I recently went from 1M interconnects (IC's) and 7' speaker cables to 8' IC's and 18" speaker cables (using monoblocks, not an option for you, I realize). The improvement was huge and the IC and speaker cables were the same models, the only difference was the lengths. I think this will be the advice you get from just about everyone: long IC's and short speaker cables. How short can you make the speaker cables? Whatever you can do to get their length down will pay off, especially since you're not trying to use a passive preamp or direct drive from a digital source, which MIGHT cause a problem for long IC's.
Long interconnects or speaker cables?
I've just purchased a new amp and may need to reconfigure my listening room and I'm wondering, which is better a long interconnect run and short speaker cables or the opposite? I'm running the preamp out jacks of a Bryston B-60 into a conrad-johnson premiere 11a.