In some instances I would agree that DIY using decent higher end(Oyaide,Furtech)wire and connectors can be quite a big step up from a generic power cord.
I do have personal experience with shunyata and Cary.
A few years ago I had the very nice Cad 300sei and the dealer was kind enough to let me audition the complete line of power snakes from Diamonback to annaconda Helix.
I used a cd player and used headphones instead of speakers to evaluate.The Cad 300sei is also a great headphone amp.
This took some of the vagaries of extra inter-connect speaker wires and speaker/dealer room out of the equation.
It was very easy to hear the improvement as you worked your way up the food chain.
I was so impressed with the superiorty of the Annacondas over their siblings that I not only bought one for my Cary but 3 more for the rest of my system.
I still use the Annacondas to this day.
They may have been surpassed by the Zitrons and others, but for me they were the ones.
I do have personal experience with shunyata and Cary.
A few years ago I had the very nice Cad 300sei and the dealer was kind enough to let me audition the complete line of power snakes from Diamonback to annaconda Helix.
I used a cd player and used headphones instead of speakers to evaluate.The Cad 300sei is also a great headphone amp.
This took some of the vagaries of extra inter-connect speaker wires and speaker/dealer room out of the equation.
It was very easy to hear the improvement as you worked your way up the food chain.
I was so impressed with the superiorty of the Annacondas over their siblings that I not only bought one for my Cary but 3 more for the rest of my system.
I still use the Annacondas to this day.
They may have been surpassed by the Zitrons and others, but for me they were the ones.