Frequently Asked Questions About ESP Power Cords and Power Distributors

1. Does plugging MusicCord or MusicCord-PRO into a power strip or using them with an extension cord defeat the performance benefits?

MusicCord and MusicCord-PRO power cords were developed to deliver consistent performance even when plugged into an inexpensive power strip or used with a 14- or 12-gauge extension cord. For live performances in most typical environments, you will not hear a performance difference between plugging MusicCord into a power strip or direct into a wall outlet. Therefore, you do not need to purchase a long length cord to reach a wall outlet. Get the length that will allow the cord to reach the floor and not be hanging from the component chassis jack. For the majority of our customers, 2-meters length works great!

All power strips made for use in North America use 14-gauge or larger power cords, therefore not significantly limiting current flow. If you use a 16- or 18-gauge extension cord, you may percieve a performance difference. That's because these smaller gauge extension cords become the 'choke' or current limiting point in the circuit.

2. Why do I need ESP power cords versus using a line conditioner?

ESP power cords solve two causes of audible distortions that no other power conditioning products address; 1) phase distortion, and 2) slow current delivery speed.  Phase distortion is timing errors that occur between different frequencies.  Current delivery speed is how quickly current can flow to your gear.  Taken together, these issues cause audible distortions such as slow, bloated bass response, dynamic compression, harshness in the upper mid-range, loss of clarity and harmonic integrity, collapsed imaging (boxy sound), and frequency anomalies including over-emphasis or suck-outs. No ‘line conditioner’ or ‘power regenerator’ addresses these issues.  Some of these devices actually make matters worse by adding transformers and capacitors in the circuit.

ESP power components’ patented cordage geometry eliminates the cause of these audible distortions.  You get extended, punchy yet articulate bass response.  Midrange clarity is enhanced  - you can hear into the music.  Transients are cleaner and fatigue-causing harshness is eliminated.   Instruments now ‘sing’ from a quieter background with broadened harmonic pallet, and sustains are no longer truncated.  The sound quality improvements can best be summed by the word ‘wholesale’ and are noticeable through the entire frequency range.  In many cases, they are comparable in magnitude to replacing the component.

3. How can a 6-foot power cord make a difference compared to the miles of other wire in the circuit? 

ESP power components are designed to be the most sensitive component in the circuit.  This relationship has been determined through our 15-years of product development and real-world experience. Our ac power cords actually act as a filter. The characteristic filtering effect is by design extremely consistent, no matter what a/c mains or audio components ESP power cords are used with. Because each audio component design is different, the magnitude of improvement will vary from one component to another.

4. Which component will benefit most from using ESP power cords?

Customers who initially purchase a single power cord usually choose to attach it to the power amplifier or powered studio monitors. Often one will experience the greatest incremental improvement by using our power cords on the power amplification components because power amplifiers typically suffer most from the effects of being constrained by power cords that cannot adequately supply the required speed and quantity of current.

There's a good arguement for the first application being the source component such as a CD or DVD player. The reason is that the quality of one's system is limited by the quality of the source signal. There's a saying "distortion begets distortion" meaning distortion from the source component is amplified by downstream components.

Best performance is achieved when all system components in the chain are equiped with ESP power cords. If you cannot equip each individual component with its own power cord, consider purchasing a power distributor. Because every plugged-in component experiences an incremental improvement, purchase of a power distributor offers the greatest performance value.

5. What are the differences between MusicCord and MusicCord-PRO?

MusicCord power cord is equivalent 16-gauge. MusicCord-PRO is equivalent 14-gauge. While both are based upon our patented multi-conductor cordage design, the extra gauge makes MusicCord-PRO do everything better. In the midrange, I feel that the cords are very similar in performance. With both cords, you're going to get more clarity and resolution, transient speed, natural warmth, and more tone. It's like removing a layer of veiling. The frequency extremes are where the difference between MusicCord and MusicCord-PRO is most noticeable - particularly the bass. The PRO gives you more bass extension and control.

6. Which should I get for my guitar or bass - MusicCord or MusicCord-PRO?

This is a question we get a lot these days! Ultimately, you are the only one who can make the right choice for yourself. Guitarist and bassists have purchased both cords and been happy with the performance improvements. However, picking up on the basic difference bewteen the two cords, I strongly encourage bass players to audition the MusicCord-PRO. To many, the added bass extension and control afforded by the PRO wil likely justify the additional investment.

Some customers and journalists have commented that tube amplifiers seem to benefit more from using our power cords than do solid state amplifiers. Our power cords are designed to be versitile and be used with any audio video components. However, understanding some of the basic differences between tube and solid state amplifiers, the effect of insufficient current to reproduce dynamic passages may be more noticable with a tube amplifier versus a typical class A/B solid state amplifier. Again this is only anecdotal feedback. For high current component applications, MusicCord-PRO would again be the preferred choice. Because each component design is different, the magnitude of improvement will vary from one component to another.

7. Are ESP power cords suitable for use with 220-240Volt AC mains?

The short answer is - yes. ESP cables were designed with the intent of eventually selling them all over the world. You can read feedback from owners in Europe and Asis on our 'customer feedback' web page. ESP cables conform to UL (Underwriters Laboratory) style classifications for 600 Volts. In particular, MusicCord 'Professional' and 'Especial' series power cord assemblies are terminated to far exceed even "hospital grade" standards in the US and Canada. The wire terminations are crimped and soldered, reinforcement rings are clamped to the calbe before overmolding, and the molded plugs and connectors have integral strain reliefs. International plugs are built to the same internal termination processes and strain reliefs as the plug for North America. "Hospital grade" means they have been tested and proven to meet higher "abuse" standards than typical power cords. We want our customers to know that when you make an investment in our products, they are built to last even in sometimes harsh front-of-house environments.

8. Do MusicCord power cords meet RoHS enviromental standards for Europe?

All MusicCord Professional and ESpecial series power cords are RoHS compliant., including the North American versions. For those who don't understand what 'RoHS' is all about, the European Union has established strict standards aimed at eliminating many potentially hazardous materials from use in the product or manufacturing processes. The objective is to prevent putting hazardous substances into the air we breath or landfills that could leak into ground water polluting drinking water supply. We believe that's a good policy to follow for all our products sold worldwide.

We also thought about the environmental impact of our product packaging. We chose not to put them in clear plastic because after you purchase the product, that plastic packaging is just waste. Instead, we chose to package our power cords in reusable bags that are durable and waterproof.. You may not use the bag for the cord; but, what musician doesn't need a gear bag to carry all those small items you need with you when you go to a gig? Like our products, we expect the bags to provide many years of service, a real added value you get with your purchase. Our customers like the bags so much they have given us feedback that has lead to improvements like the wrist strap we added to the latest version.