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I recently purchased a used Blue Circle BC3000 preamp with external power supply (pics in my gallery). The power chord leading to the power supply is a Blue Circle BC62 model. The BC website indicates some kind of double reverse braiding technique and hospital grade plugs. It "feels" like a very tight braid, yet the BC-62 has a very nice flexibility that gives it maneuverable qualities (stranded wire?). The plug looks like they could be Marinco.This chord seems to perform pretty well. The sound after adding the BC3000 preamp is wonderfully quiet/low noise, dynamic, extended yet smooth, very natural and organic sounding. I can't stop listening.
I'm already using a pair of VHAudio Flavor 4's with the Furutech FI25G connectors for my NuForce amps. I DIY'ed a 2nd pair which I substituted Oyaide P079/C079 connectors. I've gotten excellent results from these Flavor 4's combined with Oyaide wall plates and receptacles. I'm also using a Monster 5100 MKII for everything but the amps and subwoofer.
Like I said, the BC-62 sounds like a good chord to me, but I'm wondering if there is an opportunity to improve significantly on it with an affordable designs like the Flavor 4. Ultimately I'll just have to experiment myself, but I was wondering if anyone has experience with the BC-62 in comparison to other PC's. Also, has anyone upgraded a BC-62 chord through cryo treatment or changing the connectors?
Thanks for any comments...
Ken
Follow Ups:
Reading some of the posts below got be concerned I was hamstring my BC3000-II with the BC62 (described below ... i.e. with some kind of in-line filter). In particular the memtion of a BC power cord (a 61 IIRC, which is like a 62 junior) being bettered by a DIY Wireworld Stratus concerned me, especially because I have one myself! My Stratus 3 uses a pretty cheesy wall plug (the hardware store wellow molded plastic type) but it's still a pretty decent cable ... it easily beats my JungSon JPOC-03 and edges out my Bolder Cable Company Nitro (actually it's the sort of thing were one may be more suitable than the other on a certain component,i.e. they're close).Well for starters there is ground loop hum with the Stratus 3 (confirming I need to lift the ground in my setup) but it is mild and you need to be in the immediate proximity of a speaker to hear it. It's not something I'd want to live with on a permanet basis but I figured no problem for some quick comparisons.
Well my BC62 easily stood up to the challenge. Basically the sound was more open, individual lines (instruments, voices) were better defined and stood out from each other better. It wasn't an "OMG its so much better" thing but clearly it was the better cord.
That said the E2E Red power cords I use *are* a *lot* better than the cables mentioned above. This is why I suggested you experiment with your BC3000. If you find something that merely edges out the BC62 I'd suggest you can do better.
No Guru, No Method, No Teacher
..
Ken
...based on your first hand experiences with this chord. I think I will (at some point) DIY a Flavor 2 or another Flavor 4 design since I had such good results with them in the rest of the system.
Ken
While Gilbert is a great guy and the BC stuff gets great reviews (and I have no reason to believe the equipment is anything less than stellar), the BC 62 is an ok cord for the money, but no more, in my opinion, having owned one and moved on. It's performance can be bettered for considerably less money doing a DIY cord using JPS Labs in-wall cable terminated with Marinco IEC and male plug (and cryo enhances that even further) for approximately half the retail price of the BC 62. That is what I have been living with comfortably for the past few years. Are there better cords than the DIY cryoed JPS with Marinco? Yes, I'm sure there are, but they may cost 3-5x more for maybe a 15-20% increase in refinement that may come at the cost of bass performance among other things.While I think the BC 62 is a decent cord, it is definitely not a great one for the money.
I used the BC 61 ( 14 guage but otherwise identical ) in a number of different situations but only found it acceptable on various pre's. I still found it to be less satisfactory than Wireworld Stratus , Wireworld Aurora, VH audio Flavor 2 and PS Audio Prelude- none of which are expensive. It's not that it was bad but that it didn't seem to have any especially positive attribute other than being modestly better than stock cords. I'm also becoming more convinced that properly shielded power cords are more to my taste-YMMV.
I have a BC3000-II myself, had it since Febuary, and like you I'm positively delighted. I ungraded from the upstart Eastern Electric MiniMax which I felt gave the ARC SP9-II I had been using a good spanking. Compared to the MiniMax the BC 3000-II is in a completely different league, actually more like another world ... of course it ought to be, it ain't cheap!I have a BC68 but one with what appears to be an inline filter (a round thingy, not the box shown on the Blue Circle site for current production BC68 with built-in filter). I have not had the opportunity to compare power cords because I get ground loop hum with other cords on the BC3000; for whatever reason BC gear seems rather susceptible to ground loops and some units (amplifiers) actually have a ground lift switch saving the effort to use a cheater ... it's no biggie, gotta problem, lift the ground, problem gone!
Now I have compared this particular BC68 to an Ear-to-Ear (E2E)(product made by a designer pal in my area) power cord on his BC9 (an earlier two box BC pre-amp, I think TOTL in its time) and the E2E cord easily outperforms the BC68 in that system.
