Componets first, cables second?

+++ it appears that for analog audio applications (at audio frequencies), wire capacitance and inductance are generally regarded as being so small as to be unimportant and can be ignored. +++

Wow, so rolling off high frequencies and bass AND inducing phase distortion is regarded as unimportant?

Add to that lack of shielding that causes the lost of low level signals.

Now why would an audiophile be concerned over something as trivial as that ... I wonder?

+++ furthermore, most electronics is designed to be insensitive to these small variations in typical wire parameters. +++

Yes, most (audio) electronics are sold at retailers like K Mart and Best Buy to individuals who wouldn't know the difference between a soprano and an Italian hitman.

But to your point, the electronics are generally insensitive to typical wire parameters. Unfortunately the signal traveling through the wire is highly sensitive to them.

If you use an inferior front end, for example a $200 CDP, you will have no problem as there will be no low level signal in the cable to start with. If you had anything resembling a decent front end, cable would make a huge difference. You should try it one day.

+++ Surely this would make wire so crucial that equipment manufacturers would publish formulas or guidelines for calculating the correct length and type cable necessary for each type of component being connected.+++

You mean companies like Krell, Coincident, Graham, Cardas, VPI, Zu Audio, Goertz, Van den Hul? Gee, you never heard of them?

+++ The absence of strict well accepted guidelines suggests that either blah blah +++

There is no absence of accepted guidelines Shadorne, you just happen not to know about them.

But the issue at hand is really that in spite of that fact that you have spent a bundle on your equipment, you aren't an audiophile. I have many friends with similar outlook as you (and no issues with that); they like music as much as I do, but they just do not listen to music with the same critical ear as I do (or as most other posters on this board do). A $250 CD jukebox will simply not extract the level of detail that warrant good cabling or power conditioning. I just shudder if I think of the myriad of nasty components used to build a CDP like that. Yech.

So you are 100% correct; good high quality cables will make very little difference to your system. It is so full of cheap and nasty components that a cheap and nasty cable will make no difference. Where you are 100% wrong is thinking that that is the hallmark of a good system. It is actually the hallmark of a K Mart system.

Regards
Paul

paul: here is a term for you and your more money = audiophile notion:
A-hole-ophile.

experience is the best teacher.

there are some threads that are enlightening for many reasons.

there are others which serve no useful purpose.
asking for opinions is not a substitute for learning through one's own efforts.

requesting opinions concerning what is the best preamp, cd player, amp under $2000, etc., does not substitute for doing the hard work which will ultimately provide the answer for oneself.

i don't think any of my comments are insulting or belittling.
i am just speaking from my own personal experience and observation.

here is an example of my approach.

i am currently trying to decide whether to purchase a raysonic 128, having auditioned a 168, which was not to my taste. i would not ask the question:

is the 128 better than the 168 ?

i might ask owners of the 128 about their experiences with the 128.

"i might ask owners of the 128 about their experiences with the 128"

And if there were other tennis's around, they'd tell you to stop asking stupid and rhetorical questions and turn the thing on, determine whether you like it out and stop wasting everyones time.

Hopefully, others would reasonably politely say tennis is a twit, and just share their experiences.

Really - if the question and answers being asked here (and I see you saying the same thing in three different threads), aren't up to your high and mighty standards, then go somewhere else!

Mariaspl.: In the 1960's people played their music through vintage tube amps and ESL 57's and they were using... zip chord for interlinks and power cords. The sound was simply glorious! Better than many of today's gears, even with the ultra expensive cables. So what do you think?
P.S.: I'm not saying that cables aren't important.

Chris