AC-5 Fakes?

Cables
1

Today on AudioGon 2 AC-5’s popped up for sale. The price was around 250 bucks (total price) for 2 seperate AC-5’s.

I compared the pics provided by the seller to the stock photo here on the PS Audio site. The connectors were definitely different than the ones in the stock photo.

I’m not saying they were fakes…but my question is- Have the connectors ever changed on the Ac-5 power cord???

The connectors on the cables for sale were noticeably shorter. I will say this…if they were fakes they looked awfully good.

The seller had a lot of positive feedback and claimed he bought them at Music Direct.

So how do we determine what legitimate and what’s not???

2

BTW- They either sold quick or they got pulled. I tried to post the link on the PS Audio forum but they were gone before I could post it.

3

As I’ve mentioned before, the world is infested with fake PS Audio power cables of all flavours. Buying from Music Direct there is a possibility you can end up with a fake. As for buying from an end user who has an invoice from Music Direct, quite possible they bought a genuine cable from MD and used that invoice to sell you a fake purchased on eBay from Hong Kong. Quite possible also, somebody bought a genuine cable from MD and returned a fake under an “obligation free” promotion, and the fake was unwittingly sold as an open box item to somebody else.

PS Audio have upped the ante recently in the battle against fake power cables. This topic has been discussed many times over the past 10 - 15 years.

4

Has anyone ever unscrewed the plug heads to show how the wires look connected to the legitimate AC cables?

That way, it can be much easier to tell apart fakes, all the seller has to do is show the connection.

5

You can’t. The barrels are hermetically sealed.

6

I saw them too. Using the picture on PS Audio’s website has no value as it’s a picture of an AC-12. I purchased a used AC-5 last month and called PS Audio to help verify authenticity. I believe I have a genuine AC-5.

7

When PS Audio first started selling AC-12 the picture they used on the website was a prototype with a short barrel that never went into production. Sure enough the early AC-12 fakes all had short barrels, exactly as per the PS Audio website.

8

I have a couple cables that are/were claimed to be PSA. I wonder if I can just run them down for inspection or quick measurement for authenticity or even post a pic? I have used both w/o incident but perhaps w/o benefit. One is so thick and unwieldy it is more hassle than worth it. They both just sit in storage… I have been told too that fakes abound… Thought of selling but would not do that w/o absolute certainty of pedigree.

9

If it is thick and unwieldy. . . it’s probably genuine! :slight_smile:

1 Like
10

The one on the right is pretty stiff and just says “Plus”. The left one is more workable and has the PSA logo but no verbiage per say.

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11

The one on the right is XStreamAC series (discontinued). These were also widely copied, particularly the Premier SC, Statement and Statement SC.
The one on the left is AC-3 (current model).

12

Thank you. I’ll probably put the AC-3 in service today with the Jr. or my Pre. Not sure the fate of the other. Just says “Plus”. It works as I’ve used it but almost has to be a straight run or it trys to lift the component lol…

13

It’s an XStream AC Plus…the performance order of that series was:
Prelude
Plus
Statement
Statement SC
Premier SC
If you think Plus is stiff, those higher up in the XStream AC series are stiffer still.

14

Thank you Brodric for the help- Very much appreciated. I don’t mean to hijack krelldog’s thread so I’ll jump off but given the history of these (I won’t go into detail) I’m going to bet these are the real deal. I’ll see if I can fit them back in the system today. Not as good a a P10 but maybe can help on pre and Jr. Better than downstairs in a box. (I seem to have accumulated a large “extra” cables box… I bet a few of us have…!)

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