[eric the red]

I'm assuming that the designers and manufacturers of amps, cds, pre-amps etc want their gear to sound its very best after extensive testing before they ship their products to consumers. I'm also assuming that the audio gear they design is "voiced" with the standard pc that comes in the box with the piece of audio gear that you or I buy from said manufacturers. I have a 2400.00 integrated that came with a standard, fairly heavy black (12 gauge?) removable power cord. If better power cords are necessary for "better" sound, why aren't manufacturers including better power cords with their gear? DIY pcs like Bob Crump designs cost @ $30.00 to build including materials. If aftermarket pcs are necessary, why aren't audio manufacturers using better power cords when the cost is really minimal compared to the cost of the piece of gear? Good bulk wire that can be used for pcs costs @ two bucks a foot. Doesn't the designer and manufacturer of the gear you and I buy want his audio gear to sound its very best using the pc that the manufacturer provides with the cdp, amp etc etc?  

[hairofthedawg]

My guess is that unless the manufacturer wants to buy them premade in bulk, it costs too much to make them themselves.  They would have to create another department, hire the people, all the overhead crap.  I don't think you'd like the added cost a manufactuerer would  place on a product that used a specially designed power cord.

They could enlist someone into the DIY PCs to make them for them, but that is another level of labor and management too.  I do agree, it would be nice!

cheers,

Dick

[Marbles]

Read this thread for the explanation from one amp maker...

http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/amp/messages/10236.html

[nathanm]

Why not ship the amp with NO cord at all.  Even more cost savings!  

Boy, they sure get cranky over there.  I think the awful user interface of that sites makes people edgy.  There's only so many times you can hit the Back button before you snap.

[audioengr]

Lots of these after-market power cords are not UL recognized, so there might be some liability there.

[tmd]

Probably the best way for them to do it would be to offer the amp with no power cord and also with a decent power cord. Most people will try an aftermarket cord at some stage and no matter how good a cord is supplied, a percentage of people will discard it.

[Dan Banquer]

After having to experiment with these so called designer power cords and getting to listen to a number of demonstrations of these so called designer power cords, I can tell you this. The best of them come close to a standard power cord for hundreds of dollars more and the worst of them do anything from reduced dynamic to excess magnetic field to compress the music. I think this is the biggest rip off in all of audio.
Some designer cables have filters built in them for some ridicoulous price. I wonder how many of you realize that units like Tripplite Isobar filters and Dezoral filters do a far better job than any designer power cord for less money.
There are plenty of choices here. Go to www.jameco.com and take your pick of shielded or unshielded power cords in anywhere from 18 AWG to 14AWG.

[gonefishin]

I think the best thing they can do in the "audiophile" world...is to supply no power cord at all.  


Audiophiles want aftermarket power cords...they do.  If an amp maker supplied the audiophile world  with a no frills plain looking high quality power cord that was soldered inside (which is the best way to do it...not to plug it into the back of the amp)...then have the same manufactuerer make the same amp with the old plug-in in back...where you can swap the cord in and out (not as good as soldering) and supply some huge power cord with a nice colorful braid on the outside of the insulation.  Which amp do you suppose the audiophile world would approve of...or like better?  why?

    no matter what quality of power cord they supply...it will always be a stock power cord because they supplied it.