Mr. Lin
Lunatic Member
I started with interconnects and that's probably a good idea, but it can get expensive. Start at source-to-preamp (or whatever) first, but play around.
But please keep the following in mind because I believe, now more than ever, that it's an approach that can really kick one's audio systems performance up to a new level:
Entex in my experience upgraded power cables seem to usually benefit those things with heftier power supplies, like amps and preamps, to a greater degree, as you've already guessed. However, I do not believe this is simply a matter of larger-gauge-is-more-better, as one might understandably presume. But keep in mind it's not only amps that have big-arse power supplies. For example, I have a CD player with a toroidal transformer in it that's significantly bigger than the one in my 50 wpc NAD 326BEE integrated amp, and so I always make sure it has one of my better power cables on it (and I have tried the "lesser" ones on that CD player because, well you know what they say about assumption).
Anyway let me sum this up a bit for you, and make the whole thing even simpler: buy a nice entry-level cable - the Shunyata Venom 3 seems to be universally loved at ~$125 per meter and a half, so I'd strongly consider that first - and then experiment. Switch it around, you might be surprised. Expect your amps to benefit the most but don't be surprised if that's not the case.
The important thing, IMO, is that you're taking steps towards re-cabling your hi-fi system, and even without going nuts (I personally don't think buying several $100 power cables for a decent audio system is nuts at all if you can afford it), it will provide your system with a very solid foundation you can build on over time if you choose. And that's why I feel the importance of cables in an audio system is more often than not under-valued.
Next: What are you plugging everything into? Is it a typical Home Depot-type surge protector outlet? Consider replacing it. Power conditioners are controversial (what isn't?), and from all I've tried and read about, it seems the less expensive ones tend to limit dynamics, and so you have a trade-off, but a considerable one.
The best thing I ever did with my current system was to replace my Monster brand power conditioning outlet center (and they aren't really that bad) with a PS Audio Juice Bar II outlet center, which is connected to an Oyaide wall outlet by a Shunyata Diamondback power cable (now discontinued and replaced by the aforementioned Venom 3).
Forget the outlet thing for a minute. The Juice Bar is one of those less-is-more components. No surge protection, no conditioning, just copper buss bars and internal contacts which grip the power cord plugs much more tightly than they normally would be. It's meant to be like an extension of the wall outlet, in the most literal sense, by which I mean, you're supposed to be plugging your components directly into the wall outlet (by this school of thought). For me, going this route was one of those "Holy sh*t!" moments; the music now flows more easily, and thus sounds so much more natural. Unlike most cable upgrades (IME), this was a very, very noticeable change for the better.
So consider perhaps upgrading a power cable now, maybe another down the road, and then keep in mind this: the wall outlet and/or your power "strip" is the point at which your audio system components are connected to the power supply of your house - whatever that is, at that point. This is my response to the inevitable reply I get over and over and over here and elsewhere: "Well then you might as well replace all the wiring in the house and the miles of wire to the power station." I think that's a case of erroneous perspective. Where power cords and power outlet centers are concerned, IMO (based on experience with these things), it's all about that point of connection between the component and the wall. Things that get in the way, well, get in the way.
These things are the very foundation of your audio setup and should not be underestimated just because they seem counter-intuitive, or because no one has yet shown satisfactory measurements confirming the differences many of us hear (they will soon, I believe, because it must be true that everything we hear can be measured, whether or not we know how to do so just yet).
Please let me know if any of this is unclear, or if it raises other questions.
But please keep the following in mind because I believe, now more than ever, that it's an approach that can really kick one's audio systems performance up to a new level:
Entex in my experience upgraded power cables seem to usually benefit those things with heftier power supplies, like amps and preamps, to a greater degree, as you've already guessed. However, I do not believe this is simply a matter of larger-gauge-is-more-better, as one might understandably presume. But keep in mind it's not only amps that have big-arse power supplies. For example, I have a CD player with a toroidal transformer in it that's significantly bigger than the one in my 50 wpc NAD 326BEE integrated amp, and so I always make sure it has one of my better power cables on it (and I have tried the "lesser" ones on that CD player because, well you know what they say about assumption).
Anyway let me sum this up a bit for you, and make the whole thing even simpler: buy a nice entry-level cable - the Shunyata Venom 3 seems to be universally loved at ~$125 per meter and a half, so I'd strongly consider that first - and then experiment. Switch it around, you might be surprised. Expect your amps to benefit the most but don't be surprised if that's not the case.
The important thing, IMO, is that you're taking steps towards re-cabling your hi-fi system, and even without going nuts (I personally don't think buying several $100 power cables for a decent audio system is nuts at all if you can afford it), it will provide your system with a very solid foundation you can build on over time if you choose. And that's why I feel the importance of cables in an audio system is more often than not under-valued.
Next: What are you plugging everything into? Is it a typical Home Depot-type surge protector outlet? Consider replacing it. Power conditioners are controversial (what isn't?), and from all I've tried and read about, it seems the less expensive ones tend to limit dynamics, and so you have a trade-off, but a considerable one.
The best thing I ever did with my current system was to replace my Monster brand power conditioning outlet center (and they aren't really that bad) with a PS Audio Juice Bar II outlet center, which is connected to an Oyaide wall outlet by a Shunyata Diamondback power cable (now discontinued and replaced by the aforementioned Venom 3).
Forget the outlet thing for a minute. The Juice Bar is one of those less-is-more components. No surge protection, no conditioning, just copper buss bars and internal contacts which grip the power cord plugs much more tightly than they normally would be. It's meant to be like an extension of the wall outlet, in the most literal sense, by which I mean, you're supposed to be plugging your components directly into the wall outlet (by this school of thought). For me, going this route was one of those "Holy sh*t!" moments; the music now flows more easily, and thus sounds so much more natural. Unlike most cable upgrades (IME), this was a very, very noticeable change for the better.
So consider perhaps upgrading a power cable now, maybe another down the road, and then keep in mind this: the wall outlet and/or your power "strip" is the point at which your audio system components are connected to the power supply of your house - whatever that is, at that point. This is my response to the inevitable reply I get over and over and over here and elsewhere: "Well then you might as well replace all the wiring in the house and the miles of wire to the power station." I think that's a case of erroneous perspective. Where power cords and power outlet centers are concerned, IMO (based on experience with these things), it's all about that point of connection between the component and the wall. Things that get in the way, well, get in the way.
These things are the very foundation of your audio setup and should not be underestimated just because they seem counter-intuitive, or because no one has yet shown satisfactory measurements confirming the differences many of us hear (they will soon, I believe, because it must be true that everything we hear can be measured, whether or not we know how to do so just yet).
Please let me know if any of this is unclear, or if it raises other questions.
Unless you're into hum; it's very possible this could work if the lp being played is some type of medieval chant. 
ara: In this application, heavy shielding is critical and it should therefore follow (if I assume my opinions about audio cables are true outside my brain) that higher quality cables in all sorts of other ways will be better in this situation.
