Rank the tweaks, geeks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoN7_lR1MOw
Yes, impossible. Impossible to rank these. For the simple reason it is impossible even to say what it is this list means. 

Take one thing: speaker isolation. What speaker isolation? Spikes? Which spikes? Cones? Tennis balls? Springs? Townshend Podiums? Now you're getting somewhere. Podiums under speakers is indeed a #1, or at least a strong candidate for #1. But you didn't say Podiums, you said speaker isolation. Same for everything else on the list.

You have the right idea, just not the right approach. Usually what people are after is what is the biggest bang for the buck? This question no one can answer for the simple reason everything hinges on the particular details of your system and preferences.

With all that said I will play along. What is recommended, from least to most expensive:

speaker wires- ribbons (any), Isolde, F1.
speaker isolation- Nobsound (or any springs), Pods, Bars, Podiums.
interconnects- Synergistic, until your budget reaches Townshend level
cable risers- any ceramic insulator, with vibration control
component isolation- Same as speakers: use springs, until you can afford Pods.
tube dampers - No.
power cords for amps
power cords for preamps
power cords for other compnents - this is all one thing. Same as interconnects. Except here use Synergistic until you can afford Moneoone Nova or Supernova.
better capacitors (where?) - Everywhere. But why only caps? Diodes make just as much difference in electronics. Inductors and resistors make just as much difference in speakers. Vibration control makes just as much difference in all of them. 
better fuses (where?)- Wherever there are fuses.

You get the idea. Most of these have some very inexpensive options that will get you a tremendous improvement for hardly any cost. Nobsound, for example, or any generic ribbon type speaker cable. There's a reason so many people are so happy with their ribbon speaker cables. It is like Tekton, when you get the technology right it is awesome and allows you to reach a performance level attainable only for a lot more money without that technology. Springs are definitely like that. When the spring or ribbon technology is combined with superior engineering, ala Townshend, then you really have something.

So it turns out not to be impossible after all- once you look at it the right way.

@hilde45 Great topic!

I generally agree with what @oregonpapa said. Room acoustics is definitely the first priority.

Being a vinyl diehard for the last 32 years, I’ve learned a lot about digital having built a digital source in the past year having been at home for days on end during COVID. Having a friend that was eager to loan me cables and other equipment to try out in return for my sharing my impressions was helpful as well. In terms of tweaks, I’m definitely all about value-for-money meaning ’Can I get my existing equipment to sound noticeably better without spending money that would be better spent on more expensive equipment’.

From a digital (instead of analog) perspective, I do think that the reduction of EMI and RFI is critical. My impressions are that there are some fairly inexpensive things in the digital realm that can be done that provide outsized benefits relative to their cost. I would probably do 1-5 below no matter what equipment I have in my system. This is my ranking of digital audio tweaks that have made the most improvement for me:

1. Creating an Ethernet access point with a TP-Link RE230 Wi-Fi Extender & turning off Wi-Fi & HDMI on my streamer (total cost $40 for the RE230 and an AmazonBasics Cat 6 Ethernet cable)
2. Switching to a Supra Cat 8 Ethernet cable (cost of $65) provided about 60-80% of the improvement that I heard from going from Wi-Fi to Ethernet.
3. Adding a pretty reasonable $135 Shunyata Venom power cord to my Denafrips Pontus II DAC from a $15 Tripp-Lite Heavy Duty power cord that I bought as a benchmark for comparison. I also tried a Synergistic Research UEF Blue power cord (loaned by a friend along with the Shunyata power cord). The Synergistic cord was best sounding on a Denafrips Ares II DAC, but the Synergistic cord tended to erase some of the dynamics and resolution from my current Pontus II DAC. The Shunyata provided a better balance of resolution and clarity on the Pontus. Perhaps the Ares II benefitted more from noise reduction than my current Pontus II DAC,
4. Going to a Stordiau Lush USB cable (~$200): Smoother but also more resolving sound.
5. Adding a Audioquest Jitterbug USB noise filter to my streamer’s USB output. ($60): Added clarity, resolution, solidity to voices and instruments.

