Hello Audiowebe. Have you ever watched a salesman present one of these thick, not-so-flexible cables to a male, particularly senior, potential customer? It's a psychodrama of the free enterprise kind. I spent an afternoon in a stereo emporium in the early days of big cabbles. He grips it about 18 inches from the end and lets the rest dangle straight down. He hand is about waist high and cable points upward at somewhere around 10 to 40 degrees. Get the picture? The communication is instant and unconcious, but the optic nerve is pulsating with excitement as the man reaches for his wallet. All the while the salesman is talking about maximum power delivery. etc. To a neutral observer over 21, it is a hilarious spectacle.
Like another member (pun intended), I use power cords I found on Amazon for around $50. The improvement was immediate. The wire was 12 gauge. I think it's the shielding that does it. I am former wire skeptic. So I experimented and discovered that speaker wires make a difference. Then, I discovered HUGE differences in USB cables (the one I use cost $150 and it's made in Canada). Then, I discovered that interconnects matter too. The ones I use are always gong on sale for 40 -60% off.
I noticed a response from an obvious wire skeptic. Friend, try an experiment. It'll cost you $50 or so and that's a very low price to pay to avoid embarrassing youself in the future. Get one of those $50 Amazon power cables. Put it on your integrated amp or power amp. Listen continuously for two hours at least while the cable breaks in (yes cables break in). Well, I'll be snookered!
If you don't upgrade your cables, they may mask any improvement a new component (costing $1000s!) would make because poor cables prevent you from hearng the improvement the new device gives you. If wire doesn't make a difference, why do medical devices often use gold wires to couple nerve signals to medical devices? The next time hospital folks put stickers on you chest, just tell 'em, "Good ol' 14 gauge line cord is good enough for me!" Stop spouting your inexperience and start hearing what yor system would like to do for you. Don't we spend $$ on this stuff so we can hear beautiful music? Your system is better than you think. Keep Smiling1