Power Cables diminishing returns

In double blind testing audio reviewers could not tell the difference between PC's that were $50 and those at 8K. Several such studies have been conducted --- all with the same results. This would suggest that the "perceived" differences that a cable owner hears is likely rationalization for paying what they paid (or some other psychological reason for the perceived differences). Perhaps there are "real" differences, albeit subtle, in certain systems with fairly unusual system synergies --- but in controlled settings, no one has been able to double-blind distinguish between PC's.

That said, interconnects and speaker cabling is indeed quite a different story --- there the differences can be fairly large. But power cords no. I talked recently to Frank Van Alstine on power cords and he laughed at the notion that people spend over $50-70 for a PC... said, from an engineering standpoint, that anything more is a waste of $.

wow. Interesting, impassioned and highly personal response to a simple stimuli. Seems like over reaction. Double blind testing in a controlled setting is a reasonable way to discern whether actual differences can be heard. And... as Schipo points out... well the data is in and here is what it says... even professional audio reviewers could not distinguish between power cords.

That is not to say that people cannot enjoy one cord over another in their system --- people who enjoy tweeks and derive pleasure from modifying and experimenting with their system may like one PC better than another in their system. And, if so, good for them and it is money well spent. That does not, however, change the fact that trained audio professionals whose living it is to review audio systems could not distinguish between PCs based upon sound alone.