Cables /power conditioner- Order of importance

Your probably getting mixed answers because it depends what your weakest link is. From what you are asking above is fair but we need to know hwat you are running now. Is your AC noisy? Are you running tubes or monoblocks or a receiver?

It all starts at the wall and I feel you should start with a non current limiting, non coloring power conditioner. The next step in the chain would be cables at the source and then work downline. The quality of the amplified signal cannot be improved once degraded.

Don't buy a conditioner unless your sure you need one.Most people will admit that straight to the wall is best if you can. If you can't than thats a different story. All condtioners have different good/bad points and the trick is to find the right one for your system! Just my 2 centsworth.

By far power conditioning would rank first and foremost on my list. Simply because 'proper' line conditioning is so fundamental and foundational to the overall performance and listenability of a given system. It's still one of the final frontier's for many.

In fact, once you've experienced long-term listening with excellent line conditioners, you will discover that most every other system is quite fatiguing with grain, hash, negative induced siblilance, etc..

Note that I use the term 'proper' because, like any other component, there are plenty of line-conditioners that simply aren't worth much and in the case of even some very popular line conditioners the sonics are actually better when you remove the line conditioner(s) from the system.

Since my line conditioners have a built-in power cable, I consider them one and the same.

Beyond that whether the ics or scs come next might best be answered by first determining which of the current ics and scs is hindering performance the most. That would determine for me which will provide better benefit.

-IMO

If you want to upgrade many components simultaneously then consider the very top of the line Mapleshade Records power strip that does an amazing job of conditioning without resembling a traditional conditioner. It can make it seem that all your power cords have been upgraded. Just be sure that the distance between AC sockets on this or any conditioner allows room for fitting into adjacent AC sockets the physically bulky "hospital grade" plugs that may be on the ends of your power cords.
If you only need two pairs of IC's for use, first from CDP to preamp, and second from preamp to amp, then consider the lowest cost impressive IC's from Auricle Audio Design which come up for auction periodically. In a few systems, these have performed astonishingly better than their price would suggest. A truly unique handmade product from a one man shop that consistently gets overlooked in our busy Audiogon marketplace.
If you can move just a little further up the cost ladder, Reality Cables speaker wire will amaze you, once the optimized signal reaches your amplifier speaker terminals. Their IC's also compete at the highest level, still at very modest cost.
First step might be to "upgrade" all your components with the power conditioning, and then to reveal any newfound quality by insertion of quality IC's. Finally, getting it to your speakers. There is no absolute rule about which to do first, just a suggested sequence.

Like most, I have upgraded all of the above on your list in some cases several times. For my system, I ended up elliminating the power conditioner in the chain and gone with two dedicated lines. Of greatest importance IMHO are your interconnects, then it is a toss up between speaker wire and power cord depending on what your equipment is and the quality of their power supplies and your stock power cords.

Since I have just recently "discovered" power conditioners and the benefits in my own system, I would like to chime-in here as an interested neophyte. Audioblazer is asking about upgrading? Does he already have a conditioner in the system, or is this a hypothetical system? if so, for pretending purposes only, can we assume an all-Monster Cable system including the power conditioner?.....if so I would suggest replacing the Monster Cable IC and speaker cables first. But my real question is, what is a next logical step up in the conditioner world and is the purportedly over-priced Monster conditioner (any model) a valid starting point?

Hi Programeergeek, I m using an Exact Power Conditioner. B4 that I was using monster avs stabilizer. I found that Exact Conditioner is much better. Beside that I have a Transparent PIXL connected to the power source of my gyro se turntable. my power cord are fr Transparent reference. Have a Transparent reference interconnect between my integrated amplifier Unison research SET S8. speaker cable is fr Transparence reference as well. currently my CDP is Unison research Unico CD(tube) which I m not using now. I preferred the warm sound of tube. Will be changing speaker to VR4sr. Intend to replace my turntable to VPI HRX or Kuzma Reference. Spent a lot on cables/conditioners. Question : need to buy addtional power cord and interconnect for my CDP. Was also considering Transparent PI4 to connect to my amplifier and CDP power cord Eventually will probably upgrade my integrated amplifier to separate amplifiers. If I have limited budget which component is more imp? TQ. Happy listening

Before even considering a line conditioner or any cable upgrade you should insure that your AC outlet is not on a switched circuit, the contact point of which is about the size of a pencil point (as it was described to me). Then purchase high quality hospital grade or audio grade outlets (porter ports, watt gates etc.) At this point you haven't spent much money and the difference you will hear will be profound. Then I would upgrade the power cord until you feel that with your existing setup that you have the clearest most open highs, cleanest tightest most extended bass response and the blackest (quietest) background. At this point you can decide if you need a power conditioner. Like Thorman says, "don't buy a power conditioner unless you need one". Beyond this point it's a matter of synergy and I agree with Dedicatedaudio when he says work downline from the source.

Anacrusis' suggestions to clean the contact points, install audio grade outlets, etc. are good advice.

However, none of those items will clean the noisy AC coming into your house from the pole. Nor will any simply power cable.

And since everybody has noisy AC to one bad degree or another, it is in everybody's best interest to install 'proper' line conditioning asap.

Only then are your components truly able to begin to demonstrate their full potential.

-IMO