What was the first power cable that you noticed a difference in the sound?

@thcarpathian That really is something. As a long time business economist I have a proposition for an audiophile manufacturer. Include a high end power cable. The margins have to be pretty large on after market cables and with bulk wholesale orders the cost would go down. It's a win-win. I get to offer a complete amplifier system with an audiophile power cable and the supplier can advertise that XYZ amplifiers use the ABC power cable, which should lead to more sales for both. Right!?!

For example, McIntosh contracts with Audioquest for supply of their Thunder power cable. Obviously, this would be well-below the ~$1,000 per meter cost (both decrease in variable cost [more cables are produced] and the advantage of a highly respected firm providing high-level marketing). So all the new McIntosh amplifiers now are supplied with an audiophile grade power cable and the cost over the model is far less than the aftermarket cable cost. McIntosh improves its reputation as does Audioquest. Plus. McIntosh is more competitive in the amplifier market with the "vertical integration".

Pretty sure market dynamics would drive this outcome if market forces were in play in this market. Other wise it sounds like some kind of collusion or worse.

I sure hate to think people are buying multi-$1,000 amplifiers with a throw away cable. What a market opportunity that should be, which seems like it would have been exploited long ago.

@drbb ,

The problem is most audiophiles have either a preconceived notion as to their choice of cable, or want to compare cables. If one buys  McIntosh gear but doesn't care for the sound of the Audioquest cable and prefers a different cable, he doesn't want to pay the unnecessary cost of the cable.

bigtwin:  you're absolutely right.  It made perfect sense to me at 2am last night but that would be with a signal passing cable and that's not what was being discussed.  Mea Culpa!

@tennisdoc56 

I tend to agree with you that there is no valid scientific explanation re: much of the wire claims.  That said:

1.  Several sub assemblies (e.g., transformers and most digital products) spit out a lot of noise that can, indeed, travel back through the mains. (Bringing up the need for isolation at the plug, which is a different topic)

2.  Quality insulation helps the noise from going somewhere unwanted.

3.  A lot of supplied power cords do skimp on copper gauge and nice fitting plugs.  Electricity and interference will take the path of least resistance.  So a low (by which I mean bigger) gauge wire provides an easier path.  I’m not opposed to the idea of a high gauge wire might be starving a component for a bit, either.

4.  Nice wires tend to be bought longer and are more flexible.  So people take more care with routing of interconnects and mains so they cross at 90 degrees and don’t run close parallel, which also helps with interference.

5.  Tight fitting plugs make a better connection.  Hence why hospitals use hospital plugs.  
 

Note nothing here discusses magic crystal wire with unicorn hair.

Just low AWG wire, with good copper, nicely insulated (say, the kind the IT guy buys for  your company router) and perhaps a secondary sheath, of generous length for proper routing, with hospital plugs.  Not cheap stuff, at all.

Different, but related, issue:  components need space and isolation.  They all generate all sorts of noise.  The interactions are so complex it might as well be voodoo.

Source:  I was an electronics countermeasures officer in the very first Gulf War hunting SCUDs in the middle of Iraq from a POS Kiawa helicopter with no weapons packed with finicky electronics.