View Full Version : Power cables that really knocked my head off
Hi everyone ,hope your all keeping well, i had a good friend come around with a power cable he designed and built so we switched the cable over from my Crimson Elektrik Preamp to his bespoke VB1.5 and the hole sound stage opened up and everything sounded in the right plaice and very neutral , to be honest i'm not one for bragging about audio but when i heard it it sounded like a new system my jaw was gaping, i was shocked by how. good it sounded so i have ordered 3 from him and money don't flow in my house but i had to have them.
I messaged hi to ask him if it was alright to share with you folk my discovery, i have included the messaged he sent.
Not at all, these are Bespoke cables, I hadn’t thought about prices but I suppose it’s time to do so! The main attribute of them is the lack of a traditional fuse, and protection being provided by a small electronic circuit! They are bespoke designed for use on audio equipment only, rated at 10amps,no user replaceable parts so in the unlikely event of a failure require return for repair! I suppose they can be designated with that cable,(other cables are available ) as VB1.5 being 1.5 m in length with VB1 being 1m in length Prices are VB1 £149.95 VB1 £189.95
Obviously there is a typo on the last line it should be VB1.5 £189.95 Contact details are phone 07769680276 Facebook “Valveonia audio services” or just “Valveonia
If you order a cable from Steve i hope you'll be as happy as we are.
Take care all
Tim
What does the plug look like?
I'll try and post a picture of the plugs and cable tomorrow, i might need some help with it.
Message from Steve to me this morning
��*⬛both plugs have rhodium plated pins! The IEC has a machined aluminium barrel giving it durability and also a little extra protection from RFI!
The cable is a proprietary 5n copper cores and the screen is designed to be connected to earth at the source end and floating at the I EC end ! There is also a separate 4 MM CSA. EARTH CABLE, this is connected at each end!
Signal and Return Cores are 5n copper , presenting as 6 insulated bunches of 1mm CSA, giving a. Total of 6mm CSA!.
Electrical Protection is given by a small circuit giving a 10a carrying capacity, along with a quick blow element that gives a class leading presentation of sound!
I have pictures i now need to find out a easy way to post them.
https://www.dropbox.com/home/Power%20Cable?preview=P1060217.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/home/Power%20Cable?preview=P1060214_0.JPG
These pictures are of my 1.5m cables
Not wishing to be a kill joy as I am all for new designs and innovation ANY main cables sold in the UK by law must be certified to BS1363 or Equivilent UKCA / CE regulations which states the use of a fuse in circuit is part of the directive. Along with many dedicated testing proceedures in keeping with the high voltage directive for domestic mains supply. Including a maximum cross sectional area of 1.5mm2 with the ability to carry a maximum of 13 amps @230Vac which is the legal maximum current to be drawn from a domestic UK ring circuit single point. As well as isolation break down testing/flexibility, repeatability & destruction testing. Placing a BS 1363 plugs on either end doesn't make that cable (rewirable plugs) CE compliant even if the cabling is also 1363 standard as well!
We know exactly the hoops you have to jump to get anything through CE testing these days and the COSTS can be from £5K per day depending on the product and that is with a serious amount of in house pre complience testing which we have signifcantly invested in testing equipment from CNN's/LISN's/Current probes/Near & field RF probes/Hi-pot & insulation testing/Dedicated EMI analysers and PFC design.
Would be good to see the physical and EMC pre complienece test procedures that were carried out with this design Tim.
If the circuit designed for over voltage /current protection has been CE approved by a certified testing house here in the UK, then this can be submitted to the standard commity for general approval and up take. Then respect is due and I would like to read the standard's body revised paper on this.
Do be aware than ANY non CE approved mains cabling will invalidate your insurance including using Schuko plugs for the wall outlet (Which are EU legal). So if a fire occurs that delightful loss adjuster has found large reason for policy non complience and therefore zero payout.
From Steve. The B.S are not actually law. They are more of a code of practice, you can NOT be prosecuted for not complying with them! The Chinese do not recognise them and a Huge amount of their equipment is NOT CE tested and certified! The standard suggests a means of disruption and disconnection from the”mains supply in event of a fault occurring,these cables have that and , i fact provide a far more efficient method of “disconnection “
You are right in the sense they are a guide only, and in fact many plugs marked as complying with BS 1363 do not fully conform. It does not make them dangerous to use. However, there are some Chinese sourced cartridge fuses marked as complying to BS 1362 which do not comply and can explode under fault conditions and definitely pose a danger.
On the other hand Mr. C is correct in pointing out that if an electrical fire has been caused by a fault in any mains component not conforming to the appropriate BS standard, your insurance provider is unlikely to pay out in a claim.
The BS standard are a guide, you are correct although those standards are more than a match for most CE directives. However UKCA & CE ( both High (above 50Vac) and Low voltage directives) are law and therefore anything mains cable without a fuse here or non compliance in any other aspect of that directive in the UK is breaking the law. Chinese CE is pretty much close to a chocholate teapot effectiveness for many ali express procured items no arguement from myself on that.
As the company legal department points out, "Type approved CE the onus is on YOU to prove compliance in any court proceedings, where as granted CE approval the onus is on trading standards to prove you are making non compliant goods"
So ANY public individual is entitled to view a build manual for products providing they are no patented or trade secrets which would be open to copying. However in a court of law all information is availible.
You do have a build manual for said product I trust?
The issues also arises if the fire causes loss of life and or damage to adjecent properties etc.
Mind you I have always felt that any review sites should have to publish the CE documentation for any Product review by them
Cables falling within the scope of the Low Voltage Directive (generally those from 50V up to 1000V AC) must be CE marked, the relevant EC Declarations of Conformity made and Technical Files created and held by the relevant party manufacturing the cables or placing them on the market in the EU.1
I would suggest chatting to these guys in repsect of this Tim
Technical UKCA/CE information Specialists (https://www.conformance.co.uk/)
Pigmy Pony
13-09-2023, 15:15
What does the plug look like?
It looks nice. Be interesting if it does prove to be safe/compliant.
It looks nice. Be interesting if it does prove to be safe/compliant.
I can't open the link. Is there anyway you can copy and paste the image(s)?
Pigmy Pony
14-09-2023, 07:03
I can't open the link. Is there anyway you can copy and paste the image(s)?
Tbh Barry, I was just following on from CageyH's post - I couldn't get through the link either. It wanted me to open a Google account or something, and I'm way too lazy for that. And there's enough crap on my laptop as it is.
I can't open the link either
I can't open the link. Is there anyway you can copy and paste the image(s)?
the links dont lead anywhere except to ones own dropbox, if you have one.
Tbh Barry, I was just following on from CageyH's post - I couldn't get through the link either. It wanted me to open a Google account or something, and I'm way too lazy for that. And there's enough crap on my laptop as it is.
My post was a bit of a tongue in cheek comment.
Pigmy Pony
14-09-2023, 16:18
My post was a bit of a tongue in cheek comment.
Mine too! :D
From Steve;
Points taken, in this instance the innards are epoxy enclosed and although I am obviously not an approved testing house, my test results are enough to satisfy my conscience that these particular cables are SAFE!
In addition my 15yrs of experience in the fire service lead me to look at the bigger picture, if a fire were to occur involving one of these leads it would be extremely difficult for the fire investigators to pin the source to the actual lead, and categorically determine it’s certified state, approved or not! As such they are sold for exclusive use on HiFi equipment and rated at 10 amps! Very few items of hifi are likely to draw anywhere near that!.
Enough on that subject , thanks for those involved.
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