Designacable Mains Cable

[DiggyGun]

As some of are aware, I’ve ordered and going to try the Designacable CatSnake Cat6a Floating Ethernet Cable to replace my various Chord Steaming Cables.

Whilst on their website, I noted that they also make a Mains Cable.



Has anyone had any experience and if so, what were your thoughts?

[Coyote Jim]

As some of are aware, I’ve ordered and going to try the Designacable CatSnake Cat6a Floating Ethernet Cable to replace my various Chord Steaming Cables.

Whilst on their website, I noted that they also make a Mains Cable.



Has anyone had any experience and if so, what were your thoughts?

Hi Diggy
Be interesting to see the insides of the mains bits.
I make my own power leads using great quality connectors and cable.
Always at least 1.5mm2 cable ensuring the safe use at proper rating of 13A mains fuse.
Bussmann genuine the correct way round.

[Moomintroll]

As some of are aware, I’ve ordered and going to try the Designacable CatSnake Cat6a Floating Ethernet Cable to replace my various Chord Steaming Cables.

Whilst on their website, I noted that they also make a Mains Cable.



Has anyone had any experience and if so, what were your thoughts?

Hi Diggy
Be interesting to see the insides of the mains bits.
I make my own power leads using great quality connectors and cable.
Always at least 1.5mm2 cable ensuring the safe use at proper rating of 13A mains fuse.
Bussmann genuine the correct way round.

[DiggyGun]

As some of are aware, I’ve ordered and going to try the Designacable CatSnake Cat6a Floating Ethernet Cable to replace my various Chord Steaming Cables.

Whilst on their website, I noted that they also make a Mains Cable.




Has anyone had any experience and if so, what were your thoughts?

Hi Diggy
Be interesting to see the insides of the mains bits.
I make my own power leads using great quality connectors and cable.
Always at least 1.5mm2 cable ensuring the safe use at proper rating of 13A mains fuse.
Bussmann genuine the correct way round.

As requested.

[Moomintroll]

Nothing special about those…

I use MK mains plug (as, I suspect, does Jim)

[Coyote Jim]

As some of are aware, I’ve ordered and going to try the Designacable CatSnake Cat6a Floating Ethernet Cable to replace my various Chord Steaming Cables.

Whilst on their website, I noted that they also make a Mains Cable.




Has anyone had any experience and if so, what were your thoughts?

Hi Diggy
Be interesting to see the insides of the mains bits.
I make my own power leads using great quality connectors and cable.
Always at least 1.5mm2 cable ensuring the safe use at proper rating of 13A mains fuse.
Bussmann genuine the correct way round.

As requested.

Thanks Diggy
What I use is far better and probably cheaper too.
Those look a bit basic quality.

[Coyote Jim]

Nothing special about those…

I use MK mains plug (as, I suspect, does Jim)

IMG_2533.png

Hi Dave
Yes indeed MK all round.
I have tried and like using the MK toughplug too as I can get thicker cable in and I can use ferrules too.
No split or loose strands.
Polished pins and Bussmann Genuine 13A fuses the right way round.

[DiggyGun]

@Coyote Jim
@Moomintroll

As some of are aware, I’ve ordered and going to try the Designacable CatSnake Cat6a Floating Ethernet Cable to replace my various Chord Steaming Cables.

Whilst on their website, I noted that they also make a Mains Cable.




Has anyone had any experience and if so, what were your thoughts?

Hi Diggy
Be interesting to see the insides of the mains bits.
I make my own power leads using great quality connectors and cable.
Always at least 1.5mm2 cable ensuring the safe use at proper rating of 13A mains fuse.
Bussmann genuine the correct way round.

As requested.

Thanks Diggy
What I use is far better and probably cheaper too.
Those look a bit basic quality.

Agreed, they do look a bit basic. I’ve searched on the web and cannot find any reviews of them. It seems that they might not be that popular, can’t find any reference to them on this or other forums, unlike the positive comments you read about their Ethernet cables.

My plug wall sockets are MS HD Silver plated versions, so looking at Silver plated MS HD Plug and IEC Plug, plus a decent Silver plated Belden cable.





I’m quite impressed with the MS HD build quality and have used their plug on my office system, easy to wire and can take cable up to 16mm2, so plenty of space to work with.

[Coyote Jim]

@Coyote Jim
@Moomintroll

As some of are aware, I’ve ordered and going to try the Designacable CatSnake Cat6a Floating Ethernet Cable to replace my various Chord Steaming Cables.

Whilst on their website, I noted that they also make a Mains Cable.




Has anyone had any experience and if so, what were your thoughts?

Hi Diggy
Be interesting to see the insides of the mains bits.
I make my own power leads using great quality connectors and cable.
Always at least 1.5mm2 cable ensuring the safe use at proper rating of 13A mains fuse.
Bussmann genuine the correct way round.

