Do power cords make an audible difference?

So you are saying because we do not/may not exist on another planet that there can be no other life out there because we aren't there to witness it. Nice.

I still think the question was originally asked by a drunken, ignorant, blithering idiot in a bar at 9am.

Sound is a definition we give to "vibrations" that stimulate our aural pathways. So the debate that really is a mind-numbing joke is really a joke on those who ask the question.

And what's worse is you are now are no longer debating the tree making the noise. You are debating the very definition of noise. Awesome.

The question of whether a tree falling in the forest makes any sound is really a way of asking: Are the characteristics of sound features of the WORLD or features of human MINDS. Philosophers have asked similar questions about colors, word meanings, morality, and a host of other subjects. It one way or another, these kinds of questions form the basis of philosophical debates between Realism and Idealism, Objectivism and Subjectivism, and Internalism and Externalism, among others. In the most rudimentary possible form…

…Realism vs. Idealism…

Realism = X is a characteristic of the WORLD
Idealism = X is a characteristic of the MIND

…Objectivism vs. Subjectivism…

Objectivism = X’s characteristics are INDEPENDENT OF THE MIND
Subjectivism = X’s characteristics are DEPENDENT UPON THE MIND

…Externalism vs. Internalism…

Externalism = X’s characteristics are EXTERNAL TO THE MIND
Internalism = X’s characteristics are INTERNAL TO THE MIND

All of these philosophical views are about the nature of REALITY – what a philosopher would call metaphysics. What does all this have to do with power cords? Not much, actually, but it’s a slow day here at the Cunningham household. I do have a point though, which is…

The controversy about power cords isn’t really a metaphysical question, the way that the controversy about trees falling in forests is a metaphysical question. The controversy about power cords, as typically debated by audiophiles, is an epistemic question. That is, it’s a question about what we know, how we know it, and how we resolve disputes when people have conflicting beliefs. In my view, the controversy about power cords can be understood in terms of different attitudes toward Verificationism. A Verificationist believes that…

A statement about audio is valid ONLY IF it can be verified, and it can be verified ONLY IF there is some finite, repeatable, public procedure for determining whether it is true or false.

It seems to me that Verificationists tend to be skeptical about the putative characteristics of power cords (among other things), while non-Verificationists tend to accept what their ears tell them without worrying too much about what other people hear.

None of this is to say that there are not genuine questions about the physical characteristics of power cords and their audible effects on components and systems. There certainly are such questions, and many of them have yet to be answered, and some probably haven’t even been formulated yet. But these are not metaphysical questions, like trees falling in forests. They are scientific questions, like electrons spinning around nucleons. But audiophile discussions about power cords, and cables more generally, often ignore those kinds of questions, which is why Tvad advised the OP to “move away from the tracks.” There are, of course, exceptions to this generalization. Al’s post on 9/23 is a notable one.

As for my own anecdotal, unverified, unscientific view on power cords, I have heard differences among them, but nothing miraculous. I own some quite expensive power cords, but I sometimes find myself wondering why.

Byroncunningham- I so enjoyed your post that I've dusted off my ragged old copy of Swineburne's "The Justification of Induction"!

I'll unstick this wicket in no time :)

Danlib - The Justification of Induction...yikes! You are a braver man than I.

You heard a difference because they DO make an audible difference. Just because it's not easily explainable and because the logic of it seems so inconceivable does not mean it is not true. In 99.9% of the time a decent after-market power cable such as the Pangea, Signal Cable, VH Audio (just to name a few modestly priced brands, not to mention the pricier ones) will consistently improve the sound of your component and hence your system in positive, unambiguous ways.
Your experience of improved clarity is a very common one...other benefits often include better dynamics, improved bass extension, improved soundstage, "blacker" silences, and more stable imaging....None of this is voodoo, it's simply true. The differences are more readily apparent as your system's resolving power becomes more developed but even a very modest one will note worthwhile improvements.
I am not a dealer of any audio products of any kind. I did NOT want to believe what I am saying was true because quite frankly, I didn't want to have to start purchasing another product that I never thought had to be replaced! But,I did something that apparently too many readers of these forums simply refuse to do: I tried one and experienced it for myself and at that point, there was obviously no possible turning back.
Doubters: You'll have many arguments against why it can't be true, as we've all heard so often but if you try it in your system you'll believe. Last week I borrowed a new cable from a friend, put it on my dac and immediately heard an increase in richness, texture and 3D imaging and body.
Yes, it's scientifically prove-able: I'm 100% positive I can tell 10 out of 10 times (or more if necessary) which of the 2 cords are playing each time (all else remaining equal).
This is really no longer a debate. Try it and see, or, at the risk of sounding rude or disrespectful (which I never want to do on any forum), your opinions "Fall on deaf ears".