Other things I’ve tried for digital:
6. Isolation devices under my DAC: Daedalus isolation devices (like Symposium Acoustics Rollerblocks) added a level of clarity but they probably aren’t the best value at $480 for a set of three. These were loaned to me by a friend so my net cost was $0. Perhaps when these go back to my friend, I’ll see if I notice their absence. I saw a homebrew design for a roller based isolation system that I might try with Shepherd’s 3697 Furniture cups & 1/2" ball bearings: https://www.stereophile.com/content/make-your-own-roller-bearing-isolation-system-1650-1

Other things I intend to try for digital:
7. Uptone Audio ISO Regen: I’m wondering how this might sound versus my fairly basic Audioquest Jitterbug. The Jitterbug does sound better to my ears than the Wyred4Sound Recovery which seemed to sand down the dynamics and sparkle of music. Uptone says they are creating a new and improved version of the ISO Regen as the chip on which it is based has been discontinued.
8. Power conditioner: I'm considering the Audioquest Niagara 1200

In terms of other tweaks, my first tweak was speaker cables. I went from 10 or 12 gauge zip cord to a set of Nordost Flatline Gold cables. Nordost was just starting out in the early 90s so the cost of $125 or so was still affordable on a student budget. WOW, hearing the added clarity after adding in the Flatline cables was a revelation as to how much my 12 gauge zip cord speaker cable were blocking the potential sound that could come from my system. A friend recently asked to borrow these cables thinking how different could speaker cables sound. Bad move on his part. Haha. He’s now figuring out how to justify spending $300 on speaker cables.

I don't have a room dedicated to audio. Also, I'm very constrained re: speaker placement.  

RE: cables, I've upgraded to all my components but found that upgrading amp and digital cables has had greatest impact. 

I've tried a variety of footers and while they all had some small effect (good, bad, or indifferent) the vibration approach that's had the most noticeable and positive impact in my system has been Symposium Svelte Plus Platforms coupled with Rollerblock Jr. +'s. 

YMMV

Component isolation makes a huge positive difference. Power cords and finding just the right digital cables seem to set the foundation for choosing ics and speaker cables.

no experience with fuses,risers,or changing out caps.

Search bar.

Definitely it's getting the room and speaker placement correct, best using a laser tool. Then isolation of components especially a TT if you're into vinyl or your CDP/transport. From there power is next like receptacles. Then just too many others but get the foundation right and things will fall into a happy and enjoyable listening experience.

oregonpapa has a nice summary. Townshend springs, HFT, ECT, PHT, cable elevators have all made a huge difference. Haven’t yet tried fuses, tube dampers, or PPT. Those tweaks are on the agenda.

Perhaps the most notable was "component isolation". I was a skeptic of most tweaks, etc, like most people start off. It’s just hard to believe that some of this stuff works. Many years back I read  about pumice stone under a CD player @ TNT audio(?). I hate guessing about something. The tweak was $3 worth of Pumice stone from a dept. store. OK, That’s cheap enough. So lefts try it. I bought 2 pumice stones and cut each in half. My mind was telling me that I could put an end to this ridiculous idea by disproving it. So, under the cdp it goes and...........................................................WHAT? Huh? It didn’t take long and I was hearing a bigger soundstage, and more air. The music floats on air rather than being cast or shot out from the speakers. (Hey, I ain’t no reviewer. I don’t know the fancy words to describe it. Said another way, "It sounded noticeably different and better.. From there I found a recipe for DIY roller blocks. These are even better.
From there I moved up the $$$$ scale to an Oyaide R1 power outlet @ $175. I felt really foolish spending my $$$ on this with NO $$$ back return offered. When I heard the difference IT made, I felt like someone was playing tricks on me. How could this be? I hate things which don’t make sense to me

@ebm If you can take a few minutes to write blather, you can take a bit more time to contribute something you know of substance. Then again there's the usual option: take zero time and just skip the thread. Oh, yes -- have a nice day. 

I’ll leave it at there is only two things on that list I have not bothered to dabble with (risers and caps) and one I dabbled with that turned out to not be worth it (fuses).  Also dabbling with fuses can cause damage if not done properly. 

I let my vendor choose the caps just like all the other stuff they choose to put in there.

if I had to pick the most important key ones it would be isolation of components in general though even there YMMV.

Also I would add if one is smart about it none of those things need cost a fortune.

@oregonpapa

How would you rank the general importance of the following gear (not room or electrical) tweaks.

I was wondering about rankings *besides* room and electrical, but thanks for your contribution. All makes sense.

@ebm Another peek inside an empty closet.

Assuming that there is decent tube equipment to start with, here's what I would do ...

1. Get the room under control. A good start would be a ten or fifteen pack of SR HFTs. 
 
2. Start working on reducing micro-vibrations throughout the system. Herbie's tube dampeners, good footers, a decent rack ... items like that make a big difference. 

3. Work on cleaning up the AC power coming into the system. A good place to start would be to check the used market for a PPT "Gate." Expensive, but it will transform your listening experience. 

There's a lot more that can be done. I'm convinced at this point that tweaking is the way to go in this hobby. There is no reason to jump on the equipment merry-go-round. Work to get the best out of what you already have. Just sit back, and enjoy the music. 

Frank