cables are they worth it?


I own a mid-fi system:
CEC TL51x $1500
Wadia 12 $500
VPI Scout $1200
Lyra Dorian $800
Rotel Pre and power $1000
Clearaudio basic $300
Impulse speakers $3000
Wireworld atlantis 5 $500

Total about $8300 my gut feeling tells me spending more then $200 per interconnect would be a waste of money. Soon my phono pre, pre and power will hopefully be replaced my an intergrated. Meaning I need 2 interconnects. Right now I own a Cardas Hexlink 5C and a Cardas Golden Five.
I asked an "expert" on what interconnects I should use and he recommened JPS Labs Superconductor 3 or Synergistic Research Tricon. Both cost around $800 each for 1 meter. Isn't that way overkill for my system?
The same for powercords would it be a waste to spend more then $50 on them, none of my power outlets are grounded.

Sure I would like to believe that expensive cables have a positive influence that is why I bought the Cardas some time ago. But I am really not sure if they are better teh a $50 wallmart cable.

Ps I live in the Netherlands.
mordante
Thank you for all the advise, I think I will hang on to my Cardas interlinks for and save for a nice amp (2nd hand). I know this this the wrong thread but do any of you have experience with Symponic Line amps? Also thinking about buying a tube or SS pre amp and keep the Rotel power amp (RB-1070) for now. There are so many options that for me it is sometimes difficult to see what would be the best option.

All other advise it welcome, I have been in the audio hobby for about 5 to 7 years now and there must be lost of people out there who have a lot more experience then I have. feel free to mail me if you want.
In short, no - an $800 interconnect is ridiculous. Likewise for a $50 power cord. I am sure someone would sell an $800 doorstop also - because it will "just hold the door open better". THere is one huge advantage to expensive cable and power cords - it allows for large profits. Good old Belden cable or any other reputable big name manufacturer will work just fine. You can terminate your own interconnects for that matter. Look at the cables used in other areas of electronics that either deal with low level signals or feed power to critical equipment. The power cords on ventilators are nothing special and they keep people alive. The interconnects on biomedical research and clinical equipment are also not particularly special - I worked in that field for decades (background is EE). What you are sending between your preamp, amp, source etc is just information - it isn't even in a form that is all that difficult to deal with - it's rather high level (certainly not in the microvolt range) the frequency range is not difficult to deal with, you don't have dc offset problems. Don't you think that information that determined patient treatment would use $800 interconnecting cables and expensive power cords if there was a reason to. (Some manuf did use lo leakage pwr cords for electrosurgical units - but I doubt that you are going to use your amp for any surgery in an OR)If you are worried about induced noise, what is important is whether you have a balanced connection or alternatively, a properly grounded or common driven shield as the case may be. That doesn't add any significant cost. As to a power cord - there is just no reason to not use any power cord of the correct wire size. A much more important area to consider is providing a good ground for your equipment.
the amp (....) is a Symphonic Line RG9 mkIII
Right. I once had a RG 10. The spkr cable I then chose was Nordost (the bluish-purple one). And single-core unshielded for my sources -- EXCEPT the TT of course.
Musicnoise,

An audiophile was being rushed to the hospital after a heart attack. The paramedics revived him in the ambulance. Firstly, when he woke up, he was extremely upset and said he would sue them for using an ordinary power cord on the defibrillator. Secondly, he made them turn around and go back to his home so he could bring his own set of power cords and cables to the hospital.
Musicnoise,

An audiophile was boarding a plane.

"Excuse me sir, but you will have to run that briefcase through the X-ray inspection machine."

... a moment later the secuity inspector frantically hits the emergency stop button on the X-ray machine, as he sees the audiophile lying down on the conveyer belt about to enter the machine.

"What are you doing - you can't put yourself through that machine. Just give me that suitcase and step through the metal detector over here."

"I can't, says the audiophile, it isn't a suitcase at all - it's the power conditioner for my pace maker!"