AudioNervosa
Electro Stimulation Ward => Signals and Noise => Power Cables => Topic started by: rpf on January 24, 2013, 12:57:26 PM
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Triode Wire Labs 7+ and 8+ Power Cords (7 and 8 gauge respectively).
This is not a full review because I have not had enough time to do one due to problems with both my DAC and amp. However, I did get to listen to both cords for several hours; the 7+ on my amp and, then, the 8+ on my DAC. For several days prior and in the hours leading up to the switch, I had been using a pair of 8 gauge Purist Audio 20th Anniversary power cords ($2500 list each) on the equipment, that a friend had lent me.
The Purist, compared to my own cords (which are only 10 gauge), were explosively dynamic and effortless in presentation. They had a lower noise floor and a deeper soundstage.
The interesting thing is that the TWL cords, at a fifth of the price, matched the Purist in dynamics and effortlessness. They did not have the really deep soundstage that the Purist did but the latter, in comparison, sounded a bit too forward for my taste. Soundstage on both was wide and tall. The Purist was more incisive (sharper transient attacks) and separated individual lines better but the TWL overall sounded more coherent, of a piece.
What is more, and of utmost importance to me, the TWL cords produced a greater harmonic richness/tonal density, without being veiled or muddy. The end result being that, in my system, I preferred the TWL 7 & 8 Plus to the Purist 20th Anniversary power cords. This is an amazing achievement for TWL.
Yes, I bought them.
System: APC power conditioner > Mac Mini (Pure Music)/LaCie external drive > ART Legato > EE Minimax DAC (modded) > Rogue Cronus Magnum (KT 120s) > Aural Acoustics Model B.
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Congrats! :thumb:
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That's why I got the 7.
And the 12 for my dac.
Pete does fine work at a great price. :thumb:
What is more, and of utmost importance to me, the TWL cords produced a greater harmonic richness/tonal density, without being veiled or muddy.
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Glad I recommended them for you to try out. The cords speak for themselves. Rob our experience has been that the cords take some time to truly open up. The Cable Cooker used does a VG good job however we have found that more time reveals a bigger sound stage and depth. Enjoy !!!
charles
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These results do not surprise me in the least. There is not a single piece of gear in my system that did not benefit from the addition of a TWL cord, including the TT power supply.
I cannot explain it, but I sure as hell do enjoy it! :thumb:
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So is it 7+ and 8+ cords on amps or integrateds? Then for the sources is it the thinner gauge power cords?
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Thicker is usually better. If you can go for it put a 7+ on everything. It might be a bit of overkill, and a smaller gauge on sources could work fine, but having big hefty power supplying conduits to your components will make your wimpy girly man stereo into a truly man sized mench of a system.
BEFORE
(http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSDyYtSpXHZtVatgY40qlOdya2wtM1PEbO_4LTd6vyZLAiHtt87)
AFTER
(http://www.thisblogrules.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/girly-man-republican.jpg)
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Excellent post Bob. You made me :D with that one.
I may just ask Triode Pete but do the TRL 7+ or 8+ have some kind of cable strain relief on both ends? I'm currently trying Pangea AC9 power cords on my amps as well as on my power conditioners and I'm finding they begin to sag from either the socket or amp side. My outlets are either new PS Audio Decora type outlets or the older Porter Port Hubbell based outlets.
On the amp side I'm going to wrap the Pangea AC9 plug ends with electrical tape and prop up the excess cable with some spare wood blocks I have but am curious if the TRL cords take into account strain caused by weight.
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Excellent post Bob. You made me :D with that one.
I may just ask Triode Pete but do the TRL 7+ or 8+ have some kind of cable strain relief on both ends? I'm currently trying Pangea AC9 power cords on my amps as well as on my power conditioners and I'm finding they begin to sag from either the socket or amp side. My outlets are either new PS Audio Decora type outlets or the older Porter Port Hubbell based outlets.
On the amp side I'm going to wrap the Pangea AC9 plug ends with electrical tape and prop up the excess cable with some spare wood blocks I have but am curious if the TRL cords take into account strain caused by weight.
SG24
Even though Pete's cords (I have two 7+'s and an 8+, so far) can be heavy in gauge, they're really not heavy in weight. They're also very flexible, so they may allow you to position them in a way to support themselves adequately without sagging or the need for blocks to prop them up.
I hope this helps. :thumb:
SN
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The TWL cords are built like a tank. For an Amp, intergrated or power conditioners I recco the 7+ cords. The plugs used fit like a glove, no sagging. However some IECs are not up to snuff. To date a non issue but I'm sure there is an IEC TWL doesn't like.
