System 40K
Digital IC $700
Interconnects (1pr. 20 & 2pr. 3): $2800.00
Speaker Cables (2 sets bi-wire 4): $1800.00
Power Cables (4@ 1400.): $5600.00
Percentage doesnt mean much when you get into stratuspheric systems. Take Boulder gear for example. I bet most if not all guys using that stuff have $-no object cabling. But as a percentage - it wouldnt = much.
In my system it works out to around 27.5%. Some might say the cables are better than the gear, but IMHO the point is to drag every ounce of sound out of what you have
and inferior cables can make good gear sound ordinary. So, I opted for the best I could afford purchasing all as demos or used.
One consideration you might make is to estimate how much you'd have to spend on a new component in order to achieve an improvement in sound equivalent to a good cable upgrade. More often than not cabling is the less expensive means to achieving improved sound. This IS assuming that you can demo said cabling in your system, and (to use an analagy) that you arent expecting to ahceive Ferrari performance out of a Miata ;>)
I believe (though others may disagree) that by purchasing the best nuetral cabling financially feasable one can avoid re-purchasing when it comes time to upgrade ones system.
As a last comment, someone on this site once posted the observation that "we" as a group spend copious $ in order to achieve minimaly differing results the old diminishing returns scenario
But quite astutely this gent also pointed out that its often a small percentage of improvement that makes all the difference in life. He used the analgy of elite athletes - noting that physical ability between athletes can often be imeasurable (percentage-wise). Yet when it comes down to performance it is these small differences which truly separate the great from the ordinary. Id say that I have to agree.
Cheers,
Mike
