Budget High Current Power Cords

Audioquest thunder power cord is maybe not "cheap" but it works. However, I don't believe you provided enough info as to what is considered cheap. Cheap is relative, for instance, you spend 3000 to 5000 on an amp, then to me, the 700-800 on a thunder, depending on length, is relatively reasonable. 

Here's yet another place to look, Douglas Connection. You can get DIY materials from them or they can build what they call "custom made" cords. Their Elite 12 power cable may be what you are looking for. I have made some DIY cords with the Lapp wire and various brands of cord ends. For a budget cable I think that they very good.

@lowrider57 , @bigby  Much appreciate the additional detail. This info on Pangea, coupled with discussions of others above, tells me there's no perfect, one-size-fits-all PC that will sound best with each of 100 different amps with 100 different designs. Now I'm wondering whether the  difference in design between a 250W Class A/AB power amp and a 1000W Class D sub amp wouldn't almost necessarily require different wires? Or maybe all PCs will sound the same with a device whose frequency range rolls off at -24dB above 31Hz? "Transparency" would seem a moot concern in the domain of sound waves 11-17 meters long. 

OP

I think you are taking away the right thing. Power cords like interconnects and cables depend on your system. There are all sorts of different approaches. Intuition or a single design approach is seldom the determinant of what will sound good in your system. There are some rules of thumb that usually work… but you never know.

This is why it is best to try them, from a dealer or The Cable Company lending library. Try at least three brands. 


I have found this exceptionally weird. But most of the time I have found that a specific interconnect and power cord from the same company have a similar impact on the sound in my system. I also noticed that a large gauge… typically made for a amp does sound better than one not specifically made for a amp.