"Loom" cabling vs. 'mix n match' ?

@uberwaltz

Would you mind sharing a bit of your path? I like Nordost a lot but my wallet doesn't like it so much.

you mean my current cabling ?  it's nothing serious, as I'd been playing a Wadia one-box S7i since 2009.  It's a discarded Audience power cord (hand me down from a friend who since ascended to the Vivaldi stack), a DH Labs 110 aes/ebu ($89) and siltech IC's also given to me. My new DAC deserves much better and I'm eyeing a loom of Acrotec-Mexcel wires because they're made of very very pure metals. I have their phono-cable 8N something which is the best cable in my system. Amp is a VAC Phi 300 amd speakers, Wilson ophia 3's.  I've been building up to this system since I was 28 when I built a Heathkit.  I'm 74 now. 

Pokey.

With all Nordost I found the sound was a little thin and lean although very detailed.

First area I started with was speaker cables replacing Purple Flare with Western Electric tinned copper cables.

I still really like Nordost digital cables, the Heimdall 2 spdif was an amazing cable but the analog and speaker cables combined left me a bit cold.

For the IC to the pre I'd suggest either Shindo's Silver IC or Auditorium which hopefully you already have between your Giscour and Amp. As far as the "digital" cabling I use a Wireworld Platinum USB and have been happy with it but haven't played around with others so can't compare.

Would you mind sharing a bit of your path? I like Nordost a lot but my wallet doesn't like it so much.

Don't be cheap :-).  You will be rewarded.