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FAQ's

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For your reference, here is the link to the Information Sheet I ship with the cables.  Some of the same information is in the FAQ's below, and you have The Department of Redundancy Department to thank for that.

 

Q. Do cables really make a difference?

A. I suppose there's no point in having an FAQ section if I don't address what is likely the most frequently asked question, so here we go...

My obvious bias aside, the short answer is yes, they do.

Whether it’s transferring current (power cables), or a signal (interconnects and speaker cables), the concept is pretty simple - the less you lose, the more you hear.

A well made cable simply transfers more information than a lesser cable, and keeps said information clean by rejecting noise.  You lose less, and hear more.

To put another way, a great set of tires will help ensure you get more power to the pavement and improve your handling, but a sub-par set... well, I think we've all been there.

Of course, this is all just my opinion, and if there's one truth about this crazy hobby of ours, the only opinion that matters is your own; 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee, anyone?

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Q. What am I going to hear, and when am I going to hear it?

A. First, I try to shy away from telling anyone what they should hear.  I may not be the most persuasive person in the world (I'm trying to convince my wife that a bigger TV would be great for the whole family, and it hasn't worked... yet), but if someone tells you what you should hear, you'll either want to prove them right, or prove them wrong - not a good spot for either party.

Instead, I'll focus on the when, which also touches on your likely listening experience(s).

Your new cable(s) will show their personality right away, so you should know whether or not you like them pretty much right out of the box; the 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee comes from the fact I know a lot of folks simply don't get to spend a lot of time with their system(s), not because you need 60 days to form an opinion.  

My cables are designed to minimize signal/voltage loss, so the bottom end will come in first.  That is the end of the spectrum that suffers most from signal/voltage loss, or perhaps saying it's the most noticeable is more accurate.  With this in mind, there's the possibly of the bottom end sounding somewhat "over-emphasized" out of the box, especially if you're replacing a generic/factory cable - IE. The lower the quality of the original cable, the more dramatic the difference in the new cable.  However, after one solid listening session the rest of the spectrum evens out, and everything continues to open up from there.  The consensus is the cables sound their best after about 50-80 hours, but plenty of folks have reported continued system gains even after 100's of hours.

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Q. Where do I start when upgrading cables, and/or what cables should go where?

A. Always start your upgrade(s) as far upstream as possible, regardless of current draw.  As a practical example of this, even though some say your first/best best power cable upgrade(s) should be your amp(s) due to high current draw, I believe doing so will literally amplify issues/shortcomings from further up the chain.  To start, I recommend a good quality wall receptacle (I know a guy who can help you with that...), and/or a power cable for your line conditioner; IE. Whatever the hub of your system is, or what the hub is plugged in to.  From there, work your way down the power/signal chain - source(s), DAC, Pre-Amp (an argument can be made for any of these to take priority over the other, so it's your call), and finish with your amp and speakers.

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Q. Which cable model(s) should I get?

A. In terms of power cables and what is best for a particular piece of gear, contrary to how some manufacturers present their respective product line(s), I don't believe in power cable types.  My design and construction philosophy is to ensure as much current as possible is delivered to your gear, and it is kept as clean as possible with proper shielding.  As such, I keep things simple by only offering two power cable models, and they share the same great shielding.  The larger one ['The 5'] just delivers more current (or loses less) than it's little brother ['The Point One'].

Q. What AWG/size are your power cables, and how does that compare to others?

A. This seems like it should be pretty straight-forward, doesn't it?  As for the the first part of the question, I state my power cables as being 4.5 AWG ('The 5'), and 6.5 AWG (‘The Point One') respectively.  Now for the ulcer-inducing second part - there are no set rules for how AWG is stated.  As such, here's some of what you'll see in the industry:

- Some companies call it the total AWG of all the wire in the cable. This is a very common practice because it sounds impressive, but it's useless information; It's like a car company telling you the combined horsepower of all their models.

- Others state what each run of wire is, but they leave out their function (how many are being used for what); So now the car company is giving you individual horsepower ratings... but no corresponding models.

- Then there's the folks like me, who state the AWG of the Hot, Neutral, and Ground independently.  This tells you exactly what's inside and what its function is, so you know exactly what you're getting.
 

Q. If the wiring in my house is 14 AWG & 12 AWG (most common), what is the benefit of a larger AWG power cord?

A. This question is simply a polite rephrasing of comments from the "last bit of wire can't/won't make a difference" crowd, although many in said crowd will refuse to acknowledge this answer.  The name of the game is minimizing loss from "Point A" to "Point B", IE. Whatever the voltage/signal is at Point A, the goal is to transfer it to Point B as efficiently as possible.  Additionally, as mentioned in The Backstory section, larger AWG equals increased conductivity and lower resistance, and that's why I make (and think you should own) larger AWG power cables. 

 

If you don't like that answer, here's the tongue-in-cheek, Science schmience, full-on wise-a_s answer:

 

A. A car with a V12 engine may not be necessary, but if I could get that performance for the price of a 4-banger, it would be a pretty easy decision (maybe not quite as easy given fuel prices, but you get the idea).

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Q. What makes you qualified to make/sell cables?
A. Formally? Nothing, unless you count my years in home A/V sales and installations. (what a great sales pitch, eh? - yep, I'm definitely Canadian)
However, I’ve been making cables for friends and colleagues (and myself, of course) for nearly 20 years. Additionally, all my builds are thoroughly tested against various “high-end” cables to compare sound and build quality – I’ll be modest and simply say that they hold their own. I also recently checked on the oldest builds of mine I could track down (15 years old when I checked) to ensure that the build and material quality are standing the test of time – they are. Finally, and most importantly, I truly believe I am providing a viable alternative to the current offerings, pricing, and total B.S. marketing out there for cables.  I think my feedback and testimonials bear this out.