3/18 refers to the number of internal conductors (3) and the gauge (18) of the power cord. 3/18 or 18/3 refers to a very standard size power cord.

I'm wondering why a state of the art product would not include a state of the art power cord.
How do you take this product and put it on the market as a possible State of the art , when apparently it isn't , as it can be improved on with a better power cord? Isn't the very fact that a simple addition of a better power cord imply that the manufacturer missed a simple way to improve his product?? And therefore, he is putting a less than the best product out?..I'm not arguing that the aftermarket power cord can improve it, just wondering why the product is released with apparently a substandard part, the power cord. This seems to me a conflict. Am I missing something? It implies he really isn't releasing the best version of his product to the market.

It simply has become Par for the Course. My Accuphase A250 Reference Monoblocks ($69K) retail came with basic power cables. So did my McIntosh MC2KW Monoblocks ($80K) retail; and just like my Esoteric P1/D1/G1 Grandioso Stack ($120K) retail.

Manufacturers simply leave cable options up to the end user.

On the Speaker side of things, even Aida’s at ($120K) retail include the same elcheapo metal straps, instead of supplying high end Jumpers. Once again leaving cables, and jumpers up to the new owner.

On the rare occasion that IC’s are supplied with some Uber high end gear, they too need to be immediately replaced with quality connections.

Some people don’t believe power cords make a difference. Others do, and many have a particular brand preference. For those that believe power cords make a difference, they’re another component to be carefully selected based on the system, not just the component.

If I didn’t believe they made a difference, I wouldn’t be happy to find I was paying an extra $2k for an upgraded cord on my new preamp.

If I did believe (and I do), I’d be equally unhappy to find I was paying an extra $2k for a Transparent pc when my whole system is wired with Shunyata.

OEM is just that, and nothing wrong with it at all.

Then comes the aftermarket options that present different levels of additional performance. One and done is a rarity but the choice is always yours.

FWIW and IMHO, The fact it does not include a state of the art power cord, or platform or isolation footer options of interconnects or speaker cables or anything else for that matter has little/nothing to do with whether it's a SOTA amplifier (same point for other component types at all).

I think the issue for the manufacturers is simple,...if they build and amplifier does that mean they can also design and provide a SOTA power cord? Probably not the case after which they're faced with the gamble of choosing which other manufacturer's power cord they would include and how high up the scale. Their probability of offending or at least putting a number of potential buyers off their intent to consider the amp (or other component) goes way up and they eventually lose sales due to the choice of power cord "A" versus "B" if prospective buyers don't agree with their choices.

At the very least they have to raise the price thousands of $$$ to put a true SOTA power cable in there whether it's $3K or $10K, etc...as they have to
include a pricey cord that won't come free to be certain.

In short, the manufacturers lose either way; either people may not buy as they don't like the choice of included cord or they might not buy due to uptick in price. Russian roulette if you ask me...

From another point of view, I don't want a manufacturer to effectively dictate that I must like and pay for specific power cords, interconnects, etc...I think it's the best possible decision to leave this to buyers' discretion and just to focus on making the best component, amp or speaker possible.

FWIW....

Another reason is length. Some customers may want short cables and others may want longer ones. At the esoteric/stratospheric level we're talking about, these differences can make a huge difference in cost.

Why not extend this argument to supplied interconnects?

People (me at least) want the choice of which cable brand to purchase.

The cables that come in the box from Accuphase are just to get you going

+1, same conundrums for the manufacturers and potential buyers that I and others have noted. Frankly I don't want an amp manufacturer or other components to make me pay for cables that I would not keep/use.

Come to think of it, speaker manufacturers don’t supply any cables. Not even cheap ones for “startup”. Perhaps we should be glad that amp manufacturers toss in a freebie power cable.

Good way to look at it!