After Market Power Cables - Gold or Snake Oil?

I just recently ventured into the after market PC arena. They sure do make a significant difference in my set up. I hear more of a difference upgrading my CD players PC than my amps. I have the Synergistic Classic MC on the Miles CDP and the the Synergistic MC with MPC on the Aragon 4004 amp. Just recently bought PS Audio Lab II's to compare to the Synergistics.

First off,thanks for all your responses. You have provided a lot of fuel for the friendly argument my friend and I are having. (fuel for him , that is!). For the sake of argument, let's look at a typical a/c path. Edison delivers 110 volts to your breaker box. That goes thru a 20A circuit breaker to about 50 feet of garden variety 12 or 14 guage copper wire. Said wire is terminated with a good quality 3 prong outlet box. Hot, neutral and ground are all securly connected. I don't see how adding 5 feet of any esoteric cable can possibly have any sonic benefit. It seems to me that finding an outlet 5 feet closer to the breaker box would provide as much of a theoretical improvement. If not more. *ASUMMING* that the power cord is at least as good as the house wiring.

Not snake oil. Too many folks say otherwise. In my case there is a difference in bass foundation and overall clarity. I have both TG Audio and Pure Note Sigma cords which are good values for power cables.

It's nice to see a new set of faces on the power cord issue helping the education process. As a long time advocate of after market cords I think my opinion has lost some weight in that I am often one of the same flag wavers. To have some new voices speak up brings a new level of credibility. Thanks!

Junking the 18 ga cables that come in the box for 10-12ga shielded cables with better connectors is a good idea for basic physical reasons, and doing so should cost under $50 a cord to make. Go to audioasylum.com for some great DIY cables. With adding a $500-$5000 power cord, now there's where the snake oil starts to really flow. Adding a power conditioner will drop the noise floor and filter more then any cable will ever be able to, and will show definite results, good, bad or ugly, whereas big buck powercable swaps will have a person without unlimited funds struggling to justify the expense beyond a sufficient 12ga p/c....