Audio Media - September 2008 - (Page 65) POWER FACT & FICTION placebo effect, and there was definitely something different in the sound. I would not consider it measurable by any means that I could think of – though I don’t think I quite have the ears that these other engineers do. One thing I could prove was the cell phone interference that I almost always get from my wife’s Apple iPhone. It’s similar to the Imperial Probe Droid’s transmission in The Empire Strikes Back (though hardly as cool). With the Power Oval cables connected I could not get the classic interference to rear its ugly head. I spoke with an engineer at Analysis Plus and they attribute this to the low inductance and braided shield on the power cable itself among other things. Power cables – who knew? After spending so much time with these engineers and learning of the profound advantages of power regulation and balanced power, I have added the Furman units to my studio setup – how could I not after Cass’ measurements and discoveries? The upgraded Analysis Plus cabling is pretty darn cool too… I may be forced to have a few of those on my key components… after all, every bit helps when audio is your well being. ∫ > listening with the stock IEC cable the transparency was greatly diminished.” Wow – these guys are really hearing what a replacement power cable can do – on top of everything else that has been done in their setup to improve the sound quality! Apparently this is not fluff… but wait just a second – Cass Anawaty had a different reaction from the results of his tests: “To be honest… I didn’t notice a difference in my studio – I read the white papers and some of the other materials that they have. I certainly understand that the shielding they are using could result in some RFI/EMI rejection in some sense, but since that is not a problem that I have in my studio I didn’t notice a benefit along those lines. Audiophile power cables and audio cables are a hotly debated topic – as far as I am aware there have never been any scientific studies that have validated any claims of an improved Is This Fluff? audio experience or even one that is necessarily different. Everybody owns their own experience… during the time I had with the Analysis Plus IEC power cables and the different techniques I used to try to detect a difference, and I just didn’t hear one.” So, we have two very experienced engineers, one that heard a difference, and one that didn’t. Could it be that Cass’ studio is so perfectly powered and outfitted that these cables aren’t noticed? I suppose that leaves a certain air of mystery here. It was time to put the Power Oval cables to test in my room. More than the improved precision in the stereo image and the focused bottom end, I instantly noticed something different in the placement of good vocal recordings in the centre channel relative to the rest of the mix. Now this was a very subtle change, but a change nonetheless. I switched the cables back and forth several times to ensure that this was no 'Ear Anything D ifferent? I N F O R MAT I O N W www.analysis-plus.com/index.html W www.furmansound.com/ AUDIO MEDIA SEPTEMBER 2008 65 http://www.analysis-plus.com/index.html http://www.furmansound.com/ http://www.adkmic.com http://www.adkmic.com http://www.adkmic.com
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