Hi Sounds Real Audio,
What most people overlook is Power. I cannot stress enough how important it is. I was a Skeptic for a long time - because I did not want to spend money on the most unsexy, unseen part of the system. Fortunately I was exposed to a power cord comparison about a decade ago, and was absolutely floored by the difference.
By adding the right power delivery - was like having a completely new system. On that first comparison I was I was able to hear the difference inside of 30 seconds. Since then most of my investments have been in power delivery - I still have the same amps speaker etc. and my system, gets better and better with every addition I make to the power delivery.
What I have learned is that before my investment in power delivery, (chords, wall receptacles, distributor) my system as a whole was only working at 35% capacity. After my investment I can say it's working over 90% capacity and sounds amazing. Power is the foundation, build a solid foundation and a system will last a lifetime.
The downside is that it's not cheap and requires some discipline. I have spent about 30% of my overall investment in my system on power. I know there are naysayers regarding this - I was one of them-but only because of my spending habits. Once I was actually educated I have never looked back. I can only share with you what my experience has been as a hobbyist - I hope it gives you another perspective that is useful in your quest. Best of Luck
