FWIW, I too am of the belief that after a certain point, the gauge of the wire has little influence. I also agree with the 'guru that even with the best power supply designs, anything that the cord can pitch in with respect to shielding or superior insulation materials. I also share his opinion that good PC's can be affordable (I made my own as well).
However, one thing that nobody has mentioned yet is the importance of good connectors on either end of the cord. Loose electrical connections are noisy, and don't transfer energy efficiently. Over time, these loose connections can get pitted and coroded, further degrading the transfer of electrical energy, and therefor the performance of the equipment being powered.
On a side note, ditto the sentiments regarding AA, especially the navigation part. I have always found A'gon more user-friendly, at least as informative, and certainly more civilized (except when somebody starts bashing tubes, then the fangs come out).
Mike
However, one thing that nobody has mentioned yet is the importance of good connectors on either end of the cord. Loose electrical connections are noisy, and don't transfer energy efficiently. Over time, these loose connections can get pitted and coroded, further degrading the transfer of electrical energy, and therefor the performance of the equipment being powered.
On a side note, ditto the sentiments regarding AA, especially the navigation part. I have always found A'gon more user-friendly, at least as informative, and certainly more civilized (except when somebody starts bashing tubes, then the fangs come out).
Mike