... abit confused: how does a power cord affect the presentation of sound...


Hello to all...

I was shifting around components in my system, trying to squeeze out better controlled bass, more definition within the soundstage, and better define the "voice/midrange" presentation...

I presently have a tube preamp (hardwired with a wall wart) into an HT Receiver; source is a Marantz SA-8001 CD Player

Swapped out a Yamaha HTR -5550 (hardwired) for a Parasound HCA-750A (which needs a power cord).

CD Player is powered with a PS Audio Statement SC power cord, so I went in my closet and pulled out another PS AUDIO Statement SC power cord, hooked it up and expect to give it at least 5 days continuous re-break-in before serious listening.

Took a minute to lookup reviews about this power cord - and I read some rather confusing reviews: some luved 'um, some liked 'um, but some thought them " ...slow... " (?), and giving a veiled presentation...

I'm gonna listen and decide myself - but I'm abit confused: how does a power cord affect the presentation of sound - I know that interconnects and speaker cables would/could/Do affect sound presentation - but how could a power cord?

Explanation/thoughts please...
insearchofprat
There are many existing threads about power cords.
Here’s one.
Here’s another.
And another, with nearly 500 responses!
Aaaaaaannnnnd another.

And so many more. They might be a good place for you to start.
Cleeds

... Thanks so much - with 3132 posts, I appreciate your suggestion - oh, and thanks for sharing your expertise on the topic. No experience/opinion on this?
CD Player is powered with a PS Audio Statement SC power cord, so I went in my closet and pulled out another PS AUDIO Statement SC power cord, hooked it up and expect to give it at least 5 days continuous re-break-in before serious listening.


That was your first mistake. If you want to learn about power cords- or any kind of wire, or anything for that matter- do your serious listening immediately. From the first minute. 

That is how you learn once something is burned in it doesn't take no 5 days to re-break in. It takes like 5 minutes. Okay maybe a little longer. Depends how long its been sitting around. But minutes to hours not days. Most of which is nothing to do with sitting around but because of all the wiggling and bending the wire went through going on and off. Something you can prove yourself. Simply take any wire that's been used without being touched a while, unplug and wiggle around, plug back in, listen closely immediately. Immediately! Because it only takes a few minutes to stabilize again.  

I know that interconnects and speaker cables would/could/Do affect sound presentation - but how could a power cord? 
Your second and much bigger mistake, thinking how matters. How is a story with many parts, chapters, volumes. How is Alice in Wonderland. The more credence you give to how the more they will be yanking you left and right, up and down, back and forth, because after 30+ years let me tell you "how" is The Neverending Story. Everyone has their own favorite how, and however good their how is now the one thing I can absolutely guarantee you is if you wait a year or three it will be completely different. 

That's one angle. The other one is, why do you think there's any difference between the power cord and the interconnect- or the speaker cable? Is the signal only in the interconnect? Really? So the power comes out of the wall in one absolutely unvarying fluid stream? I don't think so! Power draw pulses and fluctuates right along with the demands of the music. Think about it.
PCs are going to have less of an impact on the sound of your system than ICs or speaker cables.  Optimize after those are set.