WHY CABLES MATTER!

I went through the trouble of auditioning interconnects and speaker cables 30 years ago when I assembled my system.  My speakers are fairly resolving and I heard differences in every brand/model.  As many have suggested, matching to your system is important.  The most expensive were not best for me.  But the interconnects and speaker cables that I preferred were a bit above my budget at the time.  Being patient allowed me to find the cables I preferred either used or for especially good prices.  
 

After upgrading my CDC transport, I saw enough feedback about coaxial digital interconnects that I decided to try one (going against the old lore that the only thing that mattered was that the cable was 75 ohms).  I was surprised at the improvement.  Then this year, I finally got over the activation barrier and tried power cords.  I know they are not in the signal path, but the level of improvement for my preamp and my DAC still leave me amazed.  I can’t believe how much I have been enjoying my system including my CDs that I was resigned could never sound as good as my vinyl.  
 

I’ve head A British Audiophile say that he doesn’t like to spend time playing with cables and tweets and prefers to keep upgrading his equipment.  From my perspective, I don’t really know how my components sound if I haven’t put some care into making sure they are functioning as well as possible and that hey are connected together optimally.  For me, cables are the icing on the cake.  Overbuying equipment when there are other weaknesses in the system has not been satisfying.  The recent experience with two $100 power cables still leaves me a bit shocked.  I was that close to a great system where digital is competitive with analog for 30 years and had missed out because I was swayed by those who insisted power cables couldn’t make a difference.  IMO, everything has made a difference.

I agree. That’s the thing all of those things make a difference 

@coralkong that part all day long.  

It seems none of these manufacturers seem to know how to make a proper power cord for their electronics. It makes me question every other design decision they make. If a short power cord makes a difference, imagine what a long power cord might do? Why not use long versions of these amazing power cords to transmit power to a separate, stand alone building that's otherwise off the grid?

Cables and power cords are complicated.  Cables that sound great in one system may not sound so good in another.  Stereo gear didn’t always come with IEC connectors.  I did some diy in the past removing the stock power cords wired into my amps and preamps and soldering in upgraded power cords.  Manufacturers added the IEC connector so that people could try different power cords.  But HiFi manufacturers have also done much to reject noise coming in through the power cord.  For example, I had an ARC SP-6b back in the late 1980s (with the fixed stock power cord).  I had a dedicated line going into my listening room.  I still had to remove all of the dimmers in the house because if a light with a dimmer was on, I could hear a quiet buzz in my speakers.  My later preamps did a much better job rejecting dimmer noise.

The biggest change I have heard with better power cords is actually what I don’t hear.  The background gets blacker- quieter.  I don’t know how they do it and I thought the background was quiet before I put in the better power cord.  That translates to a bigger and more 3D soundstage- more clarity and more focus to the images.  The highs get smoother and clearer too.  Even just a couple of years ago after I bought a Niagara 5000 power conditioner which made a large improvement, I thought to myself no need for better power cords on my DAC and preamps.  I was wrong.  I finally tried better power cords and found they improved the sound of my DAC and my preamps.

I don’t like paying for them because they aren’t shiny and pretty like a speaker or amp or one of those hifi turntables* with the foot thick platter, but power cords matter to the sound by a lot.

* I’d love to have one of those grand looking turntables with two, counter-rotating platters.  It just looks so cool.  But I spent my money on cables.