Power cord choice?


Hoping to change (or upgrade) my current PC in use with my ARC CD3 Mk2. Currently I'm using a Locus Designs Polestar and setting a limit $600 max. I'd like to find a cord that can get more micro details from the ARC yet, I'd like to retain the smoothness but, try to open the sound stage and get a little more bottom in doing so. I listen to Alt rock (Sir Sly, The Killers, Gargage), rock, blues using Classe CAP 151 integrated and Apogee Slant 6s. I know this is subjective but, I'm also doing my best to work with my budget constraints and I'm not going to change if the improvement would just be slightly incremental. I'd like suggestions to consider, please.
rsjm80
@thyname  I use a Furman P2400 IT conditioner, Hegel 590 integrated Amp, Acoustic Zen Crescendo Mark II (also Goldenear Triton Reference), Thorens turntable with MC cartridge, Vertere phono preamp XLO Signature 3 speaker cables.  Quality interconnects.  What I would call a decent system that scratches the surface of true high fidelity.  My first PC upgrade from the stock cable was from Gutwire.  Then I moved to the current Furutech.  Have no plans to try more cables in the future.  I agree that switching from a really cheap cable, that starves your amp of the current it needs, to a decent 12 gauge wire in the $100 - $300 range would probably benefit your system.  If nothing else, getting rid of the hum from an underpowered amp.  But past that I believe in the law of diminishing returns.  Reading about a PC where the manufacturer uses six9 copper, I get it, and then cryogenically freezes the wire?  Now I understand that copper may have different/better transmission properties at extremely low temps, but my air conditioner just doesn't get my sound room down to -175 degrees.  And I question if anys gains realized at those temps doesn't disappear when the wire returns to normal room temp?  And riddle me this one.  The finest made, $10,000 PC should claim to pass the current through it and add nothing to it?  I haven't read anywhere that the PC has filtering properties?  If this is the case, then any noise or interference that is inherent in the home power source should get passed right through the PC?  Common sense tells me to use a decent cable to deliver power to the conditioner.  My personal experience, and let me stress it's my experience, that upgrading the PC has not enhanced what comes out of my speakers.  Heck, I want to be a believer, I want to hear the magic, but that simply has not been the case.  If the holy grail of cables may in fact be out there, but my money will be spent on more tangible results.   
Well, what can I say, you tried, power cords did nothing for you. I am surprised, but it is what it is. We all hear (or don’t) differently. It appears you appreciate the cables in general. I used to own XLO (Signature and Reference) many years ago. Oldie but goodie for sure. Enjoy the music and good audio, whatever path you choose to get there does not matter 
You could keep the Polestar and simply upgrade the plugs.  I checked another post from you and it looks like those power cords use the Oyaide 029.  Going to the 046 or 004 should increase detail and improve the soundstaging.  I think the 004 is the more dynamic of the plugs though it is also the more likely to become aggressive sounding in the wrong system.  Still, either should be a rather obvious improvement and fairly cost effective.  Another great plug option coinciding with your indicated preferences would be the IeGO 8095.  I've tried several other IeGO plugs and the 8095 is in another league altogether.  
bigtwin,

I’ve experimented with Audioquest and Pangea power cables of various flavors on my Bryston B60R Integrated Amp and it doesn’t care what I feed it with. When I think of the cheap service panel, circuit breakers and Romex cable to the outlets, it’s unreasonable to think that 5-6 feet of expensive power cables is going to make a significant difference. Bryston and Pass have long-maintained that there is NO benefit in replacing the stock power cables with "boutique" ones. Perhaps the robust design of the power supplies in Bryston and Pass equipment explains their indifference.
You guys keep posting about the “last 5-6’ of expensive power cords” at the end of miles of Romex. That’s a huge misconception, and wrong.

Perhaps confirmation bias? You know, that works both ways.


https://www.gcaudio.com/tips-tricks/why-power-cables-make-a-difference/

Misconception #1: AC Power is like water coming from a large power tank, flowing through several 10s of feet of power hose into a component. This implies that the component is at the end of this system.

Answer: “Actually, the component sits between two power conductors: the hot and the neutral. AC power oscillates (alternates) back and forth at a 50-60 Hz rate. So power does not pour into the component at all. The component's power supply is within a complex network of wires and connectors. ALL of the wire and connectors can and do affect the performance of the component's power supply.”

Misconception #2: AC power can be contaminated just like water in a hose. This implies that once the water is contaminated at some point up stream, that is must be cleansed before it arrives at the audio component.

Answer: “As stated in #1, the component is not at the end of the power hose. It is between two power hoses and the current is oscillating back and forth. Further, current is not like water at all. Electrons cannot be contaminated. There are two aspects to power transmission: the electromagnetic wave and the current flow. The current itself cannot be contaminated but the electromagnetic wave can be modulated with other frequencies. We usually call these other frequencies noise or Electromagnetic Interference (EMI). Within the various parts of a power circuit there may be EMI in certain parts that is not present in others. Electromagnetic energy can be transformed or redirected to lessen their effects.

"Some power cords use capacitors, inductors, or ferrites in an attempt to control the electromagnetic fields around the audio component. The success of such an approach is completely dependent upon the specific design and the reactance of the power supply of the component to which the power cable is attached.”

Misconception #3: There is up to a hundred feet of wire in the walls, so the last 6 feet of power cord can't possibly make any difference.

Answer: “The power cord is not the last 6 feet, it is the first 6 feet from the perspective of the component. As stated in #1 the local current and electromagnetic effects directly affect the sonic performance of the component.”