I know this is an older thread but I wanted to share my recent experience concerning the power cable that feeds a linear power supply that serves my CD player. I tried a stock cable (smallest gauge), a 14 gauge aftermarket cable, and a 9 gauge aftermarket cable. The stock cable sounded good to begin with but after comparing it to the other two cables, it was apparent that it suffered in the highs - they were a tad harsh. The 9 gauge cable was very controlled and had black backgrounds but it wasn’t the most musical and had a slightly unnatural sound to it. The 14 gauge cable was the sweet spot. It was the most musical and the highs weren’t harsh. The background wasn’t as black as the 9 gauge, but it was lively and dynamic with just the right amount of control. Pianos sounded just right with this cable. With the stock cable, piano notes seemed to jump all around the soundstage. With the 9 gauge, it sounded too laid back, with not enough “bite” in the notes. The 14 gauge had the right amount of bite and the image stayed put which is for whatever reason a real challenge with piano recordings. The 14 gauge was the winner in this round.
