power cables where do I start?

If wire directionality is an issue -and I think it is - then 50% of all stranded power cords are not constructed in the correct way, where directionality is controlled throughout the entire manufacturing process, such as Audioquest does with their cables and power cords (e.g., Hurricane). The 50% odds are assuming that all the tiny strands are actually going in the same direction, you know, directionality wise, which they may or may not be. They could be a hedge podge.

This means all the tiny wires used in constructing stranded power cords must be controlled for directionality as soon as they come off the large spool. That’s not as hard as it sounds, once you realize what’s going on. Ditto for DIY solid core power cords — directionality must be controlled when constructing them.

No stranded wire are close to be correct since stranded wires means distortion and (because of that) dynamic loss. This has nothing to do with directionality though.

A couple of years ago I bought my first power cable, a Pangea 14 something or other. I put it on my cd player and heard little difference.  I posted my disappointment on this forum, and was told that one would need power cables on all components in the system.  I didn't pursue it but a year later bought a PS Audio power cable for the amp, but I changed out so many components in short order there was no way I could tell what the differences were.

So now I'm finally buying a power cable for the preamp.  The only other component in the system is a DAC.  It seems I probably went about this all backwards as usual!