Take the power back
Simon Pope listens to three power cords designed to get your set-up singing a little better.

Kemp Elektroniks KE-LO POWER CABLE
£36 per metre (£12 per extra 0,5 metre)

Unlike the others here, this company specialise solely in mains supply and filtering. The cable reviewed here is the lowest priced in this round up.
Two versions of the KE Power Cables are available, again, one for power amplifiers and the other, reviewed here, for any other applications. The technology used here is quite advanced for the humble price tag and echoes that of the Kimbler cable.
Conductors are internally shielded by a ferrite socket and double shielded externally with foil and a braided metal sleeve. Again, a coil and capacitors are located in the mains plug to act as filters.
Sound wise, the Kemp is a good buy. It offers virtually the same level of lucidity and overall tightening of sound as the Kimber, but at thirty five quid less. Some things such as brass and strings were slightly brighter, but not the extent of harshness or any grate in the sound. There was an impressive amount of detail, highlighted well with unaccompanied choral music and silences were truly silent - adding realism to the overall presentation. When the price is considered the Kemp power cables is an effective upgrade and a hit of a bargain.

published in: Hi - fi world, August 2002

(n.b. The KE-LO POWER CABLE has been chosen to be the winner of 2002 in the January 03 issue of Hi-Fi World)