The AudioQuest Thunder is a sweet-spot cable for power amps.
The upgrade that never fails to be spooky.
Imagine having an upgrade that brings huge, instantly impressive improvements, is relatively inexpensive and easy to test, yet terrifying to discuss because people explode with outrage and accusations.
That upgrade is the power cable. [Insert lightning, thunderclap, and evil witch laugh.]
At Upscale, we have heard power cable changes in countless settings: our home systems, store setups, training sessions, and customer systems. We can reliably say that in spite of the violent reactions, anyone who is 100% sure power cables make no difference has not had direct experience with them.
In fact, AudioQuest ranks power cables as the most significant cable upgrade, followed by speaker cable, then interconnects. Nordost writes on its blog, "The most important cable in your sound system is the power cord [since] the music enjoyed from your hi-fi system is little more than AC power, transformed by components to reproduce a melody."
But There's a Stock Cable!
Note that a stock power cable is included just so your product can run straight out of the box. This $2 bulk-buy cable lacks the shielding, conductor quality, and transient-preserving design of an audio-grade cable.
While power cable upgrades absolutely work on devices with a steady current draw due to shielding (notably against transformer self-pollution), the best first place to try out a good power cable is on an amplifier. This could be a dedicated power amp, an integrated amp, a receiver, an all-in-one, or powered speakers. Here, the power cable has one more variable it can improve, as the amp is drawing a constantly changing current from the wall to meet the energy demands of the music signal.
Cardas cables offer a clear sound with a hint of warmth, here the Clear Beyond power cable.
Going from the stock cable to an offering from AudioQuest, Cardas, or Nordost, brings increased bass extension and grip, less grain, greater dynamics, and a lower noise floor. For laughs in the store and at product trainings, we throw on ever more expensive cables until the power cord costs more than the system itself, and even on budget gear, we continue to hear improvements. This is more about the incredible sensitivity of our ears than about the design of the power supply. The armchair engineers who assert that "If a power cable makes a difference, your component must be badly designed," probably don't say, "If tires and shocks make a difference, your sports car must be badly designed."
Nordost is known for its quick, incisive sound, and the Heimdall 2 is no exception.
Trust the Experts
When faced with the vociferousness of these forum heroes, it's worth remembering that head designers such as Garth Powell of AudioQuest, George Cardas of Cardas Cables, and Joe Reynolds of Nordost are hugely experienced and brilliant people with reputations to maintain. Veteran audio salespeople have been listening critically to products and systems for decades. If you are choosing to not trust these experts, you are missing out on a huge upgrade that's a fraction of the cost of your gear.
Since each manufacturer uses different technologies and focuses on different areas of improvement, cables can and do sound different. Speaking very generally, Cardas tends to emphasize warmth and texture, Nordost is fast and incisive, and AudioQuest sits somewhere in between. As always, our team is available to guide you on how much to spend before the returns diminish too much, and also to pick the right brand for your needs.
Budgeting for a power cable when you buy an electronic component is no different from setting aside money for speaker cables when you buy loudspeakers. And again, that's no different from budgeting for "Harley tax" on a motorcycle, or choosing a sports package when you buy a car. There's nothing wrong with the stock offering, but you're an enthusiast and you demand the best performance you can eke out of a given product. There's nothing scary about that.
Browse our power cable collection.