The fallacy of ac treatment

Elizabeth - while current capability is an issue, one of the reasons why a dedicated feed works is that there are less connections on the line to pick up noise, and so one of the benefits of using the air conditioner's outlet is that it is the only outlet on that feed line. I am not implying you did not realise that - just clarifying.

Power conditioners , better cables & Power cords do make a difference... At the very least they lower the background noice, which may be the reason for a lot of the other noticed improvements. Surge protection is not a bid bonus too! I have a monster hts 3500 , the power amp goes directly in the wall! Audioquest quietlines are a nice item also!

I challenge the fact that you can hear the difference in power cords. The job of a power chord is to supply the transformer inside your piece of gear with alternate current of sufficient quantity to allow your device to operate properly. Inside your component, the power supply converts the alternating current to direct current. The direct current is then sent to power your circuitry. The power supply is where the filtering of your power occurs. Manufacturers use large capacitors and/or voltage regulators in the power supply to filter any residual AC or noise. The power supply design of your equipment is much more critical than an expensive power cord. The cleaner you make the direct current voltage feeding the audio circuits in your equipment the better your equipment will perform. The only exception to this is if the power cord is not of sufficient gage to supply the current necessary for your piece of gear to operate or if the power cord does not provide a good enough ground path to avoid voltage drops which causes system noise due to ground loops, assuming your AC wall outlet is grounded properly.

When I first heard of the power cord controversy, I was likewise skeptical as you are. Based on your assumptions, what differences could there be? The problem lies with your assumptions: 1. The power supply is where filtering of your power occurs. How does an amplifier know what to amplify? The answer is that it doesn't. It will attempt to amplify all signals presented to it. That includes an entire spectrum of radio frequency signals below and above it's normal operating range. Do you follow AudioAsylum? If not, perhaps you should. There is significant material on this issue. One "inmate" who like myself has Acoustat electrostatic speakers complained that something was causing his amplifier to shut down. He speculated that there was a malfunction within the high voltage Acoustat transformers. He later discovered that the villain was his old Monster speaker cable which had oxidized. It was now conducting high frequency hash which the amplifier doggedly attempted to amplify and overheated in the process. After hearing this, I examined the internal wiring of my transformers. Though my main speaker cable is new DH Labs silver wire, the Acoustat transformer has 15" of Monster cable internally. I discovered the same horribly oxidized wire. Once I replaced it, I was amazed at the difference in signal clarity. From Sade to Saint Saens and Madonna to Mozart, I am how hearing more inner detail. Similarly, a power cord can be quite effective at radiating RF energy. Better cords posess shielding that minimize this effect. 2. Manufacturers always install cords of sufficient gauge. Not. All wire loses signal to an extent. All components with anything less than 14 gauge cord is sacrificing power transfer. I will refer you to this more studious explanation: http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/cables/messages/13538.html Finally, one must consider one's point of reference. A casual listener will likely never hear any differences. Or someone who has a typical $2000 mid-fi system. The differences are readily heard by those who listen to music more regularly and those who have access to better equipment. Does your frame of reference include hearing what a $200,000 system can sound like on your music? It is both enlightening and frustrating at the same time. There is so much detail on discs most folks will never experience. Though my system costs something less than 10% of that amount, both speaker and power cords do make a difference. BTW, I don't (yet) have any $500 designer cords in my system. I have replaced four with industrial grade Belden 14 gauge shielded cable with quality Leviton plugs. Cost? About $15 each. I have dedicated power outlets for my system. Additionally, I use a Monster Cable HTS-1000 power conditioner on my front end components. The results are a cleaner, quieter background allowing more detail to be revealed and more powerful dynamics. Try it. You'll like it.