Which Cables Are of Most Importance?

"In the big picture, the umbilical cable is the maost important to a mammal."
Only in Red China! LOL!

I'll drink to that. Happy New Year to all !

Marakanetz, What's your point?

Everyone's system and ears are different. Here's my hierarchy...

Interconnects
Power Cables
Speaker Cables

Not much experience with HDMI, so no comments either way.

I've found the biggest difference maker in speaker cables is the length. I had to have 30 feet runs in a previous system due to layout. When I moved, I still had that length for 3 months or so (had higher priorities and I just wanted to relax and listen whenever I had the chance). I left the speakers where they were and cut the cables to 8 feet. Huge difference. And these were cables that were designed for long runs - Canare 4S11.

I've tried other speaker cables in the system since, and they made a difference, but very small. Not near the differences I've heard from interconnects and power cables.

Just reporting what I've observed.

My guess is that it would vary from system to system. I personally have noted the biggest differences with ic's and speaker cables. Power cables do make a difference but I note the improvement in the better ones in lowering the noise floor of the system not in any substantive way in the manner of a good ic or speaker cable. ICs and speaker cables have more impact on different parameters of the presentation although in many cases, most I would say, the differences can be quite subtle. YMMV. HDMI, no experience with them. I do agree with Elizabeth though, the umbilical is the most important.