Cheap Powercords...worth the effort???

Just recently tried the Analysis Plus Power Oval power cords at $260. Very big improvement over stock cords, and better than the Custom Power Cord Co Model 11, Sidewinder, and Synergistic Master Coupler in my system.

I am new the this cord/cable business like yourself. Just (yesterday) I replaced the stock cord on a CAL Ikon MKII with a used Harmonic Tech. Pro II PC ($125.00) and it was well worth it. The CAL now compares favorably to players (with their stock cords) that sell for up to a $1000.00 more. I intend to upgrade the cord to the power supply on my amp (needs to be hardwired) when the warrenty expires.

BMI regularly auctions their Majik cords on Audiogon. They're inexpensive, well made and a significant step up from stock cords. A pair of them usually goes for less than $150.

I have had experience with the following cords in my budget system: original MIT Z-cord, XLO, BMI Edge cords, LAT International, Blue Circle BC 62 and Cardas Golden. It depends on what you mean by cheap, but I figure up to $200 is cheap. Buy used and if you don't like it, you can re-sell without taking a bath. In my system, which probably leans toward the bright side, the Cardas is clearly the best, but it may not suit your AR complete. My advice if you want to start cheap to experiment would be to find a used LAT (can be had on Audiogon for around $60), which will be a major improvement over your stock cord. I used this cord on both my CD player and amp with good results. The Blue Circle BC 62 is, in my opinion, an excellent cord for the money (demo I believe currently posted on Audiogon for $165), far superior to the LAT and probably would suit the AR very well. It is an extremely musical cord that does just about everything right and a real bargain at $165 or less. I paid around $200 for a used Cardas Golden and love the cord; it's very lush and "full bodied", some would say "dark" but works extremely well in my system.

I ditto the response from Hdm regarding the LAT cord. I actually use this cord on my Audio Refinement Complete and it works well. You want to go real cheap? Make one. I made one from Belden #19364 cordage, terminated it with a nice Hubbell plug and a good IEC connector for under $25. It's just as good as the LAT in almost every area but even better in the upper treble (smoother).