Ideal power cord lengths?

Don't be so dismissive!  Recording studio can learn from audiophiles and vice versa.

Electrical insulators (like from power poles) are available on eBay from $15 to $35. I think they look great… and I have had mine for 30 years. 

@soix 

I've had a home studio for 25 years, and been in several studios, looked behind the racks of multi-thousand dollar processors, all plugged with generic black IEC power cables.  So YES i know the difference between those cords, and the ones used on the monitoring system.... BUT there is so much more going on with the power than worrying about the LENGTH of each power cable, as the OP is inquiring about.  

Is the OP really hearing a difference with different lengths of power cords?? I don't know.  But if he is, his solution is going to be unique to his particular setup.  I can guarantee that someone else, in a different location, is going to get different results.  

Just like with audio recording & mixing... I can use the same exact guitar/amp/mic/preamp recording chain as "XX" famous guitarist, but try as I might, I could never get the same sound he's getting.  Every situation is different.     

@mirolab , as I noted I’ve not conducted a test of different lengths of identical model power cords so I cannot speak to any differences. I was simply asking if anyone had actually done this test. Quite by accident, I did find that longer USB cords are obviously superior than 1m or shorter ones. I verified this through blind tests after, which was quite unnecessary as the differences were so obvious in my system. Tested two Audioquest Diamonds of different lengths and Nordost Valhalla 2’s of different lengths. I simply asked if anyone had done this test with power cords as I’ve read from a few sources that it matters.

@ghdprentice was the only person who actually did the test as a result of this thread, and found that longer cords improve the soundstage, which is consistent with what I’ve read elsewhere.

As for power cords in general, as vastly entertaining as it is to endlessly discuss whether they make a difference (for decades!) there is a very simple alternative to answer this burning existential question for all members of humanity who are privileged enough to be able to get sample cords from a dealer. Go try a test, yourself, in a system that is configured to be moderately revealing. I don’t have stats but I know only a few who have done this test who can’t hear a difference. And you don’t need to be an audiophile to hear the difference.

That said, the discussion is still fun, albeit utterly non-productive. The only way to resolve this is to see if you can hear a difference. When I think back to when I was a bit younger, I too didn’t want to think about the differences a power cord could make, even if I actually knew they played a pretty significant role in the performance of a system (from a test I did when I was young). But I didn’t WANT to think about it because my entire focus was on being able to afford amps and speakers. So even though I knew there was a difference I lived with stock cords for many years. I have premium power cords now, and while a wouldn’t say I consider them to have the effect of a major component upgrade, the improvement they make in my system is not small.

Many audiophiles refuse to engage on this topic as the discussion is futile if people aren’t willing to try a test for themselves.  But I get a kick out of the discussion….