The key (in my opinion), is, when you went to the dealer to demo the specific equipment, what power cord was the dealer using when you sat and listened and heard that incredible sound.
Sometimes, I wasn't paying attention, but now a days, I definitely do notice what cables/power cords, etc. the dealer is actually using.
This is the very top of the bait and switch mentality. You are so amazed at the sound you are hearing that you fail to notice the many other things that directly affected the sound projection.
1.) the room
2.) the equipment connected that also affected the sound
3.) the cabling
So, if, when listening, the power cord used was the one supplied by the manufacturer, then you are good to go. You can choose to upgrade later if you like, but if it sounded great with the manufacturer supplied cord, I don't see a problem.
If, on the other hand, the cord used wasn't the manufacturer supplied cord, then that is a totally different issue altogether.
Most of my equipment uses the manufacturer supplied cords and the system sounds wonderful. I imagine that yes, with higher quality cords, it may (probably will) sound better, but..... diminishing returns apply here.
Proper gauge cables that can handle the power/voltage/current requirements and the very minimum acceptable for equipment. However, you also start getting into internal cable impedance's that can and will vary over frequency, which if the connecting equipment isn't designed well enough to handle the changes, will affect the signal and hence the sound.
I remember a while ago, I purchased a Mark Levinson 23.5 amp used. The seller shipped it with the non-standard power cord and it sounded as if the artist I was listening to was being strangled. I contacted the seller and told him this and he agreed that he shipped the wrong cable. He shipped the correct one later and it totally changed the sound.
Take this with a grain of salt. This to my Engineering mind tells me that the first cable wasn't the correct gauge cable for this amp.
Which, when I looked closer at it, it wasn't.
enjoy
