Cables, just as important as a hi end component?

I chose the AQ Silver Extremes because they were offered brand new for $100/pair instead of $500/pair! Otherwise I would never spend $500 on an IC! I am retired and not in the same social class as those who regard spending thousands on ICs and speaker cables as "good value"!

Douglas-I agree with you. MC is a prime example of this. Dump down/cheap down on components and think they have the best sounding system on the west coast.
Jason-wire is wire? Then an amp is an amp? Speaker is a speaker? Cartridge is a cartridge? Where does this nonsense stop? So you buy a low budget cable from a good manufacturer and it sounds like sh$t, SO? That tells me nothing. I can buy a cheap pirelli tire but does that tel me what their $5000 tire is like? 1 more icee of your nonsense, you bring up the quality of your ears. I listen to music with my ears, you listen to music thru your charts and wallet. 

When I needed a new pair of speaker cables I bought a 40 foot piece of Q Audio TimeStream (made in Canada).Cut it in half and added Monoprice bananas. Cost $40 + $6 bananas! The TimeStream is a multi-strand helical weave cable. Sounds fine to me!

What is fine compared to better if you do not try it.
Yes better cabling can do justice to a capable component/system, so choose, depending on wallet and involvement where you want to be.

Did you mean to ask about room acoustics?  :-)