YOU spend your hard-earned cash on a new amplifier or CD player, and you’d think that would be it. But no, they give you a cheap power cord that costs a minute fraction of your component.
Of course, this bothers discerning ears, whose owners will quickly chuck out the stock cord and replace it with something of better quality. The good news – one doesn’t have to spend a fortune on wires to transmit power to one’s equipment in the most efficient manner possible.
Nordost has for years been known for its fine range of interconnects, cables and power cords, at different price levels. Latest in line and now shipping is the Red Dawn power cord from the Leif Series cables for audio and video components.
This is a heavier gauge (14AWG) cord, of stranded construction and using Nordost proprietary Micro Mono-Filament FEP technology. It is rated at 10 amps, and slated as a replacement for the stock power cord of two-channel and multi-channel hi-fi and AV components, including TVs and projectors.
The thick insulation used in conventional power cables can actually impede current flow, resulting in sluggish transient response. However, the Red Dawn cable, says Nordost, has improved transient response, better power transfer and increased thermal efficiency.
“We’ve applied Micro Mono-Filament FEP technology to a heavier gauge stranded power cable in our Red Dawn’s construction to offer a flexible cable which can deliver more power efficiently and quickly,” Nordost president Joe Reynolds said in a statement.
“This is similar technology to that used in our flagship Valhalla and Odin power cords. We’ve raised the bar again, this time with a high-quality, flexible power cord that delivers a better performance for a lower price. Micro Mono-Filament FEP technology increases current flow, improves transmission speed and dissipates heat more efficiently,” he added.
The Red Dawn cord uses three flexible, multi-strand 99.9999 OFC conductors to ensure increased power transfer and optimum performance. Each power cord is handcrafted at the Nordost factory in Holliston, Massachusetts.
Wrapped in a red, medical grade jacket, the power cables use high-grade IEC connectors made of triple gold-plated OFC for improved conductivity. The design of the connector eliminates stress so that heat cycling and vibration will not loosen the contact points. A variety of connectors are available, depending on region.
The Red Dawn power cord retails at US$349.99 per metre, with additional half-metre increments at US$75. Time to grant your components access to healthier juice, then …
