GEAR CLOSE-UP
ESSENTIAL SOUND
PRODUCTS, INC.
MusicCord Pro
BY CHRIS BURGESS
The MusicCord Pro is an AC power cord by pointing to the inexpensive power cord I
designed to enhance audio performance, and was holding for the sake of physical compari-
uses patented, multi-conductor power cord- son, saying, “You’re going to plug a $3000
age geometry. According to ESP, the multiple- guitar into a $3000 amp. Which AC cord do
conductor design “eliminates phase distor- you think is going to make you wonder if you
tions and allows faster current delivery.” For could’ve done better?” Good point.
certain, the cord manifests a superior quality
of construction and design—using custom-molded IEC connectors and plugs, braided
copper shielding, conductors soldered and
crimped to the pins, etc.
sitting in a convertible with the top up and
the windows down all the way… adding the
MusicCord Pro to your rig is like dropping
the top—you get the idea. While you might
not need it to power your practice amp, it’s
an investment worth considering for just
about any other application.
Even better, ESP’s President, Michael Griffin,
is exploring the possibility of woven polyester cable jackets in an assortment of eye-popping colors.
The question on everyone’s mind when a subject like this comes up is: does it really make a
difference? For me, there were two stages to
answering this question. Before I tested it, one
of our resident gearheads summed things up
The second stage of the test was less
ambiguous. Are you going to hear a difference? Yes. Simply put, hearing is believing.
Is it a big difference? For me it was. I tested
the MusicCord Pro with a pair of EL34-
powered amps (Goodsell Black Dog 50 and
50W Egnater hot-rodded, Plexi-type) and
a humbucker-equipped guitar (Duesenberg
MC signature); the improvement in clarity
was immediate and unmistakable. Imagine
Essential Sound Products, Inc.
MSRP $179
essentialsound.com
ATLANTIC QUALITY DESIGN, INC.
ZEROCAP Cable
BY BRANDON BRINSON
According to Atlantic Quality Design, “The
ZEROCAP cable reduces the cable capacitance to near zero, typically 50 picofarads (in
any length), which is effectively the capacitance of the connectors. Even the best guitar
cables have 15 to 30 picofarads of capacitance per foot, amounting to a tone-killing
650 picofarads for a 20 foot cable.” The
cable we received is a 15-foot cable that has
the ZEROCAP box a foot from the end. This
box is the source of the magic of the cable,
including an “on/off” button. The cable also
came with a clever marketing strategy—an
eight-inch segment of premium cable and a
statement that the ZEROCAP had the same
capacitance as that segment.
quency buzz. The single coils
on a Strat essentially roared
to life, giving the notes far
more clarity. Everything
I played seemed to have
more definition to it; the
notes just sounded “round-
er” and more pristine. Even
without fully cranking up the
amp, I felt like I was really hear-
ing the tone of the guitar itself
more than usual.
ists take note: the ZEROCAP could be just
what you’re looking for!
It was quite a claim, but it seemed to
hold true. Turning the cable “on” instantly
yielded a fuller sound, and cut the high-fre-
When I kicked the amp into overdrive, the
same held true. The guitar really seemed
to sing out more, without becoming harsh.
The sound of the guitar pushed through
more than I’m used to—the cable really
turned my tone into just amp and guitar,
without anything extraneous. Tone pur-
Altantic Quality Design, Inc.
MSRP $89 ( 10’) – $169 ( 50’)
aqdi.com
