Power cords

[ckpop]

Ok, guy's here is my opinion on power cords. I came across this http://www.mercurymagnetics.com/pages/mainframe.htm . This is a larger gauge power cord that for $9.95 is not bad to try out. Ok before the pitchforks come out lets discuss !!!!!! I believe for some this cord can make a improvement but it all depends on which amp you own. Maybe a more modern amp yes but a vintage amp not so much. The results will vary from amp to amp. When you think vintage Marshall or tweed those were never heavy duty gauge power cords and I feel this messes with the balance of the of the amp just like the wrong speaker wire or guitar cable. Personally, sure I will buy one to throw in my bag of tricks. SO yes the claims it makes a improvement is true but what they dont tell you is it may not for everyone. I have to laugh because people on forums make such quick judgements on items like this.

[Colossal]

Ok, I'll volunteer for the Spanish Inquisition. I have some of these power cords and, to my ear, there is a subtle yet audible improvement in the amplifier's clarity. Anyone may call bullshit and say it's more Mercury hype (and what a sucker I am); your entitled to your own view and I respect that. But don't insist that I don't hear a difference or that I am hearing a difference because I expect to. It's a well made, rugged cord and on that attribute it's worth ten bucks, even if I did not particularly notice what could be called an improvement in tone. Like anything we put in an amp, it's another possible tool and everyone's mileage may vary.

Ckpop, that's an interesting observation about the utility (or lack thereof) for using a heavy gauge power cord on vintage amps.

[Structo]

Wow that's a great price!

I remember a couple years ago a guy came on here pushing an expensive power cord.
It was something like $135 for the cord.
We reminded him how about the 100 ft of cheap Romex in the house not to mention the wire on the poles.

He pretty much got tarred and feathered but it made me think and I did some research.
I found a high quality hospital grade, 12 gauge, shielded, IEC cable at Mouser for around $15.
Nothing wrong with using a high quality power cord, but when you start saying you hear angels sing, well.........

It always surprised me when expensive amps or audio gear would come with the cheap cords like you get with a computer power supply.
Like 16 or 18 ga and five feet long.

But even the Mercury cord is not shielded.

But for $10 not a bad deal........as long as you like red.

Specs for the Mercury cord:

Specifications: A typical 18-gauge cord is made from 1624cm copper. Our Copper-Tone cords use 4107cm. The higher the number, the more copper. Copper-Tone cords have 60% less resistance per foot than a typical OEM cord. And that gives YOUR AMP A LOT MORE EFFICIENCY!

6 foot (1.82 meters) long
U.S. 3-prong
For indoor use only
Cord spec: ~14AWG/3 conductors (~14 gauge wire)
Cord type: SJT
NEMA 5-15P grounded plug
IEC-C13 female grounded connector
Electrical rating: 15A/125V/1875W
Maximum cord temperature rating: 221°F (105°C)
UL/CUL listed
CSA listed
RoHS compliant

[vibratoking]

Power cords with 14 AWG have about 60% less resistance per foot than 18 AWG cords - I did the math on my own . Whether that resistance significantly impacts your particular application is up for debate. I won't debate that here, but add up the resistance of the 14AWG or 12AWG cable behind your wall and compare that with the resistance of 6' of 14AWG or 18AWG IEC power cable and you decide. The comments made in the "Here’s what Other Players are Saying..." section on the MM website are silly IMO.

Also, MM has these on sale for $9.95 but they are $19.95 regularly. With a quick Google search I found an 6' 18AWG IEC power cord for $8.42.

For me MM falls into a very similar category as Monster. Not the same category, but a similar one.

[Structo]

Yes, this quote made me laugh!

"I was going to order a couple, but if my Mercury modified amps sound any bigger, I may have to move (lol)! " -- Robert Volenec

[ckpop]

I guess another way to put it sometime some amps it will be a + to have a more efficient power cord and other amps a negitive. Take Glen Kuykendall using a longer guitar cable to knock hign end off, less efficient but the over a better balance now. The same goes for power cords. I am the first one not to believe hype but I really try to investigate the reason why one persons verdict is different then another person trying the same product. Remember I am not knocking anyone just another different point of view.

