@ ted_denney OP
I have heard systems with a set of cables all from the same brand and not knocked out with the result. In one particular instance where all Audioquest was used I introduced a DIY power cable to try instead of the Audioquest PC which made a very noticeable improvement. I’m not saying this would happen in each and every case but just to point out that a ’set of cables all from the same brand’ is not the panacea you make it out to be.
For those interested the DIY cable I refer to above was made from Oyaide Black Mamba V2 with Furutech’s best connectors. This is a killer deal and works with all digital components and amps. It's outperformed many very expensive pretenders!
In fact I’ve heard well set up systems $20,000-$30,000 with a full loom of cables, a full loom of electronics, proper speaker placement and mild acoustic treatments, outperform systems in the deep six-figure range with mis matched cables and components.
I notice also that you downplay the importance of proper room treatment, evidenced by you referring to ’mild acoustic treatment’ when in fact room treatment is paramount for optimising any system regardless of cost. IMO there is a way to get your hypothetical $20,000-$30,000 system to outperform a deep six figure system, and room treatment, that is proper treatment, not mild treatment whatever that vague and nebulous statement means, that complies with the target of achieving an RT60 across the full spectrum in the appropriate time for the room of concern, which on average is around 400ms. No tweaks including full looms can do that.
Without the room being tamed most tweaks are difficult to impossible to hear. By this I encourage all still reading to consider trying to make a decision on different cartridges by carting your turntable, amp and speakers into the bathroom with all hard surfaces. The amount of sound reverberating around the room would obscure and smear all the detail and you would probably choose the dullest cartridge to compensate.
Your clever initial and subsequent post just comes across as a thinly disguised sales advert.