I also have a BC22-II power amp and the E2E cord likewise outperforms the BC68 in that setting.
I would conclude that while the BC68 is pretty good a little experimenting is worth the effort. For what it's worth the E2E cord in question is a heavy design with silver on copper teflon insulated conductors, uses internal damping (materials), and additionally features multiple shields.
--
Now I *have* had luck with an upgrade to the umbilical cord that connects the BC3000's main unit to its power supply. This is a custom jobbie done by E2E based upon the power cord designs. I had posted about it on the BC site but one of the dealers got upset, accused me of shrilling for sales (like there's a big market for BC3/BC3000 Umbilical Power Cords ... sheesh!), and it was pulled to keep the peace.
Anyway, I first heard the E2E umbilical cord on the BC9 and was amazed at the improvements, more resolution, more involving, more alive ... what it does for cymbals in a Jazz setting is amazing. Now when this BC9 is running with balanced cables it's right up there with the BC3000-II performance wise so we're talking about an improvement from an already very lofty starting point!
To make a long story short I borrowed it to try and it's staying! ... PM me if interested.
No Guru, No Method, No Teacher
I really love this preamp. I just keep popping in CD's and spinning LP's to experience this new level of detailed sound with improved natural sound and delicacy without loss of resolution or dynamics. This can be listened to for hours upon hours. Even the recordings I thought were my "bad recordings" now sound like they're pretty decent.Did you upgrade to the MKII, or did you purchase it as MKII? I've heard that the MKII is more detailed, faster, and linear sounding than the regular BC3000. It's apparently a completely rebuilt preamp compared to the BC3000.
Your umbilical upgrade from E2E sounds like a nice improvement that I would like to learn more about. My umbilical chord does not look like a stock Blue Circle chord. The insulation on the wire reads "Cardas BC-7C" The heatshrink on the connectors reads "Custom Hand Terminated by The Silent Terminators" followed by a very familiar looking swirl logo, like a snail's shell. There is no techflex cover on the umbilical chord. I purchased the preamp from Dave Clark of Positive Feedback. I should e-mail him to fill in the blank spaces.
Ken
They used that same Cardas umbilical cable in the Galatea. See Stereophile link:Todd
In my case after hearing my friend's BC9 pre-amp and BC8-II monoblocks for the first time after he switched from Mark Levinson gear I was so blown away that I immediate went BC hunting.I got the BC3000-II locally from a fellow who was moving up to the AG3000 and the BC22-II from eBay (of all places).
That's the limit of my exposure. I wouldn't say the BC9 and the BC3000-II sound alike but what you've said about your BC3000 would work for either of them as well ... weird! I especially agree about the ability to salvage the very best from even (what seemed to be) inferior recordings.
I'd say the BC9 (which must be wired true balanced to sound its best, hence needing a balanced output CDP and balanced input amplifier) is a tad drier compared to the BC3000-II's just slightly lusher and bouncier ... the word *wet* always come to mind for some reason ... presentation. I do think the BC3000-II sounds ultimately the more *real* of the two but that probably because its the one I own. LOL
Mind you I'm talking about subtle distinctions, overtly the BC3000-II is startlingly transparent and true which was just plain shocking at first contact when I threw it in the system and played a Tony Bennett CD ... it was like Bennett was *in my room*, a sonic shock!
--
Seems Blue Circle (or perhaps the last owner) had Cardas make a custom umbilical cord for your pre; Gilbert used Cardas hookup wire I believe. The umbilical cord that came with mine is similar to the BC62 but smaller, i.e. same twist (or whatever they call it) but with apparently smaller conductors. The connectors are 4-pin XLRs, male on one end, female on the other.
Have fun with your BC3000, I'm sure enjoying mine and I expect to have it for a long long time!
No Guru, No Method, No Teacher
- Here's a peek under the cover of mine! (The Shallcos are just hidden but they're there I sassure you!) (Open in New Window)
Yes indeed, I think my pre is a keeper too. Nice photos. The MKII is a beautifully executed piece of audio craftsmanship. Somewhere along the line looking at this stuff became as sexy as looking at exotic automobiles - yikes! My girlfriend tells me this stuff is audio porn - HA!BTW, I recently had a brief visit with my sister in Toronto in July. Had a great time beating up and down Queen Ave for a few days. It's a wonderful city, and I always enjoy myself there.
Nice chatting, talk to you later...
Ken
I have always used BC power cords and added a BC music bar as well. I have never had a problem with noise. I run a CDP (or CDP + Dac) to a CS Integrated and a tube head amp from the tape loop of the CS. I am going to add a tube preamp and amp. We'll see what that does.
I have combined the BC-3000 with NuForce Reference 9.02s, and it is pretty silent with my ear right next to the speaker.The sound really seems to jump off of a black background, so it would seem like the chord is doing a very good job. It might be interesting to get another BC chord (I'm seeing some good buys for used ones) and try them in place of my Flavor 4 chords.
Conversely I eventually should see if the BC 62 sounds better (not just different) with Oyaide or Furutech connectors.
Ken
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