Single brand vs. multiple brand ICs and ACs

I dont' know that it's totally necessary to use the same cables throughout the system. In my experience cables are used to tune the system. If you want a little more bass, look for a bass heavy cable. If you want to kill some of the brightness from your cdp, try a cable that does that. I have never had my whole system set up with only one brand of cable, so maybe I am missing out on something, but I doubt it.

I started off with all the same brand cables and all the same brand electronics. I dont neccesarly think that this is the best way but I think its the best way to start. How can you ever be sure mixing and matching is best if you dont have a refrence point to compare to.

I've set up my system both ways and am enjoying great success right now with the all one brand method. Until March of this year, I had a menagerie of cables and cords behind my components and was never fully satisfied with the sound. Since going to a uniform set of oversized pipecleaners my system has opened up immensely.

Now for the backpedal. Going from a mixed to matched cable scheme worked with my mix of components, but I wouldn't say it's necessarily the best way. I started adding cables one by one, warm and neutral in band-aid fashion, and never found a good mix. Installing a single brand of revealing cables allowed the purest signal to pass through so I could do all my tuning via tuberolling. When using different brands I probably just didn't find the right combination.

I think Perfectimage makes a good recommendation of trying one brand first, then if you're still not satisfied try introducing a different cable to tweak your sound.

From an enthusiast's perspective, buying a whole set of matching cables is fun, but buying cables one by one extends that fun. Good luck.