Power Cable DIY - Please advise

Through the years, I have read all the posts concerning expensive power cords and such. We all want better sound, but I can't get my head around how an expensive power cord in series with house romex wiring and power amps and such can possibly improve the sound.  Good quality receptacles and plugs, as well as the proper gauge of wire IS important, but putting a short piece of expensive wire in series between your power source and your equipment and expecting an improvement in the quality of sound, is lost on me. 

@handymann 
Like you, I'm lost why this last/first piece of power conductor can have an impact on sound. Several www searches have not answered that question - people write about this subject but I did not find any explanation that would describe the physics behind the effect. Just a few days ago out of curiosity I started experimenting in my system with a DIY power cord and replaced a Black Sand Violet Z1 MK2 power cord. The results shocked me - because they were not just noticeable, but extremely critical. Largest impact had CD playback. The DIY power cord produced a relaxed and analog-like sound from CD that I had not yet experienced (in my system from CD). After this first wake up experiment I started to build cables for other components with similar effects in overall impact on sound. I even burned a CD for a friend to demo the difference - recorded from vinyl onto CD I changed power cords of phonostage and CD recorder and left everything else unchanged. A/B tracks on CD can be changed with the press of a button and you  an easily hear the difference. I'll be glad to burn a demo CD - anyone interested?
However, my point is that just because nobody was able yet to scientifically explain a certain phenomenon it does not mean that it does not exist. If scientists like Einstein would have thought this way, we would still be drawing on cave walls. Curiosity is the fuel on the way to wisdom ...

Expectation bias is a wonderful thing...

@davidclarke:    Good grief.  Thought I'd time-warped back to the 1990's with the "100 feet of Romex" argument. Give it a rest. 

@narcissus:    I've tried quite a number of different DIY recipes with differing connectors, wire, and designs.  My trials have been with the less expensive Furutech connectors (F1-11's in copper, gold, and rhodium), the Sonar Quests in copper and gold as well as a few unremarkable Hubbels and Home Depot specials.  Wire has been everything from gold plated silver to Home Depot THNN to some supposedly 2 billion 9's purity copper I picked up somewhere a long time ago to Neotech PCOCC of differing gauges .  At the end of the day, the best sounding cord I've constructed was also the simplest:  bulk Neotech NEP-3002 Mk 3 terminated with Furutech F1-11 unplated copper plugs with the outer shield connected to the earth (safety) ground at the wall plug end only (the safety ground wire itself is obviously connected at both plugs).  The Furutech plugs at every level are very nicely constructed, but you pay for it. I can't relate anything sonically on their more expensive offerings as they were a little too rich for my blood (although I did spring the $$ for their GTX-D rhodium outlet and have been very happy with it).   I also like the Sonar Quest copper (unplated) connectors.  I've shied away from their plated offerings as they use a layer of nickel plating on the copper prior to the final plating.  I don't like nickel in power connections (or interconnect/speaker connections) as it adds a layer of glare to my ears.  That's personal bias and preference and not a proclamation, so take it FWIW.  Some say that unplated copper connectors can be zippy and tizzy, which I find to be true as well UNTIL the connectors have been well broken in at which time that trait goes away entirely (I have an AudioDharma cable cooker that significantly speeds up the process....without having to listen to it).  Hope this helps a little and doesn't confuse things more. :) 

@michelzay 

"Another comment, based on my experience, IEGO male gold connector is not a good match with Furutech GTX-R. It creates much less dynamic sound. The best match to keep better dynamic is to use GTX-R with Fi-28R and Fi-25R or even FI-15R! Matching Outlet metal with Male Plug is very important. "

Agreed, So perhaps an IEGO 8095 RH/AG would be a better match with the GTX-R?

As for connectors, kinda difficult to go wrong with either. However, I believe that Furutech is building the best AC connector on the market right now. That would be their top-of-the-line units (NCF) at about $300.00 each. But, I'm not willing to go through that expense, hence the IeGo is the clear alternative.

I have to take the plunge and find it out for myself :) Which one would specifically suit my system.

Would it be fair to say, The gold over copper also seems like the crowd favourite. It has a nice presentation that is easy to enjoy on the majority of systems. Quite a bit of resolution, but nothing over the top.

But If someone wants to go all out, the rhodium over silver or copper would be the choice. The Rhodium connector is touted to be very revealing and very quiet. That is the thing about Rhodium, it rejects noise better than gold but is not as conductive.

So, in a nutshell, one will have greater resolution and extension with the RH/AG unit but it won't be quite as smooth and relaxed as the AU/CU combo.

Both are outstanding for the money, YES/NO?? :))