A Couple Little Things I'm Wondering About

cable lifters: snake oil

RCA shorting plugs: will protect against noise interference that may possibly occur at the unused rca terminals. Shorting them guarantees no signal, noise or otherwise will feed into your device.

@cakyol +1
In addition, some RCAs have a shorting mechanism built in which negates the need for a plug (as long as the designer connects up the third leg to ground). Ironically in my experience it's the most exotic and expensive ones that do without that mechanism.

Here we go again. How can you have an opinion if you have never tried it?

@audioguy85,  how does your post address the OP's question or contribute in any meaningful way?  You state " Waste of money if you ask me." Nobody asked you!

I am seriously puzzled as to why people who have tried and can't hear differences or just regard certain tweaks as snake oil etc. without having tried, bother to waste their time and the reader's time with their vitriol.

I thought the ethos, purpose and intent of these threads was to provide helpful input based on experience. Constructive disagreement is fine and to be encouraged but the dismissive comment 'Well its your money' which often accompanies these threads is simply a rude insult, suggesting those who claim they can hear differences are delusional or subject to expectation bias.

What is the theoretical likelihood that anyone who's put a lot of time and money into a project will forever bind themselves to the projected end? And swear they hear the difference?

Cable elevators?
Pretty dang obvious...they elevate the sound, man. Plus, they look cool. 

What is the theoretical likelihood that anyone who's put a lot of time and money into a project will forever bind themselves to the projected end? And swear they hear the difference?

Why? Is that the way it works with you?