Most Beneficial Cable Upgrade

1. In my experience I'd stick with a family of cables. Purchase the same brand. To me the sound just becomes more cohesive.
2. I readily endorse cables made by Signal Cable, VH Audio or BPT Technology. Setting up your system with either one will give you great results. At Signal Cable call and talk with Frank, he will have specific recommendations based on your setup. At BPT call and talk with Chris he'll give you great recommendations too.
3. Don't fall into the trap of spending thousands of dollars on super expensive cables, not that I can't hear the difference, but you get so little improvement (let's agree on a different sound) from the super expensive cables vs. cables made by the above companies (there are other cable makers who make a great cable for little $$ too). I'd invest in a better preamp, speakers, CD player, or amps before spending thousands on cables.
4. Of course, cabling your system can make a big difference to the overall sonic signature, but purchasing well made, nuetral cables, and staying inside that cable family makes more sense than purchasing a hodge podge of expensive cables that really become expensive tone controls and I might add makes more sense than purchasing the hot "Cable of the Month".
Just my opinion of course,
Best listening,
Sgr

SGR,
Good advice.
The people at Nordost strongly advocate using one brand for cables (they call it the cable loom; how elegant). They even state that utilizing a single brand/type of cabling can be more important than the brand ustilized.

I am in the midst of doing a two part cable upgrade spread out over the next couple of months. Now when I visit Audiogon, and visit the cable sectiion (which I love to read by the way), I assume we are almost always talking about stereo rigs and not a HT set-up(a given in my mind).

I can tell you that in my set-up, I have two aftermarket power cords. One is connected to the pre/pro and one is connected to my Rega Saturn CDP. I can also tell you that when I made the change to the Rega it was obvious and for the better. I hate to use "the words" but for sure there was more detail and ever so much of just a touch of sweetness, maybe this is known at PRAT? Really, it was there and even before the cable was fully "burned-in". I think I noticed just a little less in the pre/pro but two things to consider, the cord I used on Rega was the next step up in the line for the brand and number two my pre/pro is probably the weak link in my chain and perhaps less up to such improvements?

I never did buy an upgraded cable for my HT amp which is fairly high quality for an HT amp. I just ordered one a couple of days ago finally and we will see what it does. It's a Simaudio Titan and I just have a feeling it probably will turn out to be the best upgrade of the three although it took me awhile to get to it. We shall see.

And on the subject of HT. That weak link pre/pro I mentioned(and not that it was bad at all) but is being replaced by what I think is a superior piece of gear. The Classe SSP-800. My real question is this. I have a fairly entry level IC from my current pre/pro to amp. I will be buying XLR as both the Classe and Titan can except XLR.

I take it I want to treat the Classe just like a high end CDP or pre/amp and buy the best XLR I can(in my price point) for the front three channels and I do believe I can step it way down for the rear two channels. I do not listen to multi-channel music. I am 2.1 or blu-ray concerts. I think the majority of my budget should be in the front three stage. Agreed? Do you folks put a lesser quality IC for the rear two?

Those of you who are lucky enough to have a nice stereo rig and a nice HT rig or those with a nice combined rig, do you place a high level on the ICs for the pre/pro like you might a stereo only rig? Blu-ray concerts are also important to me...

Thanks. And for the record I have Nordost Blue Heaven ICs and speaker cable and it sounds okay but perhaps it is on the thin side and this will be my first real big jump in cables. I will be connecting Dynaudio Confidence speakers, Classe SSP-800 pre/pro, Simaudio Titan amp and Rega Saturn CDP. Is there bias towards HT euipment and usage verses stereo only rigs in regards to cables?

I have some speaker cables coming from Cable Co to audition but the ICs will be in six to eight weeks or so. Speaking of which, ICs or speaker cable first in my situation? (-:

I will let you know how the amp cable upgrade goes.. Should be here a week or so..

Hope you stayed awake.... (-:

Rick

Nordost cables have a great rep. But others have remarked that with solid state, they might not be the best match having a "thin side" that works better with very full tube electronics.