Randal, I've got a theory that as one moves up the component food chain the less important the conductors become to the end result. I've had the good fortune to source some top of the line (in their day) pieces at these stereo websites. As a result, my system's expressiveness has increased to such a degree that i'm beginning to feel some serenity with the whole shebang. It's scary! Here's the stuff (and where it came from): Theta Data Basic II (AudioReview); Theta Pro Prime IIa and Theta cable (New); Threshold FET ten/hl (AudioWeb); Kimber Hero (Audiogon); Threshold S/350e (Ebay); Radio Shack 14AWG Ribbon Speaker Wire (New); ProAc Tablette 2000 Signatures (New). Who's the next victim? Probably the Pro Prime IIa, but primarily because it's not the top of the line. Btw, I've got lots of vinyl left over from its heyday, but at this stage you couldn't pay me to buy, keep and preserve another fragile LP record. What are you listening through?