By Paul Speltz
Our original power-cord design took three years to develop.
The first two years were spent understanding why power cords can make an audible difference. The final year was dedicated to refining the design based on that understanding. That work has endured. More than a decade later, the original design remains the foundation of our power-cord approach, even as the lineup has evolved.
That consistency matters.
Rethinking the Role of a Power Cord
It is easy to think of a power cord as simply the last few feet between the wall and an audio component. From that perspective, its role can seem insignificant.
There is a more useful way to think about it.
A more useful way to think about a power cord is as part of the component’s power-supply environment. The design can influence how noise generated inside the component is managed at the AC connection.
Seen this way, power cords make a great deal of sense.
Where Most Designs Go Wrong
A common approach is to put the heaviest power cord on the power amplifier and lighter cords on DACs and preamps. That assumes current delivery is the main consideration.
Our design approach puts greater emphasis on noise management, particularly around digital sources, where power-supply noise can be an important part of the overall system.
If I had only one ANTICABLES Level 3 Power Cord in my own system, I would use it on my DAC rather than my amplifier.
The reason is simple.
Power-supply noise can contribute to unwanted interference in digital circuitry, including effects associated with clocking and jitter. In listening, those changes may be perceived as reduced clarity, weaker dynamics, or a less natural presentation.
For that reason, I have historically preferred using the Level 3 Power Cord on DACs, CD players, and other digital sources when evaluating a single-cord upgrade.
The Real Source of Noise
Audiophiles are often told that noise enters their systems primarily from external sources—appliances, lighting, computers, or even their neighbors.
Those sources exist. In my experience, noise from a component’s own power supply can also be important because it is physically close to sensitive audio circuitry.
Once you see it this way, both the problem and the solution become almost self-evident.
Power Conditioners, Explained
During development, we found that our power cords often performed best when connected directly to the wall. With some passive power conditioners, we found the results less convincing.
Passive conditioners can reduce certain forms of incoming noise by adding impedance or filtering. Depending on the design, that same impedance can also affect the path available to noise generated inside the component.
The result is often a subtle softening of dynamics.
For me, dynamics are essential. They are a major part of what separates live music from reproduced sound.
Our listening experience has generally favored direct connection over passive conditioning. Power regenerators are different because they actively recreate the AC waveform rather than relying solely on passive filtering, so they should be evaluated separately.
What This Means for You
If your goal is to explore changes in system noise and presentation, a properly designed power cord is one option worth evaluating alongside your existing power-management equipment.
If protection is your priority and you prefer the sonic results with conditioning in place, that is a valid trade-off.
If you use a power regenerator, our power cords can be evaluated there as well as on individual components. The best placement is system-dependent, so listening in your own setup remains the useful test.
Designed for Results
The “first five feet” idea is part of the historical design perspective described in this article. The current power-cord range has evolved since this article was published, so see the current Power Cords page for today’s options.
The Level 3 Power Cord remains one of our core power-cord designs.
We invite you to try one in your own system and hear the results for yourself.
Current evaluation, upgrade, and return terms are published on the Return Policy page.
We think you’ll enjoy what it does for your music.