Diving into Power... Cable recs for my system and ears....?

If you're looking for value and performance combined, look into the new Synergistic Research Pink AC Power Cables, which run only $198. In my experience they easily outperform most competitor cables up to $800 or so and compete alongside $1K cables.

The reasons for exceptional value are two-fold: first, they utilize the latest shielding and passive EMI reduction innovations from Synergistic Research. The shielding itself is identical to what is used in their flagship SRX XL cable series, which allows for an incredibly low noise floor without inhibiting the signal. Second, the cables are machine-made, unlike all their other cables, which are hand-built, and they are only available in 5ft lengths with 15A connectors. This configuration allows them to reduce the variables and keep the costs very low.

While they utilize 14AWG conductors and aren't considered a high current cable, I've already sold a few to people who are using them for their amps. I would say that for amps, it's a case-by-case basis, but for just about everything else, these cables are a no-brainer unless you are already in the camp of heavily investing into your system.

I am an authorized SR dealer, so take as you will, but I've been a dealer for them for two years and an enthusiastic user of their products for ten years. I wholeheartedly advocate for these given their cost of entry.

as a Mastering engineer, I've tested many power cords in my Mastering studio, which is likely better resolution than what 99% here have … So I can tell you that yes power cords have a sound. Even Chinese chords, have a slight difference in sound one from the next
 

It's a question of if it's helpful to your system or not
 

without understanding what you're trying to accomplish, my general recommendations are the following

1. dedicated line back to the breaker box and install a new circuit breaker, install a outlet upgrade of some kind… I use Shunyata research

2. as far as the power cords themselves, it's not enough to just throw money at it because you think you might be able to upgrade ... you have to have something in mind that you're trying to fix… You have to know where you are and where you're trying to go

Shunyata research is the best value and the best sound quality both so that's a real winner… In order to learn what's going on you could start with two gamma and two Theta NR for $3000. If you have more to spend grab two alpha X   If money is not an object, then their latest cable which is omega something or other at $12,000 is the best power cord that anyone has ever made and can be used anywhere
 

there's plenty of research on this, even if you're nearly deaf, which apparently many people here are 

if you don't hear the sound of power cords, or speaker, cables, or resistors, or diode, or capacitors… That doesn't mean you're a bad person, and it doesn't mean that you can enjoy music… It means that either your system is not very advanced, or you're listening skill is not very advanced… This is just a fact of life, and getting defensive about it isn't helping anyone, so please… Just calm down and let the rest of us have a conversation about something we understand well

I’m an electrical engineer and I can confirm there is no reason to do anything to your electrical connection that will improve sound.  There are some advantages to connecting all your equipment to a dedicated electrical circuit. This would make it so nothing else could cause any drop in power delivery.  

Thanks for posting in this thread @brianlucey 

If you were forced to pick a couple of albums from your catalogue you were most proud of from an audiophile "best sound quality" standpoint, which would you recommend? 

http://magicgardenmastering.com/

if you don’t hear the sound of power cords, or speaker, cables, or resistors, or diode, or capacitors… That doesn’t mean you’re a bad person, and it doesn’t mean that you can (sic) enjoy music… It means that either your system is not very advanced, or you’re (sic) listening skill is not very advanced… This is just a fact of life, and getting defensive about it isn’t helping anyone, so please… Just calm down and let the rest of us have a conversation about something we understand well

@brianlucey 

Most folks on this forum can’t tell schematics from the Bayeux tapestry, and here you are goading them with noisy diodes... You’re creating a monster 😂😂🤣

Love the Black Keys albums, thank you for those!