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After seeing ads on Audiogon, I purchased a Flavor 1 power cord from VH Audio to use with my digital components (Philips SACD 1000 and Cal Audio Delta feeding an Audio Note Dac Kit 1.2). I am a firm believer in the benefits that upgraded power cords can provide, and have experience with various Vans Evers cords (tunable versions and regular versions), the ESP The Essence Cord, LAT International AC-2 cords, and Silver Audio Power Burst cords.

The Flavor 1 was primarily compared to the ESP cord, which I have used with great success on digital components. In summary, the Flavor 1 stacked up very nicely against the ESP (which is significantly more expensive). The ESP had a slightly more vivid sound and a very slight edge in detail and high frequency extension. I would emphasize that these differences were slight. On the other hand, the VH Flavor 1 excelled over the ESP in image body and had an overall more organic sound. Which did I prefer -- the Flavor 1 by a slight margin. Did the Flavor 1 render the ESP obsolete? No -- the ESP is still a great cord with its own strengths (see above), and I have found the effects of power cords to be somewhat system/component dependent.

I think the more pertinant question is if I had to do it all over again, which would I buy? That is easy -- the VH Flavor 1 is a screaming bargain at its price, and one of the better values I have come across in audio.

Product beefs? I am not crazy about the Wattagate IEC -- it is somewhat heavy, and had a tendancy to pull out of the female plug on my Philips SACD 1000. This can be remedied per Chris VenHaus with a few wraps of electrical tape around the IEC, and it did fit fine on other components.

Finally, I would recommend that you give the Flavor 1 at least 100 hours of breakin -- the sound didn't really come together until then.

Product Weakness:	IEC plug has tendency to slip out of receptical on some components.
Product Strengths:	Great all around performance; organic quality to the presentation; very nice bass and body.

• VH Audio Flavors 1, 2, and 3 Cable - cpdunn99 08:30:11 05/03/03 (6)
  In Reply to: VH Audio Flavors 1, 2, and 3 Cable posted by jshort on May 01, 2003 at 21:22:57:

  Thanks for posting this.

  Couple of questions:
  Can't you replace the Wattgate with some other IEC?

  And, you state the 100hrs of break-in would be beneficial. What differences in sound quality (noise floor, definition, etc.) did you notice (or do you anticipate) after 100hrs?
  
  

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  • Re: VH Audio Flavors 1, 2, and 3 Cable - jshort 10:45:57 05/03/03 (5)
    In Reply to: VH Audio Flavors 1, 2, and 3 Cable posted by cpdunn99 on May 03, 2003 at 08:30:11:

    I suppose you could replace the IEC, but I wouldn't be interested in doing so. Would go the tape route, and Chris VH has considered including small pieces of heatshrink in the future for loose fits.

    To be candid, I didn't spend a whole lot of time analyzing the sound as it was breaking in -- it just did not hang together as well as some of my burned in cords. If forced to describe it, I would say that different frequencies are emphasized during breakin so that the sound doesn't gel as well as with the burned in cord. The burned in cord evens things out -- the sound becomes more organic and right.

    HOpe this helps.
    
    

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    • Thanks for the added info <nt> - cpdunn99 15:40:47 05/05/03 (0)
      In Reply to: Re: VH Audio Flavors 1, 2, and 3 Cable posted by jshort on May 03, 2003 at 10:45:57:

      nt
      
      

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    • Re: VH Audio Flavors 1, 2, and 3 Cable - I.Kill.Hackers 18:25:48 05/03/03 (3)
      In Reply to: Re: VH Audio Flavors 1, 2, and 3 Cable posted by jshort on May 03, 2003 at 10:45:57:

      Thats the same exact thing I experienced with my Flavor 2's before break in . Sounds just came out of the speakers. The soundstage had collapsed and the bass was boomy. Now after break in I have a wider, more detailed soundstage and tighter bass. The difference is night and day, before and after break in.
      
      

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      • How did you break it in? - cpdunn99 15:42:54 05/05/03 (2)
        In Reply to: Re: VH Audio Flavors 1, 2, and 3 Cable posted by I.Kill.Hackers on May 03, 2003 at 18:25:48:

        Did you break it in in your system, or use a cheater cord (e.g., on frdige) or cable cooker?

        And how long, approx., would you say before the sound opened up?

        Thanks!
        
        

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        • Re: How did you break it in? - I.Kill.Hackers 20:32:15 05/05/03 (1)
          In Reply to: How did you break it in? posted by cpdunn99 on May 05, 2003 at 15:42:54:

          Just plain old listening. Some days Id leave the amp on all day playing music at low volume. Now it sounds great. Im thinking about getting one for my cd player.
          
          

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          • Re: How did you break it in? - cpdunn99 12:20:59 05/06/03 (0)
            In Reply to: Re: How did you break it in? posted by I.Kill.Hackers on May 05, 2003 at 20:32:15:

            I'm going to have to look into these myself. Never heard a bad word about them!

            I've burned cables in using a reverse cheater cord and running it on my fridge. Works fine.
            
            

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