gustav_errata
pfm Member
I'll say this up front: I am not considering buying a new mains cable for my amp to accomplish any sort of sound-quality improvement. I have read plenty of threads on that and there is no reason to rehash that argument here. My questions are basically about standard electricity concerns.
I am only considering buying a shielded cable. The reason is that my current AV stand has a single small (<10cm diameter) hole through which all cables are routed. Presently that means my power amp's mains cable is basically sitting on the two NACA5 speaker cables where they all pass through this hole (worse, those cables need to squeeze under a shelf, which has maybe 1cm clearance from the bottom of the hole). Maybe one day I'll be able to buy a rack that allows better cable management but it's not in the cards at the moment.
I am also only interested in buying a cable that meets all regulations, notably the CE mark but ideally also the USA UL certification. I don't want any risks. I don't want an insurance liability. To the best of my knowledge, the only shielded cable that is available that has a CE mark is the Supra LoRad series. These come in 1.5mm^2 and 2.5mm^2. I believe Naim amps, such as my own (NAP150), come with 0.75mm^2 cables.
So, my two questions, which I'm positive are elementary, however my searches aren't coming up very successful:
1. I know that a cable that is too small poses a risk of heating up. I vaguely understand that 1.5mm^2 should be sufficient to carry practically any current from a typical amp. Is there any risk from having a cable that is too large for the expected currents? Is there anything extra to consider in this regard with a shielded cable? Again, I want zero risk. I'm of a nervous disposition.
2. I don't understand exactly what British Standard 1363 is saying about cable size. Is it that the maximum size permitted in a 13A plug is 1.5mm^2? Or is it that the maximum size that a 13A plug is required to fit by design is 1.5mm^2?
I am only considering buying a shielded cable. The reason is that my current AV stand has a single small (<10cm diameter) hole through which all cables are routed. Presently that means my power amp's mains cable is basically sitting on the two NACA5 speaker cables where they all pass through this hole (worse, those cables need to squeeze under a shelf, which has maybe 1cm clearance from the bottom of the hole). Maybe one day I'll be able to buy a rack that allows better cable management but it's not in the cards at the moment.
I am also only interested in buying a cable that meets all regulations, notably the CE mark but ideally also the USA UL certification. I don't want any risks. I don't want an insurance liability. To the best of my knowledge, the only shielded cable that is available that has a CE mark is the Supra LoRad series. These come in 1.5mm^2 and 2.5mm^2. I believe Naim amps, such as my own (NAP150), come with 0.75mm^2 cables.
So, my two questions, which I'm positive are elementary, however my searches aren't coming up very successful:
1. I know that a cable that is too small poses a risk of heating up. I vaguely understand that 1.5mm^2 should be sufficient to carry practically any current from a typical amp. Is there any risk from having a cable that is too large for the expected currents? Is there anything extra to consider in this regard with a shielded cable? Again, I want zero risk. I'm of a nervous disposition.
2. I don't understand exactly what British Standard 1363 is saying about cable size. Is it that the maximum size permitted in a 13A plug is 1.5mm^2? Or is it that the maximum size that a 13A plug is required to fit by design is 1.5mm^2?