I’m collecting two Powerlines shortly to home trial for a week. My thoughts are that they could either be fitted to my source (CD5XS partnered with nDAC) or alternatively my Supernait 2 that is paired with a 250DR to bi-amp a pair of Bowers and Wilkins 803 D3s. The system includes a HiCap DR. I could also bring a pair of Lites into play.
All power cables are currently Russ Andrews/Kimber throughout.
I’ll naturally try some different cominations during the trial period but thought it worth asking which deployment forum members have experience of and think best to bring the greatest uplift as the starting point.
Logic would dictate that the source would be the best starting point. However in my experience things don’t always follow logic. The simple answer, as you probably already realise, is that there is no answer! There are too many variables at play. Have fun experimenting!
I’ve generally worked from the front end just for the want of somewhere to start. I can remember the first time I put it on the CDX2/XPS2 and was immediately struck by the improved bass. Difficult to say with certainty where the biggest impact, possibly the power amp.
When I got my first Powerline I put it on the CDS3/XPS2 and was impressed with the improvement and bought it. Then the “I wonder” thoughts began so I tried it on the 252/SCDR and felt that was a better result so that’s where it stayed. Then “I wonder” started afresh and I tried a second Powerline on my CDS3/XPS2. Felt things got a bit too “HiFi” so removed it and put it on the 300DR instead. That is where I felt things were best balanced with the upside that all sources benefitted. I then put Powerline Lites on the sources and have been happy enough not to consider any further tinkering.
The moral of the story? Try it on everything.
Look forward to hearing what you think sounds best.
I think that’s possibly the simplest yet most expensive option - Powerlines on everything (at least hi-fi) and forget the testing/permutations with fewer Powerline leads. It’s the ‘mix and match’ that causes the issue ambiguity but I do believe some components benefit more than others. A Powerline on the Nova was a complete revelation, and a good one as you can’t do much else with a Nova power wise.
We have a Powerline into a 6 way strip. Why not? Not sure it is really necessary though. Adding an Ecosse big orange cord to Sky box did make a difference.
Soon to be replaced by mains wall sockets with Powerline moving onto one of the black boxes.
By way of feedback FWIW, I’ve found the Powerlines into my two amps tafter a week of home trial to make little difference and a marginal improvement to my CD5XS and nDAC combo. Have reverted to my Kimber cords and am not noticing an appreciable backwards step. So it seems unless I’m offerred a mighty encouraging deal on the demo cables, I’ll be staying put. Although there has been a suggestion of trying Chord/Audioquests as alternatives.
If you like what the Kimber cables do, you possibly don’t need the PowerLines. I personally feel that Chord cables make a bigger positive difference than either Kimber or the Naim leads, but it’s very personal, so you need to try them and see.
My first powerline went everywhere on my system except the NAPSC. It ended up on the CD5x (rather than its FC2x). I’d try them on the CD5xs and DAC. in your system to start with.
I later tried one on the PSC and it stayed there while I looked for another to replace it on the 250.
