Do mains cables make a difference??

[Bigman80]

You've also got the 'wood for the trees' situation where people are listening so hard for the micro details and so forth that they don't notice that the sound is shit. I've been in a room with about 8 other people and they are all enthusing about various aspects of the sound and I'm the only one thinking that I don't care that it captures the expression in her voice, the sound is hard with nasty distortion.

Very true. This hobby, It's a nightmare!

[Macca]

It can be. But I find being jaded and cynical helps enormously

[Barry]

I've done it mate, I got the wife to swap them without me knowing which was in and I could tell, more importantly, so could she when I sat her in the chair.

The waybill could tell was in the bass. It's bigger and fuller. Better defined. I wish it wasn't true, believe me!

Any chance of a photo of the other, 'inferior' cable?

[Bigman80]

Sure!

Any chance of a photo of the other, 'inferior' cable?

Standard kettle lead from France with replacement IEC (German one brass connections) and Standard UK plug.

[Barry]

The old cable looks to be longer than the new one. Have you tried polishing the pins with Duraglit and/or swapping/reversing the fuses, which I assume are of equal rating?

[Bigman80]

The old cable looks to be longer than the new one. Have you tried polishing the pins with Duraglit and/or swapping/reversing the fuses, which I assume are of equal rating?

The cable is a little longer but the pic is deceptive due to the lack of flexibility in the Belden stuff.

Same rated fuse and yes all contacts in the IEC were cleaned as standard by. The manufacturer. The UK plug, no just as is from Do it all about 20 years ago.

[Joe]

It is, surprisingly, and it does look the business too so it's fair to say I was very disappointed not to hear any benefit.

I'd be happy to conclude that it was just me and that I am unable to hear the subtle improvements, which would not surprise me. But everyone else seems to have the 'Wife immediately asked me what I had done to the system' type changes so, frankly, I'm feeling a bit left out.

Do you even have a wife?

[Barry]

Not just any old wife, but one that has been calibrated against the Reference Wife held by the UK National Physical Laboratory.

[walpurgis]

Not just any old wife, but one that has been calibrated against the Reference Wife held by the UK National Physical Laboratory.

I tried to get mine rated by the National Institute of Bag Ladies, but they rejected her.

[Marco]

Nice one, Oliver - looks good, and I'm glad you can hear a genuine difference!

For me, using mains leads that are properly designed for hi-fi purposes, such as you've now built, is simply a case of 'good housekeeping', in the same way as we don't use the 'freebie' interconnects that sometimes come supplied with gear, or no longer hook up our speakers with bell wire, as there are clearly better alternatives available.

And the same applies with mains cables, proving that you *can* do better than cheap 'kettle leads'. I've really no idea why some folk struggle so much with that concept - certainly those who are clearly capable of trusting their ears and making subjective assessments/decisions elsewhere in their system

Anyway mate, ignore the naysayers, trust your OWN ears and senses (always over ALL else), and enjoy the music!

Marco.