Originally Posted by Kswanson
Not to be pedantic but did you compare the stock cord and the RA cord on the 818? Or did you make the decision to use it based on previous experience with it on other components?
I use it based on 10+ years of it, to my ears, improving various pieces of equipment. After a while, you just get used to the type of difference something like that makes, and since I've personally found the signature to be fairly similar over a lot of gear, it's not something I'm inclined to test again as I did originally, to be honest - life's too short!

HC: 861v4/ID40/LPS, DSP5000, DSP5000VC, DSP3100, SW1600, HD621, Oppo BDP-105, Sony VPL-HW55ES
2-Channel: Oppo BDP-105, TEAC VRDS-7/Trichord Clock 3/PSU, 551, Quad 303, Harbeth Compact 7ES-3, Kimber cables, Russ Andrews mains and supports.
Previous Meridian: 5000C, 5200SL, 7200.2, 6000, 562V.2, 568.2mm, 800v4, 808.2i, 818v2/v3, 861v8, 502