# Half meter Power cable for Amp ?



## expresso (Oct 12, 2008)

Hi - i am looking for a good flexible power cable for two amps - but they are very close to the power conditioner where i will plug them in and cant seem to find a 1.5 foot cable ? 

the ones i am using now are OEM - from EMO for the XPA 5 which is nice but too LONG for me - and a PS Audio for my QSC GX 5 and again too long since i rearranged my Rack - i want to replace them both for something around 1.5 feet or at most 2 feet - 

what would be the Min. gauge to use for the them - dont want to starve them of current but dont need to over do it - the PS audio cable i have is 3 feet but thick and not as easy to bend - it was fine before but now just too close and cant use them that long now 

any one can recommend some power cable links etc, - price needs to be fair - i am not going for the thousand dollar cable - i like to stay under $100 for sure for each cable - 

i was looking at audio advisor for the pangera i think - not sure if 14 gauge is enough for the AMPs ? 

thanks


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## Glen B (Jun 11, 2013)

A 14 gauge power cord is good for up to 1,800 watts. The XPA-5 has a maximum power consumption of 1,200 watts. In normal operation, it likely won't be drawing half that amount, so you're safe. Why not just cut the stock power cord you have to the length you need and attach an aftermarket plug ? Wattgate or Marinco are good, inexpensive choices. 

http://www.parts-express.com/wattgate-5266i-clr-edison-connector-clear--110-442


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

exactly. a 16 gauge cord will be fine too. and just snipping your existing cord and attaching a new plug would be perfectly fine


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## tweakman (Nov 30, 2013)

The pangea is a good value for money power cord. Do give it a test drive.


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

this should do you fine

http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=102&cp_id=10228&cs_id=1022801&p_id=5289&seq=1&format=2


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## goyop (May 4, 2010)

Depending upon why you need exactly half a meter you can just cut the cords you have. If you are shortening it to have a clean and tidy layout then cool. If you are shortening it because you think you will get better performance then you are wasting your time. Same with buying some "special" power cord.

The physics of providing power to any device is actually very straight forward and there is no magic. Honest. If your device has a maximum draw of 10 amps and your power cord can handle 15 amps there is no possible way to "starve" your amp of power. Cable for 15 amps is number 12. But that is still over rated to deal with a continuous 15 amps plus derating for temperature, etc. Power drawn by an amp is based upon the music and typically the bass frequencies draw the most. So if you have a powered sub then you will never get to the high end of the power draw.

The only feature that I would want to see for sure in my power cord is simple that it be stranded, which all power cords are. Stranded wire is flexible and has slightly better conductance but it is miniscule. 

The bottom line is due to the laws of physics there is absolutely nothing to be gained by spending money on a "special" power cord. It might look cool and have gold contacts and they might even shield it but none of these features has any affect whatsoever on amplifier performance. The people who sell this stuff make it sound like it does make a difference but they are preying on those of us who want the best listening experience possible but don't have the background to understand that they are selling snake oil. 

The power conditioner is the single best thing you can do. Don't sweat the wires.


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## expresso (Oct 12, 2008)

thanks for all the reply's - the reason for wanted to change out my power cords are for the size - they are just too long and i hate to see it behind my rack so much extra cable - this is the cord i just ordered for my yamaha CD player- http://www.audioadvisor.com/Pangea-Audio-AC-14-Powercord/productinfo/PGAC14/#.UpqatSctoTA

i didnt get it yet- i want to see how this one fits and test the length for the rest of my stuff -- if good i can get more for the other stuff - 

but from what i am hearing here - a 14 AWG from Monoprice would be ok ? but what about shielding etc 

my first concern is its thick enough to handle the current of the amps etc, - second is the shielding etc, inside - i dont want to introduce hum or any noise from the power supply - right now my system is pretty much dead quiet - 

i have two PS audio cables - i am not looking to cut and make it shorter - i will ruin them for sure - 

i like to try to sell them once i get new ones - they are great cables - and made a difference in the low end most - but i my amps were further apart from the power conditioner before and the 1 meter cable was fine then - now i have the EMO Amp - then power conditioner - then GX 5 amp - close and 1.5 feet is all i need now - 

i have about 6 feet of the EMO amp now all tied up in the back - another 3 foot from the GX5 just too much extra cables - 

my CD player also too long - etc, - i want to keep it neat - 


so if i use a 14 AWG on the EMO AMP and GX5 - it would be enough to handle the current and wattage etc, ? 

the OEM is pretty thick - very flexible which is good but too long - 

thanks -


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## goyop (May 4, 2010)

Unless you have a Tesla coil running in your living room you don't need shielding for your power cord. The first thing that happens when the power enters your amp is that it gets isolated from the city power through a transformer, then smashed and filtered into a straight line. The only lines that ever get shielded in electronics are low voltage signal lines that are about 1 to 2 volts not 120 volts. Hum is a result of ground issues not shielding.


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

Exactly. Him is ground loop issue. Not shielding


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## expresso (Oct 12, 2008)

ok thanks - always learning something - i read that low level hum can be from the power cables - 50 - 60 hz - etc, - 

i dont really have a issue - and with the Emo XPA 5 and UMC 200 - its quiet - even more so - 

the XPA 5 shows a power of 1800 watts - i would assume thats full load - which i do play loud - but not 100 % either and not for very long periods - just too loud - 

i noticed the power cords on Monoprice - are good - 2 feet size - but i noticed they say for PC Connection - would this also fit my Amps and CD player - Oppo etc, also - ?


thanks -


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## expresso (Oct 12, 2008)

http://www.monoprice.com/Product/?c...d=1022801&p_id=5290&seq=1&format=1#largeimage


i just ordered these cables - i hope they work for my amps and cd players - i always get confused - since it says for PC computer etc, - one of my amps has a 3 prong plug - the EMO has 2 prong - same with my CD players - 

i hope to get them end of next week - saved alot of money thats for sure - and clear up the extra clutter with too long of cables -


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

expresso said:


> http://www.monoprice.com/Product/?c_id=102&cp_id=10228&cs_id=1022801&p_id=5290&seq=1&format=1#largeimage
> 
> i just ordered these cables - i hope they work for my amps and cd players - i always get confused - since it says for PC computer etc, - one of my amps has a 3 prong plug - the EMO has 2 prong - same with my CD players -
> 
> i hope to get them end of next week - saved alot of money thats for sure - and clear up the extra clutter with too long of cables -


Most home theater equipment uses PC power cables as an industry standard. Just pull a power cable from the back of your PC and see if its the same size as your amp and CD players. If so easy peasy


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## expresso (Oct 12, 2008)

didnt think of that before - i am getting tired of moving my Rack and hope this to be the last time once i change the cords and route them better - i already ordered them - 

they should all be a standard sizing and spacing etc, - it looks right on the pictures - i guess i will find out the hard way and hope its fine -


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

expresso said:


> didnt think of that before - i am getting tired of moving my Rack and hope this to be the last time once i change the cords and route them better - i already ordered them -
> 
> they should all be a standard sizing and spacing etc, - it looks right on the pictures - i guess i will find out the hard way and hope its fine -


yeah, I'd be REALLY surprised if it didn't fit. the emo I KNOW uses a standard pc power cable... the cd players are the only thing I couldn't see the back specs for. but if the plug looks right in the picture you're fine. they don't make different sizes of that that plug and it's pretty much universal


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## expresso (Oct 12, 2008)

i really hope they do - so i dont have go searching again and prolong this - plus the cost is great - 
cabling costs more than some Amps when you start buying this and that - 

i had a set of BLC made for the UMC 200 going to the AMP - and wouldnt you know - with my luck - they didnt stay on my processor Rca end - something about it and just comes right off on its own - 

but worked on the Amp side and other units - just the UMC for some reason - the RCA connectors have to be something with them - had to swap them back to my cables i had and just left them - there were good cables anyway - but figure i got a new setup - let me get new cables etc, - 

you get caught up with it and gets out of control  so i am using RCA for Center and surrounds - unbalanced and two fronts balanced - which is for music 90% of time 

sounds great - i just have to tidy those power cables - i see how they fit when i get them hopefully with in the week


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