Hi @ryder one thing to bear in mind for the Diablo is that XC power cables are usually recommended, straight to the wall for high current loads, especially if you have dedicated mains. That said, with so much variation in power, the Alpha-X NR is a very good cable and may well suit an individual setup due to the additional noise reduction - give both types a try if you can get a demo XC.
Power is one of the fundamentals for a good system.
I have a Sigma-X NR on the DAC and as everyone has experienced, Shunyata delivers in all areas as expected, fantastic.
Although on the list, I need some rewiring before trying Shunyata power cables on the Leonidas, it requires two (dual mono) and both are 3m Furutech atm.
One tip for those that are unfortunate enough to have mains plug fuses is to upgrade the stock AMR Gold fuse that Shunyata fit. Synergistic Research Pink was (yet) another level for imaging and a bit more gravitas.
Seems I’ve become a bit of a Shunyata convert over the last year or so, network, power cables, XLR and S/PDIF. If you want the best from your kit, they deserve to be listened to.
Keep in mind the “XC” power cables are specifically designed to go between the wall and the power distributor (like my Sigma-X XC that connects to my Everest) and not to a component as they omit the noise reduction tech of the “NR” models. I have the Sigma-X NR to my amp from the Everest.
An update. I am now back with the Alpha-X NR. I listened to familiar tracks with the Furutech for about an hour before switching to the Shunyata. I will refrain from repeating myself. The differences as mentioned earlier are undeniable and immediately noticeable after the switch.
I’m now financially exhausted after getting this Shunyata cable. Time will tell if I’ll end up with more Shunyata mains power cables in the future.
Shunyata cables are, without a doubt, very good and I have not even tried their higher end stuff. However, in my experience they all contribute to an overall “darker” sound and that’s something for everyone to decide based on their taste and system. On balance, I now have only one Shunyata cable remaining - an RCA interconnect between my NVC TT and the NSC222 as with changing to an MC cartridge for my Rega it helped keep the sound richer (vs e.g. Chord) - so the previous MM warmth with more MC insight and delicacy if you like. I ended up moving on my Shunyata mains NR cable which was on my 222 previously as I felt it was taking away a bit too much from the lifelike engagement factor, although it was noticeably reducing the noise floor.
I would be interested to know the mains power cable which sound more open, brighter or less dark than the Shunyata NR in your system. Is the Shunyata you tried the Alpha, Sigma or Omega-X mains power cable? I used the Alpha-X NR on the Luxman integrated and did not try it on anywhere else.
In my system there is no loss of lifelike engagement factor. The Shunyata mains power cable brought a level of clarity, detail and nuance to the music which increased the level of engagement in my system. With the Furutech mains power cable everything sounds warmer and less airy with a slight reduction in detail.
It was the Delta (V2 NR), I now use a WW (Silver electra) instead - for me it’s a better balance of noise reduction, life and dynamics, slightly firmer bass may be too.
I have the Silver Electra 7 mains power cable. I tried it with the amp about three or four years ago but the result wasn’t that good so it’s currently used with the streamer. Perhaps I’ll try it on the Luxman again to reconfirm my thoughts when I have the time. If yours is the latest Silver Electra 10 it might be an improved version.
Mine is also the v. 7 and also used with the streaming DAC. And I have the same (not very positive) experience with power/integrated amps and consider the WW source/DAC cables (as is the Shunyata NR).
I don’t quite believe that the newer WW version would change much anything in this respect.
Update. This is not so much about Shunyata mains power cables but my latest experience on what to look out for when listening and comparing mains power cables.
In my case, the focus is entirely on the mains power cable which is connected to the integrated amplifier (Gryphon Diablo 300) since it’s the most important component in my system as it comes built-in with an internal DAC module. It’s basically an amp and source combined into one. I have been trying three different mains power cables with the amp for several weeks now and the things I have learned are as follows:-
There is no single mains power cable that fits all. A cable may sound great on a component but not so great on another component. Case in point, the Shunyata Alpha-X NR sounds excellent with Luxman 590AXII, not so good with Gryphon Diablo 300.
This is the latest discovery after years of experimenting and swapping mains power cables. What do you listen to, how do you listen and what are the things do you look out for to determine if the mains power cable sounds good and fits the component/system. I finally found the answer. It’s bass and dynamics first and foremost, other aspects of the reproduction are secondary as they don’t bring as much impact. The biggest impact or change is in bass quality and dynamics. Listen to the bass quality and dynamics with a mains power cable and then determine if it sounds good. With the right cable, the bass will sound punchy, controlled and dynamic. With the wrong cable, the bass will either sound weak with reduced dynamics, or it will show a weird quality, a hollow, smeared or boomy bass with reduced control. It’s like listening to artificial EQ’d bass which is badly done.
The NR version of Shunyata mains power cables should not be used on certain high current amps such as Gryphon Diablo 300. Yes you guys are right. However, interestingly the Alpha-X NR does not bring a negative impact to the Luxman 590AXII but elevates the amp to a higher level of performance. Perhaps the Luxman is not high current although it’s a Class A.
The best sounding mains power cable for the Gryphon Diablo 300 is now the Acrolink 7N-PC97000 Mexcel. The bass is full, robust and punchy with excellent dynamics. The Shunyata Alpha-X NR sounds best with the Luxman 590AXII.
In summary, listen to changes in the bass and dynamics with mains power cables to determine if it’s a right fit. I don’t know if it works for everyone but it surely works for me. A note is all the mains power cables which are compared in my system are of certain quality so clarity and detail are all very close with minor differences between them. The significant difference is mainly in the bass, and dynamics.
It’s interesting how you describe what to look out for.
I am currently auditioning XLR interconnects and speaker wire.
So, approximately 10 days with full loom of Cardas Clear Reflection. Sound was really good and very enjoyable in the end. Violin and cello sounded a little synthetic as the bass/reverb from the wooden cabinets were not completely coming through.
Now, as of today it will be 3 days with full loom of Shunyata Theta. Already from yesterday’s listening session, there is more bass/reverb coming through on said instruments so they now sound real and in the room.
A cello piece I was listening to was quite raw in a good way, great deep bass notes and the whole experience was more dynamic.
So a very timely post from you that describes what I have noticed above. It is very obvious too.
Entirely agree and my experience. Would add that in the same sense this also applies (actually more so for me) to the choice of mains blocks, simply fundamental for any capable system for lower end energy, definition, space and dynamics.
Regarding power cables, here’s how I’ve deployed mine together with Denali conditioner:
Final Plug Mapping on the Denali Tower to ensure maximum isolation between components;
Zone 1 (Top - Outlets 1 or 2): Luxman D-10X via Alpha v2 NR. (Keeps high-frequency digital noise locked away at the top).
Zone 2 (Middle - Outlets 3 or 4): Burmester 035 via Gamma NR. (Isolated analogue middle ground).
Zone 3 (Bottom - Outlets 5 or 6): Burmester 956 via Siltech Classic Legend 880P. (Draws directly from the high-current QR/BB™ reservoir).
I believe it’s really working well. My system has never been ‘so quiet’ and I believe the noise floor is so low now that each component can perform to its best (my configuration imo) and as a system produce wonderful scale and dynamics.
at the moment. 
