Although loudspeaker cables and inter-connects are an important factor in a Hi-Fi system, the mains cables really are equally crucial since they are capable of having a dramatic effect on overall sound quality. A po-tentially enormous level of interference can reach the system through the mains supply.

On the one hand this can be a direct result of modulated interference in the mains voltage, because virtually all equipment which consumes electrical current also exerts an adverse effect on the mains supply; on the other hand the mains leads attached to Hi-Fi equipment tend to act as aerials, picking up all the electro-magnetic smog in your environment. For this reason we at T+A have invested a huge amount of effort in developing really effective mains cables.

Power Four is one of the best and most sophisticated mains leads on the market. The 11 mm thick cable is of extremely robust construction in order to eliminate any risk of oscillation or resonance even when high currents are flowing. The hard PUR outer sleeve encloses a densely woven shield of silver-plated copper - interference has no chance of getting through.

Under the shield we find a further high-quality insulator of black TPE which provides unrelenting support for the three firmly twisted mains conductors inside it. Each of these three conductors consists of a group of 30 tightly wound strands of high-purity copper, and each is enclosed in a high-quality TPE insulating sleeve. The overall design is simply the best possible in terms of mechanical, electrical and material quality.

These mains leads result in an incredibly clear, open and rounded sound image, although the degree of improvement varies very greatly with the level of contamina-tion of the actual mains supply: the more serious the mains interference, the more obvious the improvement in sound quality by using Power Three and Four cable.

Power Three is a slightly thinner variant with re-uced cross-sectional area, making it more flexible and easier to deploy.

T+A offers factory-made mains cables in the following lengths: 0.5 m, 1.0 m and 2.0 m. The Power Four and Three mains leads are equipped with a high-quality safety plug and Euro connector. Power Four cables are fitted with a highly effective ferrite filter attached directly to the Euro connector; this filter prevents electro-magnetic interference fields penetrating or passing through.

Inside the safety plug the woven shield is connected to the earth terminal, thereby passing any induced inter-ference to earth. Correct phase is marked on the safety plug.