Interconnect downstream flow

My question revolves around interconnect prioritization. My bias would be to put the best interconnect from the souce, (CD player) to the pre-amnp and the lesser interconnect from the pre-amp to the amplifier. Obviously I can switch myself and listen but was looking for rationale as to why one placement would be be stonger than the other. I'd love to have the same cables all around but I have to build up one set at a time so in the meantime would be interested in where others place their strongest performing cable. In this case it's the Audience AU 24 and the Audience Maestro.

Thanks