As requested.

Thanks Diggy
What I use is far better and probably cheaper too.
Those look a bit basic quality.

Agreed, they do look a bit basic.

My plug wall sockets are MS HD Silver plated versions, so looking at Silver plated MS HD Plug and IEC Plug, plus a decent Silver plated Belden cable.





I’m quite impressed with the MS HD build quality and have used their plug on my office system, easy to wire and can take cable up to 16mm2, so plenty of space to work with.

Yes the mains plug looks quite funky I’d like to see the terminals I like the MK safety wrap round and clamp terminals and for heavier cable the MK toughplug but I always use ferrules to stop splits and stray strands.
The IEC one you show wouldn’t fit my Klimax case.

[DiggyGun]

@Coyote Jim
@Moomintroll

As some of are aware, I’ve ordered and going to try the Designacable CatSnake Cat6a Floating Ethernet Cable to replace my various Chord Steaming Cables.

Whilst on their website, I noted that they also make a Mains Cable.




Has anyone had any experience and if so, what were your thoughts?

Hi Diggy
Be interesting to see the insides of the mains bits.
I make my own power leads using great quality connectors and cable.
Always at least 1.5mm2 cable ensuring the safe use at proper rating of 13A mains fuse.
Bussmann genuine the correct way round.

As requested.

Thanks Diggy
What I use is far better and probably cheaper too.
Those look a bit basic quality.

Agreed, they do look a bit basic.

My plug wall sockets are MS HD Silver plated versions, so looking at Silver plated MS HD Plug and IEC Plug, plus a decent Silver plated Belden cable.





I’m quite impressed with the MS HD build quality and have used their plug on my office system, easy to wire and can take cable up to 16mm2, so plenty of space to work with.

Yes the mains plug looks quite funky I’d like to see the terminals I like the MK safety wrap round and clamp terminals and for heavier cable the MK toughplug but I always use ferrules to stop splits and stray strands.
The IEC one you show wouldn’t fit my Klimax case.

Here we are, as requested. Good amount of space for thicker cable. The terminals are clamps, rather than screws, so you get a good connection.



I had that problem with my previous Klimax DS/3

[Coyote Jim]

As requested.

Here we are, as requested. Good amount of space for thicker cable. The terminals are clamps, rather than screws, so you get a good connection.



I had that problem with my previous Klimax DS/3

Thank you for that “ super service “
Nice and roomy the MK pins and terminals are all one piece machined ar those terminals crimped or pressed on.
Great space for big cable.

[DiggyGun]

As requested.

Here we are, as requested. Good amount of space for thicker cable. The terminals are clamps, rather than screws, so you get a good connection.



I had that problem with my previous Klimax DS/3

Thank you for that “ super service “
Nice and roomy the MK pins and terminals are all one piece machined ar those terminals crimped or pressed on.
Great space for big cable.

Looking at the picture, it looks like the clamp terminal is riveted to the plug pins.

[Nestor Turton]

I like MK plugs and have some leads from Mark Grant, which use them and sound fine to me.

I also have some UK-manufactured Olsen mains cords, which to my aged cloth ears sound identical to the MG cables and the ones that came with my Linn electronics. I use Olsen power distribution units as well. Perhaps I’d notice more difference if I had a Utopik.

For network cables, I use Cable Monkey
(https://www.cablemonkey.co.uk/), retail outlet for UK manufacturer Connectix. Ethernet wiring around my cottage is entirely Connectix. I also have some excellent Blue Jeans Cables patch leads but must confess I can’t hear any difference between them and Connectix Magic Patch Leads. Both pass a Fluke test with flying colours.

I have only tried one boutique audiophile network patch lead, the AQ Vodka, and it was a disappointment. My hope is it was a rogue sample, but possibly not, as I had some AQ aerial cables for my TV and … well, I don’t use them any more. Of course, I may have been unlucky.

I can genuinely hear differences between DACs and other sources, loudspeakers and to a lesser extent amplifiers, interconnects, and speaker wires, but I find I can’t hear the improvements others claim from mains cables and network cables. My approach is to use high-quality cables that are safe and work to specification.

[Moomintroll]

“ I can genuinely hear differences between DACs and other sources, loudspeakers and to a lesser extent amplifiers, interconnects, and speaker wires, but I find I can’t hear the improvements others claim from mains cables and network cables. My approach is to use high-quality cables that are safe and work to specification.”

[Wenge1]

Nothing special about those…

I use MK mains plug (as, I suspect, does Jim)

Hi Dave
Yes indeed MK all round.
I have tried and like using the MK toughplug too as I can get thicker cable in and I can use ferrules too.
No split or loose strands.
Polished pins and Bussmann Genuine 13A fuses the right way round.

.
.........

