I can tell you unequivocally, without any reservations, that you should definitely use cables.
Most things after that are going to be personal preference or budget. I once had a salesman suggest a cable that cost more than the component it was connecting. It may have been phenomenal, but I could never bring myself to even try it. And just because you set an arbitrary budget doesn’t mean there isn’t an acceptable or even preferable option at a fraction of the price. I imagine a lot of people have a box full of “okay” cables that they don’t use anymore. I know I’m starting to accumulate a few. Maybe your ears or your system aren’t resolving enough to make a difference apparent. And that’s okay. Maybe you’ll feel better about it if you spend a little more or get a deal. That’s okay, too.
People will offer recommendations of what worked for them in their systems. They may or may not have ever tried other options. Best suggestion I’ve read above was to pick a price point first, and then try a few cables if you can return the ones you don’t like. If I had done that I wouldn’t have so many spare cables.
Most things after that are going to be personal preference or budget. I once had a salesman suggest a cable that cost more than the component it was connecting. It may have been phenomenal, but I could never bring myself to even try it. And just because you set an arbitrary budget doesn’t mean there isn’t an acceptable or even preferable option at a fraction of the price. I imagine a lot of people have a box full of “okay” cables that they don’t use anymore. I know I’m starting to accumulate a few. Maybe your ears or your system aren’t resolving enough to make a difference apparent. And that’s okay. Maybe you’ll feel better about it if you spend a little more or get a deal. That’s okay, too.
People will offer recommendations of what worked for them in their systems. They may or may not have ever tried other options. Best suggestion I’ve read above was to pick a price point first, and then try a few cables if you can return the ones you don’t like. If I had done that I wouldn’t have so many spare cables.