AC Power Cord Wire Gauge

I guess this is a two-fold question dealing with the amount of AC power flowing through normal - that is, not special 20 amp dedicated lines - 15 amp house circuits. I'm guessing that these lines use 14 gauge wire, with a 15 amp breaker, to say a duplex receptacle. One conversion I read is that 15 amps X 120 = 1,800 watts. So, the first question is: If you plug a surge protector/power strip/power conditioner into one outlet in the duplex receptacle and then plug, say, four audio components into that "power strip" can they draw the full complement of AC power available (i.e., the power isn't split between the two outlets in the receptacle)? If you plug another component into the other outlet does it reduce the power available to the "power strip"?

Second, if the house wiring to the duplex receptacle is 14 gauge from the electrical panel, does it make any difference if you buy heavier (say a 10 gauge) after-market audiophile power cords for the audio components? Or, would a 14 gauge cord - the same gauge as the house wiring - be sufficient? Can a 10 gauge cord flow more power than is available through the house wiring at 14 gauge?

Thanks.