[Wenge1]

As some of are aware, I’ve ordered and going to try the Designacable CatSnake Cat6a Floating Ethernet Cable to replace my various Chord Steaming Cables.

Whilst on their website, I noted that they also make a Mains Cable.



Has anyone had any experience and if so, what were your thoughts?

Hi Diggy
Be interesting to see the insides of the mains bits.
I make my own power leads using great quality connectors and cable.
Always at least 1.5mm2 cable ensuring the safe use at proper rating of 13A mains fuse.
Bussmann genuine the correct way round.

.
........

[akamatsu]

“ I can genuinely hear differences between DACs and other sources, loudspeakers and to a lesser extent amplifiers, interconnects, and speaker wires, but I find I can’t hear the improvements others claim from mains cables and network cables. My approach is to use high-quality cables that are safe and work to specification.”

For me to hear a difference, there actually has to be a difference. With mains cables, I don't see a way to improve upon what comes with the kit. And no one has been able to explain to me what the difference in the physical parameters would be. The stock mains leads are 18 gauge conductors. I replaced these with 14 gauge. Made no difference in sound. And wire gauge has the potential to make a difference. As it turns out, 18 gauge is adequate.

[Moomintroll]

“ I can genuinely hear differences between DACs and other sources, loudspeakers and to a lesser extent amplifiers, interconnects, and speaker wires, but I find I can’t hear the improvements others claim from mains cables and network cables. My approach is to use high-quality cables that are safe and work to specification.”

For me to hear a difference, there actually has to be a difference. With mains cables, I don't see a way to improve upon what comes with the kit. And no one has been able to explain to me what the difference in the physical parameters would be. The stock mains leads are 18 gauge conductors. I replaced these with 14 gauge. Made no difference in sound. And wire gauge has the potential to make a difference. As it turns out, 18 gauge is adequate.

To make it even more interesting, if you look at the UK mains plugs above, you’ll see we have legally mandated fuses to protect the mains cable. The fuse wire therein will be very fine in comparison to the gauge of the cable.

[DiggyGun]

Didn’t go for the Designacable mains cable in the end.

However, the full loom CatSnake Cat6a (Floating) arrived today.


Will install them tomorrow.

The story will continue on my “Organik Upgrade Time” thread.

[Nestor Turton]

“ I can genuinely hear differences between DACs and other sources, loudspeakers and to a lesser extent amplifiers, interconnects, and speaker wires, but I find I can’t hear the improvements others claim from mains cables and network cables. My approach is to use high-quality cables that are safe and work to specification.”

For me to hear a difference, there actually has to be a difference. With mains cables, I don't see a way to improve upon what comes with the kit. And no one has been able to explain to me what the difference in the physical parameters would be. The stock mains leads are 18 gauge conductors. I replaced these with 14 gauge. Made no difference in sound. And wire gauge has the potential to make a difference. As it turns out, 18 gauge is adequate.

[Nestor Turton]

“ I can genuinely hear differences between DACs and other sources, loudspeakers and to a lesser extent amplifiers, interconnects, and speaker wires, but I find I can’t hear the improvements others claim from mains cables and network cables. My approach is to use high-quality cables that are safe and work to specification.”

For me to hear a difference, there actually has to be a difference. With mains cables, I don't see a way to improve upon what comes with the kit. And no one has been able to explain to me what the difference in the physical parameters would be. The stock mains leads are 18 gauge conductors. I replaced these with 14 gauge. Made no difference in sound. And wire gauge has the potential to make a difference. As it turns out, 18 gauge is adequate.

To make it even more interesting, if you look at the UK mains plugs above, you’ll see we have legally mandated fuses to protect the mains cable. The fuse wire therein will be very fine in comparison to the gauge of the cable.

[Nestor Turton]

https://www.mcru.co.uk/product/mcru-sli ... cba1185463

For Linn kit with confined rear panel space, MCRU sells a mains lead with FI-C15 IEC connectors, gold-plated MK Toughplug, gold-plated Bussmann fuse and foil shielded Belden 19364 mains wire.

Another maker of special mains leads is Russ Andrews who were initially forced by the Advertising Standards Authority to remove claims from its adverts, but subsequently ASA reversed the ruling acknowledging test results showed a reduction in [noise] dBs compared with a normal mains cable. ASA concluded: “We considered evidence supplied was sufficient to support claims in the advert about the extent to which RF interference was achieved when tested under laboratory conditions. We concluded the advert wasn’t misleading.”

As I’ve said previously even if measurements prove(?) one product is superior to another, it doesn’t mean I can hear an improvement. I have tried the MCRU product. I suspect the filtering Linn uses in its electronics combats the effects of RFI and so the supplied mains lead is perfectly adequate,

I used to like Crabtree plugs https://www.farnell.com/datasheets/3678962.pdf and sockets https://www.farnell.com/datasheets/3678478.pdf