[vibratoking]

I have some of these power cords and, to my ear, there is a subtle yet audible improvement in the amplifier's clarity.

I am not questioning your observation. Just wondering what would cause that. Is the cable you replaced defective? Is this improvement noticeable compared to other cables as well? I have a 12AWG very high quality cord that I got for free . For the life of me, I just can't hear a difference between it and other cords. It wouldn't be the first time I have been accused of having lousy listening skills.

It's a well made, rugged cord and on that attribute it's worth ten bucks, even if I did not particularly notice what could be called an improvement in tone.

I would agree with that. The sale price is very reasonable.[/quote]

[ckpop]

I am not knocking anyone in here on listening skills. Just sometimes what is a improvement is taking away something else away in the process. That is what I mean. Example " this speaker cable increases your highs and lows" wow someone thinks this is great I will get more out of this cable. Now the low end is extended too much and the highs dont roll off and you hear things that are not good. That is the point I was making about the power cable.......sometimes more is not better.

[ToneMerc]

Wow that's a great price!

It always surprised me when expensive amps or audio gear would come with the cheap cords like you get with a computer power supply.
Like 16 or 18 ga and five feet long.

But even the Mercury cord is not shielded.

But for $10 not a bad deal........as long as you like red.

Tom, I grabbed two of these a few weeks ago. I justified that for all the IEC cords that I've gotten for free, I can pay $25 shipped for two of these. I haven't heard any Sirens singing, but nevertheless it's not a bad deal and I don't regret it.

TM

[Dr-Joned]

I 'm not going to stick my head out too far, but the heavier ground wire DOES make a difference. As far as the neutral and hot, well..............

[cbass]

I'm glad I can't here as good as some of you guys.Must get expensive

[Cantplay]

I've played with power cord.

On hiding amps I hear a difference, but I'm not a consistent enough player to AB a cord on guitar amp.

There is a change, but its not always an improvement.

I like unshielded cords better. I hear more dynamics.

I buy good connectors and make my own cords now.

[brentm]

Curious about shielded wire. The Romex in the wall is unshielded and is there really any value to shielding that last leg of the connection????

[rdjones]

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[Colossal]

I have some of these power cords and, to my ear, there is a subtle yet audible improvement in the amplifier's clarity.

I am not questioning your observation. Just wondering what would cause that. Is the cable you replaced defective? Is this improvement noticeable compared to other cables as well? I have a 12AWG very high quality cord that I got for free . For the life of me, I just can't hear a difference between it and other cords. It wouldn't be the first time I have been accused of having lousy listening skills.

I didn't replace a defective cable, just your standard issue el-cheapo IEC cable. The amp I'm using it on is a Trainwreck Liverpool variant. It is a very transparent circuit and seems sensitive to everything: tube choices, guitar pickups, volume and tone settings, length of instrument cable, high or low plate voltage, cathode bias voltage setting...any change in those inputs results in an audible change in the amp's voice. My goal with that amp is clarity and separation under heavy distortion and it is very clear sounding. So I think the difference/contribution that I am hearing with the Mercury power cable versus the cheap one is likely due to the already very transparent circuit. I am also using the amp for high gain work with 7-string guitars, very non-traditional in Trainwreck terms.

The difference due to the cord on this particular amp is subtle but audible. To me there is just a bit more clarity and perhaps a sense of presence. Hard to put into terms perhaps. It is not dramatic but I can A/B the two cords and hear what I'm hearing reproducibly. The effect is most apparent with the amp at high volume.

It's a well made, rugged cord and on that attribute it's worth ten bucks, even if I did not particularly notice what could be called an improvement in tone.

I would agree with that. The sale price is very reasonable.

I thought so and opted to give it a try. I do prefer over-engineered amps for the reason that they seem 'just right' in terms of quality and ruggedness. If I heard no difference, I still like the cable for being robust.