Rule number 1 in audio: No component or cable downstream from the signal can make up for any problems that are in the signal.
Basically a general system signal path is the following:
Power
Source + AC cord
IC from source to preamp
Preamplifier + AC cord
IC from preamp to amp
Amplifier + AC cord
Speaker cable
Speakers
I use Component + AC cord because in reality, a component's sound has the sonic signature of it in addition to the cord you plug it in with.
Thus, if you have bad power, this will not be able to be fixed by any component down the signal path.
If your Source + AC cord has problems, you cannot correct them downstream.
Etc... etc...
In general the more transparent a system is, the more it will be affected by any one degradation in the signal path. I can make my system sound absolutely horrible changing out just one AC cord.
Some people claim that cables make little to no difference in audio. I respond to them, you have not heard your system entirely hooked up with excellent cables and AC cords. Then try changing out one of the cords or cables.
These rules being laid out, I would consider (if you have good power) to upgrade you power cables 1st. You probably will not believe the sonics one can obtain from great AC cords. Next upgrade IC. And lastly upgrade speaker cables. This is effectively starting upgrading upstream then working your way down.
Cables and cords are notoriously the most neglected components in many systems. I personally would rather have a $30k system that had great cables in it than a $200k system that used awful cabling.
KF
Basically a general system signal path is the following:
Power
Source + AC cord
IC from source to preamp
Preamplifier + AC cord
IC from preamp to amp
Amplifier + AC cord
Speaker cable
Speakers
I use Component + AC cord because in reality, a component's sound has the sonic signature of it in addition to the cord you plug it in with.
Thus, if you have bad power, this will not be able to be fixed by any component down the signal path.
If your Source + AC cord has problems, you cannot correct them downstream.
Etc... etc...
In general the more transparent a system is, the more it will be affected by any one degradation in the signal path. I can make my system sound absolutely horrible changing out just one AC cord.
Some people claim that cables make little to no difference in audio. I respond to them, you have not heard your system entirely hooked up with excellent cables and AC cords. Then try changing out one of the cords or cables.
These rules being laid out, I would consider (if you have good power) to upgrade you power cables 1st. You probably will not believe the sonics one can obtain from great AC cords. Next upgrade IC. And lastly upgrade speaker cables. This is effectively starting upgrading upstream then working your way down.
Cables and cords are notoriously the most neglected components in many systems. I personally would rather have a $30k system that had great cables in it than a $200k system that used awful cabling.
KF