Thanks for your comments everyone. I auditioned the Blue Heaven and the Red Dawn....the difference between those two were not noticeable to my ears (or the wife) so I am going to buy the Blue Heaven. At this point I think I will just buy the one for McIntosh unless someone convinces me I need one for the CD player? And then I'm going to get the Blue Heaven speaker cables and the I/C for the CD player. I need a little more advice on switching out the tone arm cable from the Technics SL1210GR or just replacing the I/C. My dealer has already suggested I don't need to replace the ones for the T Ones.

Hi, Charlie

If the Pangea power cable you tried is the 14 SE, I had a similar experience, couldn't really hear a big difference vs. the stock cord on sources. To be fair, I haven't tried their 9 SE version, which they recommend for high power users like amps.

I think whatever improvements power cords can make is very dependent on the system/gear they're used on. In my case, on my system and my listening preferences, AntiCable, Signal Magic and Shunyata Venom 3's make an audible difference, each with a little different effect on warmth, naturalness, detail, musicality.

YMMV is definitely the case with power cords.

Rick

Hi, Charlie

I tried the Pangea 14 SE on sources also, couldn't hear enough difference vs. the stock cord to leave it there. To be fair I haven't tried the beefier 9 SE model, which they recommend for high power users like amps.

I can definitely hear audible differences using AntiCable, Signal Magic or Shunyata Venom 3 power cords. I think the results are very dependent on the gear and system they're used on, even whether it moves the SQ in a direction one likes.

With power cords, it seems YMMV with system, gear, etc.

Rick

Thanks, Rick. I tried both the 9 SE and the 14 SE cables. I used the 9s for all the higher powered stuff, including TRefs, then had the DAC running off the 14.

The 9s are humongous, very inflexible, and difficult to install. Anyone who wants to try them should get them in a much longer length than they think they will need. They need large bend radii.

The 14s are much easier to deal with.

Either way, I could hear no difference with these cables.

A while back, I asked my Bel Canto dealer about power cables. He said he didn't recommend Pangea cables, but here's what he recommended:

On Bel Canto, we always use Nordost. We’ve tried tons of the upper-market options, and cheap options too, and Nordost
Red Dawn and above seems to produce a better result, every time. The result is linear also, which is a little heartening.

By linear, I think he means that as you move up the product line, things continue to get better...to a point. Then,

That said, you can take things with Nordost too far. Tyr2 is the place, for me, where I stop. It’s not that the uber-crazy power cables don’t yield something in ultra-high-end systems, but that they don’t yield enough for me.

Red Dawn and Heimdall, $365, $630 at a meter, offer most of the bang for the buck. In your case, I’d slate the 600’s for the Heimdall at whatever length you need.

But before all that, be sure you have done the usual dedicated 20-amp circuit for the amps, and are going to be able to run the cables directly to the sockets.

I am running my system on a 20 A line, but all my audio stuff is hanging off the same line, with branches, including the TRefs. And, I'm using a PS Audio Dectet to feed power from one of the outlets to my amps, Oppo, TV, DAC, and a few power warts. I use the Dectet for both protection (lightning) and distribution.

So you can see I'm violating my dealer's conditions right from the get go. Still, maybe I should give them a try.

Sorry, gmwinder, I should have remembered to post this information earlier!

Charlie

gmwinder wrote: I auditioned the Blue Heaven and the Red Dawn....the difference between those two were not noticeable to my ears (or the wife) so I am going to buy the Blue Heaven. At this point I think I will just buy the one for McIntosh unless someone convinces me I need one for the CD player?

Thanks for the feedback! I just ordered a 1.5 m Blue Heaven. Have to give it a try on the Oppo player and the Marantz AVR. I'll provide feedback on how it does on either, vs. the AntiCables I now have on both. Will find a use for it somewhere in my system I suspect.

Rick

Oh, Good Bro Rick, I will look forward to that report, should be interesting.
To join in the discussion a touch, little bit, I am using aftermarket Pangea like power cords everywhere, and yes, Bro Charlie, they are like BIG heavy water hoses, and not very flexible at all. And so heavy they keep falling off the Tritons often, coming unplugged where used fairly often, I am not so proud of them.
But I "think" since I have already made that investment, and since I am a pretty darn happy camper with my sound/system, I will stick with what I have got.
And financially I have to, so it is really a no brainer.
But would love to follow you guys discussion and experiences.
Happy listening,
God Bless,
Wayne