Hi-Fi Power cables

Hi-Fi power cables replace the ordinary lead between a wall socket and a component such as an amplifier, DAC, CD player or streamer. They have thick copper conductors and shielding that limits electromagnetic and radio-frequency interference (EMI and RFI) carried through the mains supply into audio equipment. There are three iFi audio cables from the SilentPower range, all 1.8 m long with straight connectors. They differ in how they suppress interference, and SupaNova has an active circuit in the middle of the cable.

What is the difference between SilentPower Quasar, Nova and SupaNova?

• Quasar is the entry model in the range: live and neutral conductors form geometrically balanced pairs (iFi calls this Ground Zero), so their magnetic fields cancel each other out. Each run has parallel shielding, the conductors are made from oxygen-free OFHC copper, and the cable can carry a current of 25 A.
• Nova is a symmetrical cable with five thick OFHC copper conductors in a Ground Zero geometry, parallel shielding and OFC copper connectors plated with 24-carat gold.
• SupaNova adds an Active Noise Cancellation II circuit in a cylindrical housing in the middle of the cable, cancelling noise on the live, neutral and earth conductors, plus surge protection rated at 10 000 A at 775 V. According to the manufacturer, it saves you using a separate mains filter.

Which components can you connect with a Hi-Fi power cable?

iFi SilentPower cables have an IEC connector at the component end, the type you will find on the rear panel of amplifiers, DACs, power supplies and other Hi-Fi and AV equipment with a detachable lead. They support voltages from 90 to 265 V. You cannot use this type of cable with a component that has a permanently attached lead or an external adapter, so check its rear panel before choosing your cable.

Do not confuse a power cable with a data network cable: Hi-Fi Network cables are Ethernet cables for streamers and network players. Other connections for your system, such as those under Hi-Fi Speaker cables, are in the Hi-Fi Cables category.