific lengths I need, what's in stock, or if I want a right angle and what direction that angle needs to face. So I've extensively (inadvertently) tested different gauge power cables for amps, preamps, poweramps, pedal power supplies and rack gear and there's absolutely a big difference...in price, that's it.
Re: Power Cords
Of course. Once the amp is finished, biased and running, I always measured it to make sure there were no problems (part of my multi-point check-list before considering it done). Always identical.
But hey, no matter what empirical evidence you throw at people who want to believe, they will believe what they want so I'm just telling you guys what my instruments tell me.
And yet there are so many others that will make absolutely no difference and still folks will agonize/overanalyse them and believe them to be the key to their magical tone.
I've always been a firm believer that, once the bassist, second guitarist, drummer and keyboard player (or whoever else) kick in, the extra millisecond of sustain from the long tenon, that "percieved mostly by you" extra richness from those fancy caps or whatever else infinitesimal detail you tailored into your tone, all get lost in the mix, and so do all the imaginary/placebo ones... these considerations are "mostly" (I know there are exceptions with pros of course but again, these guys make money from endorsements so that's to be kept in mind) carried by bedroom players IMHO.
Of course. Once the amp is finished, biased and running, I always measured it to make sure there were no problems (part of my multi-point check-list before considering it done). Always identical.
But hey, no matter what empirical evidence you throw at people who want to believe, they will believe what they want so I'm just telling you guys what my instruments tell me.
And yet there are so many others that will make absolutely no difference and still folks will agonize/overanalyse them and believe them to be the key to their magical tone.
I've always been a firm believer that, once the bassist, second guitarist, drummer and keyboard player (or whoever else) kick in, the extra millisecond of sustain from the long tenon, that "percieved mostly by you" extra richness from those fancy caps or whatever else infinitesimal detail you tailored into your tone, all get lost in the mix, and so do all the imaginary/placebo ones... these considerations are "mostly" (I know there are exceptions with pros of course but again, these guys make money from endorsements so that's to be kept in mind) carried by bedroom players IMHO.
Last edited:
Similar threads
