Replace pwr cord w/IEC socket on vintage gear?

I got the amp for $219, it's a keeper regardless, so I'm not concerned about loss of market value. The question would be different for an all-original 1961 McIntosh MC275.

With something like a Mac, I could see replacing the power cord by hardwiring as Onhwy61 suggested. That operation would be reversible. In my situation I don't know if I'll settle on PS Audio, Zu, Shuyata, Monarchy Audio, or Pangea. When I picked a cable for my Onkyo integrated amp, I went through every audiophile power cord in the house until I settled on the PS Audio Prelude. Later when I recabled everything with Zu, I replaced the PS Audio with the matching Zu, and voila! Instant synergy.

So for my purposes the IEC socket is a must.

Here's something else to think about: There are a lot of classic power amps from the '80s, with captive power cords--Electron Kinetics Eagle, Sumo, Precision Fidelity, VSP Labs, PS Audio, Amber, and so on. As good as these amps can still sound, I'm dying to find out how much they may improve with an aftermarket cord. After all, if it improves the sound of a Parasound, or Levinson, why not a Heathkit or Sumo?

Go for the IEC jack. I had one installed on my cj PV 12L. Cost was minimal and being able to experiment with power cords yielded fine results. Cost effective and fun!

I have a Sumo 9 that has gone through a full rebuild and has an IEC power connector cord in place of the original captive cord. With just a budget Volex 17604 power cord I'm getting really good results with it in my 2nd system. I'm tempted to spend more money on different power cords but I'm controlling myself. If it isn't broke I'm not fixing it. Kudos to Mike Bettinger at GasAudio.net. That guy really knows Sumo gear.

I installed an IEC jack and replaced some wiring on a Harman Kardon amp I got off ebay. It was a nice little project and the results were well worth the hour it took. Go for it.

In my opinion installing an IEC on vintage equipment is a mistake and it does devalue the equipment. I personally would not buy a vintage amplifier with an IEC modification. Besides, the amplifier was voiced with the existing power cord.

In fact, at one time I owned two sets of Quicksilver Silver 90's. One set had the original power cord and the other an IEC with an aftermarket cord. Guess which one sounded better. The one with the stock power cord.

With vintage equipment it is more important to make sure the polarity is correct when you plug it into the wall outlet.