I agree that relatively nominal amounts of hifi budget may be far better spent on room treatments than on the "upper level" (in price)powercords. I think part of the reason this doesn't always happen is that it is very easy to buy a PC and swap it out with the stock cord. What isn't easy is figuring out what room treatments to do, in what combination, and with what materials to address specific sonic problems.
That being said, I think there IS benefit in going with a "decent" upgrade to the power cord, but no real benefit in going hog wild on, say, a $500+ PC, unless of course you have more money than sense and don't mind lining a few pockets other than your own. I have Harmonic Tech and Ensemble PC's and they did improve the sonics of my system over the stock wire. However, I tried several more expensive cords recently (which shall remain nameless in THIS thread) and could not tell much, if any, difference.
That being said, I think there IS benefit in going with a "decent" upgrade to the power cord, but no real benefit in going hog wild on, say, a $500+ PC, unless of course you have more money than sense and don't mind lining a few pockets other than your own. I have Harmonic Tech and Ensemble PC's and they did improve the sonics of my system over the stock wire. However, I tried several more expensive cords recently (which shall remain nameless in THIS thread) and could not tell much, if any, difference.