@bigtwin , The end of the chain is the most important. It’s a filter for all the noise on the public grid. Both for THD noise coming into your system and eventually manifesting in your speakers. And as a blocker for noise generated by your gear that goes back out to your AC lines which your other gear can pick up. The theory is that the longer the end cable feeding your gear, the greater the filtering effect. Which at a point becomes detrimental…
THD is measurable with meters, and it doesn’t magically disappear - it shows up in your speakers if you don’t deal with it with conditioners and/or power cords….
I know it’s an unpopular concept for those who have not conducted blind tests…. On a relatively resolving system, with good quality speaker wire, that is. Otherwise you may very well hear no difference in which case your priorities should be elsewhere…
As an aside, I do think the prices for premium cabling is stupid…. But I guess it’s simply an effect of supply and demand.
Not trying to convince anyone, at all. This debate has been raging for 25 year or longer! I doubt it will ever be put to rest with consensus reached.