Do power cords really matter?

If people would stop thinking of power cords as an extension of the wall outlet and instead think of them as an extension of the power supply ( with the potential for various amounts of tuning / filtration / impedance alterations included ), this "debate" might have ended a long time ago.

Yes, they do matter. Sean
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I now believe in BOTH good quality outlets and good quality power cords-- and I've actually tried a bunch of both of them. How could one believe that one is important but not the other? Sean said it well. Cheers. Craig

Yes, in my limited auditioning of different power cords, they do make a difference. However, I have found that in-line power conditioners for each components makes a much more siginificant sonic difference than power cords.

My in-line power conditioners take the place of power cords and each power conditioner costs about the same as a very nice power cord.

Therefore, I now have three Foundation Research in-line conditioners. Two LC-1's for the source and pre and an LC-2 for the amplifier.

However, before investigating, auditioning, and perhaps purchasing power cords or any other equipment, I would recommend that you first install three (not just one) dedicated circuits/lines using a min. of 12 ga or preferably 10ga for your components with a seperate ground or no grounding at all. This inexpensive step alone will really clean up your electrical line and minimize any AC noise currently reaching your components.

Your amp will really benefit from having it's own dedicated line. Your source (assuming it's a digital source) generates lots of AC noise back into the line into the pre and/or amp as well. Therefore, the source needs it's own dedicated line.

The above will not make your system sound better, but will really help when it comes to auditioning any component in the future including power cords.

-IMO

Not this again. A power cord is not an extension of a wall outlet. It is an extension of the cable leading to the wall outlet. And yes, there are all sorts of ways you can play with that power. But not to worry, Tburn, you are not the only person in the world who finds the notion that this can affect the sound implausible. Still, there will be those who believe that it does, which is why such products exist.

I ordinarily defer to Sean in matters technical, finding him a knowledgable and reliable guide. But here he is wrong. The power cord is not an extension of the equipment power supply, it is the termination at the equipment of a long transmission line extending back all the way to the generation plant. All those miles and miles of copper, aluminum, transformers, switches, pole jacks, and various paraphernalia to the contrary notwithstanding there are, as bomarc notes, individuals who are convinced that the last 60 inches make a critical difference.