Do you really need 'audiophile' mains leads?

[Mike]

You can have some of the grey stuff anyway, I've got plenty. I'll pop some in the post tomorrow, just chuck it out if it doesn't take your fancy.

[Stratmangler]

Marco

Why not try one or two of these http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...C=SO&U=strat15 which are very like the ones I made from screened mains flex I recovered from a site somewhere.

Considering that they are pre-made it will save a fair bit of time and effort.

Chris

[Marco]

Hi Chris,

Are they made from solid-core mains cable? If not, then I'm afraid they won't be suitable. What I'm testing is the effect of stranded vs. solid-core mains cable.

My theory (which others have probably visited before but I haven't so far in great detail) is that one of the main reasons why people hear differences with mains leads is because 9 times out of 10 people are using 'kettle leads' as cables, which are constructed from a different material (stranded) to the cable used in the wall to supply the system (solid-core). There is also the diode effect to consider with stranded cables ('kettle leads') compared to solid-core, and the current handling capability and low impedance of something like 6mm mains cable compared to the very thin wire used in most hi-fi mains leads. The effect of this I'm sure must be quite significant.

It is why I feel that the last 2m of cable (or whatever) used to power a system often makes a difference, when technically it shouldn't, rather than any 'special effects' associated with the construction of audiophile mains leads. The fact that these leads often sound different from each other is I suspect not down to any one example being 'superior' to the others, or the solid-core cable that's powering the wall sockets, but rather that some examples are simply 'less worse'...

I see no reason why a cable constructed from good quality 4 or 6mm twin & earth mains cable (such as used to supply power to our wall sockets) terminated in a high quality 15A IEC plug (Furutech, Wattgate or similar) and 13A mains plug (for those who don't hard-wire) shouldn't be as good as any expensive 'audiophile' mains lead on the market - so let's find out!

I mean, why would you go from nice, chunky, high-current capability solid-core cable in the wall to thin, weedy, stranded 'kettle leads'? I strongly suspect it must be a downgrade and thus a significant 'bottleneck'.

If I'm right (and my system has the necessary resolution to show up the difference) then my rather expensive Transparent mains leads (£800 a pop!) will become history, just like the interconnects and speaker cable I once had, and yours truly will be going 'ching-ching' and pocketing some serious mullah from the sales proceeds

To answer the oft-asked (rather monotonous) question, which has spawned numerous heated arguments across audio forums worldwide, "Do cables make a difference?", I'd say that they do, but not for the reasons many might have first thought!

All will be revealed in due course...

Marco.

{Edit: I've just read the details in the link to Maplins more closely and noticed that the cable featured uses 1.5mm mains cable... Hopefully, the 6mm stuff I intend to use will be better again due to higher current handling capability and lower impedance}.

[ultraviolet]

I'd be interested to hear about the outcome of your experiment. I tried solid mains cables as speaker cables a long time ago but the sound was very thin and lacking bass compared to QED 79 strand. I'd be interested to try the experiment again now as I keep wondering if the sound was actually more hifi but I just didn't appreciate this at the time.

PS - how about black paint?

[Marco]

Cheers - I'll let you know the outcome

Do you use solid-state or valve amps? With ss amps I've noticed the exact same as you, but with valve amps the results are rather different - mains cable works extremely well when used as speaker cable.

I also suspect that solid-core cable used as a mains lead will have a different effect to when used as speaker cable.

Marco.

[Mike]

YOU WHAT????..... Eh!

No way!!!.... Marco doing DIY cables? Surely not!

<In finest Victor Meldrew voice>... I don't belieeeve it!

Whatever next?...

[ultraviolet]

solid-state or valve amps?

Solid state. Thinking back I think I subsequently bought some solid core £7 a metre hifi cable which unexpectedly had a similar sound to the mains cable so I went back to the cheapo QED stuff.

[Marco]

YOU WHAT????..... Eh!

No way!!!.... Marco doing DIY cables? Surely not!

<In finest Victor Meldrew voice>... I don't belieeeve it!

Whatever next?...

You know me, Mikey - open-minded as ever. If it works it'll be quite a discovery (at least for me, anyway)

Marco.

[Primalsea]

Marco,

Get down your local B&Q or Focus etc. You can buy Unwaxed Sash Cord or other ropes that consist of an outer sheath and an inner core. The inner core can be pulled out just leaving the sheath.

Some of them are very nice too and look completely different to th eusual stuff you see on cables.

[Ali Tait]

Picked up some 10 mm squared mains cable from a drum I found at work.I'll have to give it a try.Picking up some new speakers today so I'll try it on them.