The AnnaLyric DPC-2 Digital Power Cord
OOYH expands your audio experience; the AnnaLyric DPC-2 Digital Power Cord makes it better. Most of us are familiar with the benefits that upscale power cords and cables can produce in a main system, but these upgrades can have an even greater impact in a premium headphone system. For a number of reasons, headphone products are a quirky lot, so tweaks and DIY mods often reap huge sonic improvements. AnnaLyric sells direct, and $600 a meter is relatively inexpensive by mainstream audiophile standards. Still, it costs just a little more than my Schiit Bifrost Uber DAC itself, so is the additional expense justified by the results?
This is what I observed: My review system (Covalent-Audio Nucleus and, alternately, Schiit Lyr 2 headphone amp, Schiit Bifrost Uber DAC, MrSpeakers Mad Dog Pros Headphones), became noticeably quieter and clearer when the Bifrost power cord was replaced by the AnnaLyric DPC-2. Clarity increased and extraneous noise diminished, revealing more of the music. In all, the system appeared to work more efficiently and purposefully, as if a “glare” had been removed. Listening to Calexico’s “Don Gilberto,” the percussion instrument accents gained immediacy and texture. The opening guitar chords on Maxwell’s “Possum” filled a quieter space than before, and his wonderful voice gained a touch more warmth and, hence, expressiveness. The nearly inexhaustible plucks, blasts, and groans of the “Polyphonie X for 18 Instruments” emerged from their hiding places. The whimsy and lift in Martin Sexton’s voice in “Diggin’ Me” was charmingly on view. Now, I’m not sure if the power cord expanded the openness of the sonic presentation, or if it just seemed that way because the music no longer competed with background hiss, but the system as a whole seemed to work more effortlessly.
Similar improvements occurred when using the AnnaLyric cord with other DACs and CD players, which brings me back to the original question: Is it worth it? To answer, let me say that the improvement in sound produced by the DPC-2 digital power cord is immediately discernible. You don’t need the golden ears of my editor, Dave Clark (who once walked into a noisy room filled with people and instantly detected that a pair of speakers he had never heard before were out of phase), to appreciate how the AnnaLyric refines the sound. All this sonic excellence does not come cheaply or easily, of course, and AnnaLyric’s website is understandably reluctant to divulge specific materials or manufacturing details. Still, even the casual observer can appreciate the workmanship and expensive appearance of the DPC-2. AnnaLyric does reveal that much of the success of this power cord owes to the insulation that is designed to transmit power efficiently while simultaneously reducing smearing that may hamper the system’s sound. The conductors for the DPC-2 are stranded, multi-gauged type, and the shielding is said to effectively reject EMI/RFI interference.
The finished product is a solid, attractive product that appears to provide solid value for the money. A power cord of this quality is an investment in increased performance for your current needs and for digital sources still to come. The AnnaLyric DPC-2 is a digital power cord suitable for the main system, and could be a lifetime staple for any high end headphone system. For those who are looking for a sonic boost, this cord delivers, and for those attempting to build a destination system one piece at a time, the DPC-2 is well worth your consideration.
One product treats you to a world-class cabaret show, the other gets the crowd in the jazz club to shut up and listen. Two very different goals, but both resulting in a wonderful treat for the discerning listener.
Annalyric DPC-2 Digital Power Cord
Retail: $600 per 1m