Why Expensive power Cables when Romex behind Wall?

Hi Meby,
You are mostly correct, as that is one of the concerns providing it is being plugged into a hospital grade outlet, that it will not arc. If you do not plug it into a well designed outlet, it still could. The other design approach is to limit the possibility of a short because wires can not come in contact with each other unless the cable is completely torn from the plug, and by then it wouldn't be live anyway (providing it was wired properly). Hospital grade really means nothing more than very well designed. Tom

If one thinks it makes an improvement to the sonics, of his system, then why not? If you have a $1000-$3000 to invest, to improve a $100,000 system, then it makes good sense. Where it doesn't make sense, in when that $300-$800, is spent on a PC, when it would make a much greater improvement, being spent elsewhere, in a $3500-$7000 system ie; room acoustics, dedicated lines, etc.

Fletchj, I could not agree more.

I also agree Fletchj for a small system; but will add that simply replacing those OEM 18 AWG cords with similar 14 AWG ones ($6 each), or the Belden Voltex shielded cables ($12 to $15 each) will still have a noticeable change for a few pennies.

I agree that relatively nominal amounts of hifi budget may be far better spent on room treatments than on the "upper level" (in price)powercords. I think part of the reason this doesn't always happen is that it is very easy to buy a PC and swap it out with the stock cord. What isn't easy is figuring out what room treatments to do, in what combination, and with what materials to address specific sonic problems.

That being said, I think there IS benefit in going with a "decent" upgrade to the power cord, but no real benefit in going hog wild on, say, a $500+ PC, unless of course you have more money than sense and don't mind lining a few pockets other than your own. I have Harmonic Tech and Ensemble PC's and they did improve the sonics of my system over the stock wire. However, I tried several more expensive cords recently (which shall remain nameless in THIS thread) and could not tell much, if any, difference.