where to invest???

As attractive as is 'tastier toast' actually is, just how did it do with the clothes dryer? if it thereafter precludes the need for fabric softener sheets... Why the savings there, alone would pay for it!

Power cords and power line filters or conditioners, such as a twin outlet Hydra, or perhaps better still, Ps Audio Duet or UPC 200.

herbies Audio too offers some viable inexpensive solutions, though I do get better results with Bright Star compliant nodes, if you are thinking Big Fat dots and the like.

Small wood blocks of varying tuypes also contribute to isolation and promote different aspects of the general character of the system's sonics.

Albeit, following the implementation of some power cable of line considerations, I'd suggest a good component rack.

Naturally, these measures translate to other components you may upgrade too eventually.

Thereafter play with signal cables, as you will have addressed, to some degree more or less, those things which are most subtractive to system performance... vibration and dirty power.

Because it's a 'system', addressing the foundation (s) or fundamentals, initially, always seemed the best approach to me. Certainly, there are other paths, but that's how I've done all of my rig building efforts... after I saw first hand their importance. Previously, I didn't believe any of this stuff... then I tried some of the suggestions provided by others here at Audiogon, and found out this most valid thought... "Everything makes a difference!"

Then of course, you get to judge if that difference is better or not... and nearly everything available is capable of providing you a 'different' sound.

Welcome... and good luck

thank you gentlemen, so i gather vibration and AC purification are more fundamnetal to good performance than cabling, at this point in the systems life? i do, supposedly, have dedicated lines. but who knows what the electricians really did. whether they took the time to follow my instructions or not i cannot tell because i was not home while the work was done and these particular guys cut a few corners in other areas.
thank you all again.

Tweeks can definitely improve a system. You can spend a lot of money on tweeks, sometimes at the expense of component up grades.
You can tweek a VW Beetle, you can tweek a rolls Royce. At the end of the day, you still have a VW or a Rolls.
The beginning and the end of your chain have the biggest influence on your system.
Garbage in, garbage out applies in both directions. Build your system the way you want, then tweek, tweek tweek!

I have had poor results with "audiophile approved" power conditioners that one plugs into the wall and then their component into the conditioner. There was always a change, however, there was always a change for the worse. There may have been a wider soundstage, but decreased dynamics as an example. I am therefore going straight into the wall. The use of better power cords however, made a huge difference. ALL power cords sound different in my system...even different on different components from the same manufacturer. My suggestion is that you search for the cord that works in your system on the component that is specifically used. As an example, I am using Accrolink with Oyeida plugs on my Ayre C5xe, and Accrolink with Furutech F1 plugs on my Ayre V1xe amp. If I switch the cords, there is a definite loss of detail, and soundstage. The Environmental Protection gizmo provided a slight increase in clarity and soundstage with its protection, yet has no ill effects that I can hear.