"Upgrading" your power cord - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 21, 2018, 02:04:48 am
content: In another thread on the forum, a member was having difficulties efficiently fitting a mains socket to a number of project boxes - so I thought I'd see if there were any Youtube videos that might offer some ideas.I came across this one and couldn't stop watching to see what he would do next...

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2018, 02:49:57 am
content: I feel a sudden need to attach something silver to my AM/FM radio. Just imagine all the benefits.Here is a video proof that there is no limit to stupidity.

author: BrianHG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2018, 03:49:27 am
content: Please kill me now!Why is he doing this if the old plug is fine?

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 21, 2018, 04:08:33 am
content: What did you think of his home-made 4-wire plait mains hook-up cables using "10% silver plated copper" ... to "reject radio frequency information"?

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2018, 04:17:33 am
content: Quote from: BrianHG on March 21, 2018, 03:49:27 ambecause he doesn't like to carry that thing around with dangling wire sweeping about. + unearthed plug is pretty much by now... illegal (in civilized countries at least)

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2018, 04:20:49 am
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on March 21, 2018, 04:17:33 amHe is doing this because he is an idiot that believes that silver plated mains wires will improve the sound of his crappy cassette deck.It is a double insulated device, it is still very legal to make them and plenty are getting made.

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2018, 04:28:20 am
content: What a moron. Leaving aside the AudioPhool aspects of it, wouldn't any sane person turn the unit upside down and maybe even tape a bag over the inside of the area of the panel to be worked on to minimise the risk of swarf getting to the circuit boards and mechanism?On the AudioPhool side of things, where do you stop? There are copper tracks on the board you could peel off and replace with silver foil, but what about the copper wire in the transformer primary winding? Then there is all that nasty copper wire in the wall running back to a breaker panel that may well have brass contacts, and maybe transitioning to aluminum meter tails and feed from the pole transformer, then befire that, the probability of overhead HV wires, made of aluminum strands over a high tensile steel core, certainly *not* nicely woven together to reject EMI.It really is a case of gilding (or in this case silver-plating) a turd.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2018, 04:37:32 am
content: Quote from: ataradov on March 21, 2018, 04:20:49 amwell at least he knows how to solder. let the phoolery aside (that can trigger infinite stupidity discussion) one new thing i learn (i didnt watch entirely not worth my time) is we have to get live and neutral wire correctly placed in the plug otherwise

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2018, 05:33:44 am
content: 50 pounds for that one socket ?

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2018, 05:40:29 am
content: he deserved that...

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 21, 2018, 05:55:19 am
content: Quote from: BravoV on March 21, 2018, 05:33:44 amThat's if you were to have bought itlocally.He got his from China forabout 9£8-80. You, know ... the good stuff with four 9's copper and rhodium plated.

author: BrianHG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2018, 06:46:29 am
content: Quote from: Ian.M on March 21, 2018, 04:28:20 amIf your going for that audiophool aspect, what about the additional contacts made by using such an additional plug, with terminal screwed on wires, instead of the original directly soldered wire where you had at least 3x2, 6 total change in conductors/metal types mechanically bonded together by mechanical spring force and screw terminals.Something somewhere in there has got to introduce more problems over time compared to the simple original all insulated copper wire soldered at the tabs of the AC transformer.

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2018, 07:13:01 am
content: Yep, he's only making it worse. Anyone rational would realise that replacing the last two yards of ordinary copper wire with hand-braided silver plated OFC wire, isn't going to produce a measurable or even noticeable improvement, even if it was lovingly massaged with the secretions of rare pixies, cryogenically treated and blessed by the Pope. Its the other tens or hundreds of miles back to the power plant that is impossible to 'upgrade' to AudioPhool standards that matters the most, unless the device's existing power lead is so crappy it is a fire hazard.However, the whole AudioPhool industry is built on the premise that the punters are *totally* incapable of critical thinking . . . .

author: DimitriP
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2018, 07:46:44 am
content: QuoteThe plasic wallplate keeps all this stuff inside the wall silly !!

author: newbrain
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2018, 05:15:37 pm
content: Not to pile up on the poor guy, but...Before:And after the "professional job":

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 01:35:42 am
content: Considering what else he did to the back panel, I could almost forgive him for that.However, forgiving him for any part of what he did (and publishing a video about it) just doesn't have a comfortable feel about it.

author: jasonbrent
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 05:47:11 am
content: I regret seeing this post. Now i have to watch more of his videos.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 06:39:10 am
content: I resisted .... but if you find some more gems, we have the place for them...

author: Gregg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2018, 03:06:07 am
content: His Youtube moniker is TweakermanWhatishe smoking?

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 23, 2018, 07:02:08 am
content: Quote from: Gregg on March 23, 2018, 03:06:07 amI was wondering how long it would take before someone commented on that.I cracked up the first time I heard him say it.

author: MarkF
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2018, 03:03:08 pm
content: Did I see that right?While tinning the first end of the red wire, he put the solder in his mouth to unroll more.Can we say? Too much lead in his diet!

author: Cyberdragon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2018, 07:05:21 pm
content: Quote from: MarkF on March 23, 2018, 03:03:08 pmYou won't get lead poisoning unless you actually eat it. Minor contact is insignificant.Of course...for all we know...he could eat solder!

