Cable Asylum: REVIEW: DIY by Chris VenHaus Power Cord Flavor #1 Cable by Crispin Steele

Model:	Power Cord Flavor #1
Category:	Cable
Suggested Retail Price:	$80
Description:	PC
Manufacturer URL:	DIY by Chris VenHaus
Manufacturer URL:	DIY by Chris VenHaus

Review by Crispin Steele ( A ) on July 30, 2003 at 10:02:43
IP Address: 199.235.187.191

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for the Power Cord Flavor #1

This is my first review, so let's see how it goes...
First off, I must say that it was a pleasure to do business with Chris VenHaus, so I'm inclined to be favorable. Also I made them myself, so of course I like them!
Secondly, I've never played with power cords before and my NAD equipment had to be modified with IEC jacks. They came with fixed PCs. All my equipment is two-prong, but I made the 3-prong versions of the cords for possible use with possible future gear.
I made 2 Flavor 1 PCs, each 2ft long, one Flavor 2 PC, also 2ft, and a "power distrubution block" with a 2ft Flavor 2 cord, 2 Pass & Seymour outlets wired in parallel (star-wired, if you prefer) with VenHaus wire, all stuffed into a double-gang FSE box.
I've had this stuff wired up for about a month and a half now, so I'm confident I've got a good handle on what it sounds like. The first cord I finished got stuck onto my DVD player (which has a detachable cord as standard). I had always noticed that the DVD player was unable to portray a sense of ambience as well as my NAD 541 CD player (with its fixed cord), but with the Flavor 1 PC, the DVD player equalled the NAD in that regard and almost equalled it in terms of richness. This was a good start.
(Once I got the NAD hooked up, it pulled well ahead again.)
Once I got my NAD 541 & 350 intergated modified with IEC jacks, I was able to hear the full effect of all the cords. There was much better low level detail and far better ambience than with the stock cords. I was able to hear subtle details in the music that I had been able to hear before only if I cranked it way up. Now I could hear a lot of detail at only moderate levels - I'm sure my neighbours are pleased.
My system used to suffer from congestion when several instruments were playing loudly at the same time. With the VenHaus cords this was gone. I could hear individual instruments clearly. A certain fuzziness that plagued louder passages on solo piano recordings was gone. I also found it easier to localize instruments within the soundstage. The soundstage also gained greater depth, though width, already pretty good, didn't seem to improve by much.
In conclusion, I am very happy with these cords. This was my first time making power cords, though I have made numerous interconnects & speaker cable, and I found it fast & painless. Compared to the stock PCs on my equipment these were a massive improvement. At a total outlay of less than $200 (including shipping) for all the parts, I would recommend that everyone still using stock cords (especially on NAD gear, though you'll have to have IEC jacks installed) should try these VenHaus cords.

Product Weakness: Rather stiff, but nothing else
Product Strengths: Reasonable cost, ease of construction, excellent sonics

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	NAD C350 integrated, 60wpc
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	None
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	NAD C541, Integra DPS 5.3 DVD player
Speakers:	JM Reynaud Twin Mk. II
Cables/Interconnects:	DIY Cat 5 speaker cables, DIY TNT/Thorsten Loesch X1.5 ICs, braided magnet wire ICs
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Classical for the most part, occasional forays into rock, jazz
Time Period/Length of Audition:	1.5 months and counting
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Blue Circle BC86 Mk. 2
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	Rather stiff, but nothing else
Product Strengths:	Reasonable cost, ease of construction, excellent sonics