Nordost fans

sounds like you've nearly spent enough on the journey to buy the holy grail to start with; save time

Nordost Heimdall is the level to start with.  

Like every other cable, it's subjective and argued to death on value/price.

I use Heimdall II throughout. $20K Odin power cords have been in my system. It was something more appropriate for a $100K+ system, but an experience to just plug in a couple of power cords that retail TWICE the cost of my system!

Cable madness is a topic that EVERYONE is right and wrong.

I didn’t start with Sartori —found a good deal  on the Holograms and jumped in. I did try some Acoustic Zen interconnects—the matrix reference I believe—but they were so stiff they just didn’t work from a physical sense. My equipment is in a salamander cabinet. Sounded fine, but never really gave them a chance. 

tablejockey, you didn't say if the $20K power cord sounded like one, whatever that might be. just curious. That cable is more than twice what I've got in my total system as well

Well i am also NordOst fan , after i have been so lucky to have a local dealer that has been very very helpfull in letting me try out different levels af NordOst cables , started out with the QB4 and Frey 2 Power cords , that just made a big difference in my system. Then i have tried Frey 2 - Tyr 2 and Valhalla 2 loud speaker cables , and they are each a jump up in performance,,,,for the Valhalla 2 i was blown away at how good a Loudspeaker cable can be revealing and cohesive as well as just sounding so right, and i had thought it would just have put my system in a kind of not really good sounding , but it did otherwise.
For interconnect what they to me see to do right is layering - 3D and ease.
If you are using a CD Player you really owe yourself to try Sort Kones under it.
Right now i am testing an NordOst Heimdal 2 Ethernet cable against my Audioquest Vodka , and have to say that NordOst wins as layering is much better , its much easier to " look " into the music scene.