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2018, 08:27:41 pm
content: ...as if an AIWA equipment was anywhere near any degree of refinement to need silver-whatever-type-of-audio-phool-crap in its design...Quote from: MarkF on March 23, 2018, 03:03:08 pmIf that is a problem, I am a walking lead soldier... I lost count of how many times my "third hand" was my mouth holding the solder...

author: newbrain
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2018, 09:29:26 pm
content: I made a quick tour of his videos.It is amusing the first few minutes, but it quickly gets painful and repetitive.His fixation with Teflon tape, silver clad wire and unshielded interconnects is saddening.Quote from: rsjsouza on March 23, 2018, 08:27:41 pmGreat! Maybe, being more conductive, you can now directly receive Radio Frequency Information!And, no: it's not a slip of the tongue, as it's repeated in other videos.As is the interesting explanation about relative permittivity*:https://youtu.be/vLTpJL2_qPM?t=88https://youtu.be/9cliT6P-xUc?t=40Having no EE or even high school physics knowledge is of course not a fault.Spouting this kind of nonsense is, when Wikipedia and many online course are one click away.*As a silver lining (10%), I did learn one thing: "dielectric constant" is now deprecated by the IEEE, at least according to WP.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 23, 2018, 09:49:27 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on March 21, 2018, 04:17:33 amWhy denon receiver I bought last year is not grounded then? Actually it intentionally uses C18 socket (C14 without ground pin).Quote

author: DimitriP
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2018, 10:09:29 pm
content: "I would allow around about 500 hours of running time on these cables to reach optimum performance"

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2018, 10:38:49 pm
content: I hope everyone spotted the obvious mistake?He didn't open the case inside a Faraday caged clean room so all the radio frequency information leaked inside.

author: BrianHG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2018, 11:16:16 pm
content: Quote from: CJay on March 23, 2018, 10:38:49 pm

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 25, 2018, 08:45:30 am
content: Did anyone else notice that when he was drilling the screw holes for the IEC socket, he initially had the drill in reverse for quite some time before he realised he wasn't actually making a hole. Then off-camera he "adjusted" his drill to make it work after he realised his error, obviously hoping that viewers wouldn't notice.If the bloke can't even drill a hole, how can anyone be expected to take his technical "expertise" seriously?

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2018, 08:53:23 am
content: Quote from: Halcyon on March 25, 2018, 08:45:30 amGoldenplatinum ears ?

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 25, 2018, 08:59:41 am
content: Quote from: BravoV on March 25, 2018, 08:53:23 amThen I must have Rhodium ears if I can filter out the bullshit. ;-)

author: gildasd
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2018, 10:33:24 am
content: I must “upgrade” the power cord on some of my power tools, there’s only so many times it can be shortened to remove the damaged section inside the relief.I wonder if this will make the SDS drill sound better?

author: ManCave
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2018, 12:24:40 pm
content: "The reason we do a 4-way plait is to reject radio frequency information"

author: electrolust
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 10, 2018, 08:53:31 am
content: he's modding a cassette deck. this must be a put-on. but i'll be damned if i can find any hint of sarcasm. he can't be that good ... but he also can't be that daft ...

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 10, 2018, 10:16:23 am
content: Quote from: electrolust on April 10, 2018, 08:53:31 amSuch a delightfully naive outlook.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2018, 12:03:39 pm
content: Quote from: electrolust on April 10, 2018, 08:53:31 amHe's an audiophool, he's that daft and more.

author: GK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2018, 12:35:31 pm
content: Having my perception molded by all of the Poms I've known throughout my life, I'd say he very much comes across as your average English lad. I know it's not nice, but I can't help but snigger being cognizant of the fact that I can actually say that with at least 90% honesty. I bet he's twice as bright as his missus.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2018, 01:40:51 pm
content: Quote from: GK on April 10, 2018, 12:35:31 pmHahaha, yeah, there is a certain pride in some Englishmen in being thick as pigshit and twice as ignorant.Fortunately we aren't all like that and we did manage to send an awful lot of that type over to you lot

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2018, 09:00:49 am
content: Quote from: CJay on April 10, 2018, 01:40:51 pmThanks mate, and thanks for correcting that err by sending many of your type over here in the last few yearsGreat blokes but won't tell me why they did a runner from the UK...no matter how many aussie (real) beers pumped into them

author: JohnnyMalaria
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2018, 03:48:28 pm
content: I look forward to his next series of videos:Replacing on the copper tracks on the circuit boardRewinding his speaker coils (I assume the output of the deck ultimately goes to something)Rewinding the deck's magnetic headsI wonder what music he likes.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2018, 05:58:12 pm
content: Quote from: Electro Detective on May 10, 2018, 09:00:49 amWay things are going over here I'd be considering a move if I could work out a way of seeing my kids.I'm probably too old and not skilled enough to get a visa though.

author: piguy101
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2018, 04:46:13 pm
content: In another video, he replaces a fuse with an "audiophile" grade fuse. And then he even said that the direction you put the fuse in will influence the sound quality.He recommended trying putting the fuse in each way and seeing what sounds best.

author: BrianHG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2018, 06:52:17 pm
content: Quote from: piguy101 on June 24, 2018, 04:46:13 pmYou made my day.

author: chris_leyson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2018, 07:42:09 pm
content: That was painful to watch, must have cost a fortune in PTFE tape

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 27, 2018, 10:03:43 pm
content: Quote from: chris_leyson on June 24, 2018, 07:42:09 pmYes, it was painful. It's like looking at a fatal accident on the other side of the highway. You don't want to look but you can help yourself.Tweakerman? Wankerman is more like it and a 'professional' without a doubt.