The lesser gauges for CDP, DAC are all VG however we like 8+ for that. Have fun trying.
charles
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...
On the amp side I'm going to wrap the Pangea AC9 plug ends with electrical tape and prop up the excess cable with some spare wood blocks I have but am curious if the TRL cords take into account strain caused by weight.
Pete's cords are far more flexible and lighter than the Pangea AC9. No comparison on any front.
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Thanks everyone for the input. I have made note of everyone's thoughts/findings. I also went through parts of the Pangea thread here and made some notes there. For now I will give the Pangea AC9s a try while I save up money for the next round of upgrades.
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You might want to contact Pete and see if he has any used (traded in) cords. I did and got a revamped 8+ and could not be happier. Pete is a great guy to talk with and ya never know what he might have around. I hope to get another from him some time.
Don
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You might want to contact Pete and see if he has any used (traded in) cords. I did and got a revamped 8+ and could not be happier. Pete is a great guy to talk with and ya never know what he might have around. I hope to get another from him some time.
Don
Don good to see you posting here, welcome.
charles
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An update on Pete's TWL Plus cords...
A few weeks ago in a fit of much deserved audio-nervosa, I had Pete upgrade all of my pre-Plus TWL powercords to Plus status along with getting them cryoed. Well, the upgraded cords came home to Papa last week and I'm one happy audio dude. Having been TWL-less for several weeks, I'm not really able to speak in detail on before and after, but what I can say is that I feel my system has never sounded better. Here's just a couple of things I noticed with the upgraded cords in place...
There's an album I've been listening to quite a bit of late called Night by Tift Merritt and Simone Dinnerstein. I'm touched by the music and fascinated by the recording quality. On a few songs the vocals may be mic'd a bit hot, but for most of it, it's exceptional. After inserting the Plus powercords, this album took a big step toward placing me in the performance space - grand soundstage, black backdrop yet with voices and instruments clear as a bell floating within a 3 dimensional space. There is one song where a harmonica floats high center stage left and a step back from the front. I'm sure it was there before, but it struck me as so much more real and integral to the performance. Gotta love this stuff!
Another fave for me is Holly Cole. She has a deep, warm and incredibly sexy voice - rich, organic, & voluptuous (well, OK, that last one is probably more about what I was imagining than what I was hearing ;-) On the song I Can See Clearly Now from Don't Smoke in Bed, there is a strong bass line throughout just to the left of center stage with piano set back to the right -- two instruments that just seemed far more real with the Plus cords in place. In the 1st half of this song, her voice is clear, sweet and relaxed. About mid way, the song crescendos and her voice easily pulls you emotionally in raising goosebumps along the way. In the crescendo, Holly's voice turns a bit thin and edgy, but the strength of her voice and emotion of the performance carries the song in a big way. I did listen to this with other power cords several times and what Pete's Plus cords seem to do with greatest effect is make that 'thin and edgy' a very real attribute of the strength and characteristic of her voice in the performance, rather than a sonic signature of my stereo. It's a fine line but contributes in a big way toward improving goosebump potential. (i.e. musicality, prat, emotion!)
Pete's power cords are not just great-bang-for-the-buck cords (which they are), they just seem to enable my system to sound more musically engaging than anything else that I've tried. For me, that's what it's all about (standard caveats apply: my system, my music, my ears, my imagination ;-).
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Well Boys pete's new digital powercord is another pleasant surprise. But but give it 400 hours for the bass to arrive and fully open up.
Bettered the 8 cryo and 7+ in mine and other systems. He did it again the whoop shooting full court beer drinking engineer. :rofl: :rofl:
charles
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Charles - on what components did you place the Digital PC? Just curious if you've used it on any amps like the Arions or just on DACs.
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So far just with a Plinius CDP. Have another coming to test on Class "D" amps. Used with a Weiss Medea DAC and CEC 01 transport as well. Bettered the 7+ used before.
Tried it with my Plasma TV and LED TV with excellent results. deeper blacks, sharper and deeper color. I use a PIAudio powercord for the cable box already I thought it was an exercise in futility WRONG.
charles
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http://theaudiotraveler.com/2014/10/22/rmaf-2014-volti-audio-borderpatrol-and-triode-wire-labs-unite-to-destroy-tokyo/
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http://theaudiotraveler.com/2014/10/22/rmaf-2014-volti-audio-borderpatrol-and-triode-wire-labs-unite-to-destroy-tokyo/
Nice write-up, but we are going to have to get Lonewolf to give Greg a few pointers on how to pose with speakers. :lol: