Wanted to share with you my experience on another relatively inexpensive product that could change your thoughts about aftermarket power cords for your subwoofer. After searching the various audio forums, I came across the name Signal Cable, owned by Frank Dai. His power cords were receiving quite a bit of favorable reviews and I thought, why not give them a try. This review will test the Magic Power Power Cord against stock 18AWG and PS Audio xStream Prelude, Plus SC and Statement power cords that will be used for my Velodyne HGS-12 Series II subwoofer. If you want to see my review of Frank's Digital Reference Power Cord for digital sources, go to this link: http://www99.epinions.com/content_338278190724

Trivia:The Magic Power Power Cord is the same one used in Velodyne's flagship product, the Signature 1812. A $15,000 subwoofer! Hence the comparison.

Quality and Workmanship:Definitely first rate. The power cord doesn't look cheap and as another reviewer put it in his evaluation, he liked them better than his PS Audio power cords. I concure as well. The housing is very nice and well constructed. Signal Cable uses Marinco plugs which are highly regarded in the audio circle. The plugs are larger than stock and you will need to plan for this if your stereo rack or power conditioner is tight on space. This power cord is 10AWG, much thicker than the stock power cord from my Velodyne which is 18AWG. Stiffness is about the same as the PS Audio Prelude and Plus SC which means stiffer than stock but not as stiff as the Statement which is an 8AWG power cord.

Sound:Since this is an evaluation on bass performance, I wanted to try to use recordings that could showcase and differentiate the various power cords. First I used my Alive! 2006 Demo Disc by DTS and used the fourth track called Ultra 2004 Music Festival-Four Dancing Women. Immediately, the Magic Power Power Cord had produce cleaner, deeper and more powerful bass than any of the other power cords. There was a greater seat-of-the-pants feel with greater dynamics. Bass was a bit lower but much cleaner and more powerful with the Magic Power Power Cord on board. The other power cords seemed thin and weaker by comparison.

Next I listened to Jamie Cullum's SACD version of Twentysomething and went to the first track called, "These Are The Days", which highlights his great piano play. Again, the Magic Power Power Cord immediately picked up on the lower bass harmonics of his piano play and gave a greater sense of the piano over the other power cords. Once I heard this difference, I asked myself, "How can this power cord do this over my current power cords for less?"

Time to listen to a DVD movie so I pulled out the Matrix Reloaded and immediately went to the freeway chase scene. Again the Magic Power Power Cord didn't disappoint. Bass attack was greater, more feel, tighter and a greater sense of realism with each car crash and bullet fired.

Having heard this power cord with different recordings, I decided to compare the bass output using the subwoofer test tone out of my preamp processor. To my surprise, I found that the Magic Power Power Cord was outputting one dB more than any of the other power cords. This is the first time I was able to measure a difference in power cord output. I suspect the greater dynamics, bass output and cleaner sound out of my Velodyne was due to the Magic Power Power Cord being able to feed my Velodyne with the necessary wattage it needed. I didn't realize until now that my PS Audio power cords were restricting the performance of my Velodyne not to mention the stock power cord that came with my Velodyne. On a lark, I thought I would try this power cord on my Mitsubishi 52" DLP HDTV and immediately I saw richer colors with less grain.

Conclusion:If you are thinking of replacing your stock power cord with something better, you don't need to spend a lot of money to increase the performance of your subwoofer. Check out Signal Cable's Magic Power Power Cord. You will be pleasantly surprised like I was. Highly recommended!!

Specifications:From manufacturer's site.
10 AWG 3 conductor twisted design

High purity stranded copper for maximum conductivity

Premium grade jacket provides excellent resistance to abrasion, water, oil

UL listed and CSA certified

Temperature range: -40ø C to +90ø C

Voltage rating: 300-600 volts

Max. Amps @ 120V: 30A

Prices and Options:
Price - $59.00 for 3 feet standard length

Each additional foot - $5.00

Standard Terminations

Marinco hospital grade AC plug (Male)

Marinco 320IEC 15A (Female)

Optional Terminations and costs

20A Connectors* (Male or Female) - No additional Charge

SCHUKO AC plug (European 2-pole+earth) Additional $10

Warranty and Return Policy:
30 day in-home trial return policy with lifetime non-transferable warranty on manufacturing defects.

Associated Equipment:
Mitsubishi WD-52725 52" DLP HDTV
Parasound HCA-1205A 5-Channel Amp
Parasound AVC-1800 Pre-amp
Magnepan IIIa Front Main Speakers
Eminent Technology LFT-XII center channel speaker
Magnepan IIIa Rear Surround Speakers
Velodyne HGS-12 Series II subwoofer
Sony CDP-CX240 CD Player
Oppo Digital DV-970HD Universal DVD Player
Pro-Ject 1.2 Turntable with Sumiko Pearl Cartridge
Channel Island Audio VDA-2 DAC and VAC-1 Power Supply
Synergistic Research Interconnects and Speaker Cables
Stock 14 and 18 AWG Power Cord
PS Audio Prelude, Plus SC, Statement Power Cords


Recommended: Yes