Good and bad w/ replacing stock preamp jumpers?


In the past several days I replaced the stock preamp jumpers on my integrated ($2800 retail) with aftermarket jumpers. I was told once by an audiophile he felt that removing the stock jumpers on my integrated (the amp in question was an expensive one-$5k) for aftermarket jumpers can change the tonal balance of an integrated, thus changing the designers intended sonic presentation. What are your thoughts on this? What's your experience with aftermarket jumpers? Also, aren't the preamp jumpers perfoming the same function as interconnects do between a separate preamplifier and separate power amp? And if they are, why do most of these manufacturers use cheap pieces of metal to connect an integrated's preamp to amp? This occurs even in some of the better more expensive integrateds? Why not provide a quality connection that could conceivably improve the sonics of the unit? I've read where audiophiles with integrateds routinely replace these cheap metal jumpers with a quality interconnect and gain improvements. It makes no sense that a manufacturer spends the money on R&D to build a quality integrated with quality parts and then compromises it with a poor quality connection between the preamp and amp when there is all this hubbub in audiophilia about better and more exotic interconnects that will take your system to the next level. If the quality of interconnects are considered by almost everyone in the audio world to be so vital to an audio systems performace why is the quality of the preamp jumper no less important? Or am I way off base here? Thanks for your perspective.
foster_9
My guess is because the electrical or conductive properties of cables are measured by the running foot, once the connection length becomes about an inch the properties become a non-issue. But I do understand the temptation to mess about with something so user accessible when, if it weren't more difficult, changing the connectors, wiring and circuit board components might also pose similar improvement opportunities.
So, Foster9, did the aftermarket jumpers improve your setup? I don't see anything in your post stating one way or the other.

I can vouch that even on my NAD 7140 receiver ($400 retail) replacing the cheap u-shaped wire jumpers with good short interconnects completely changed the tonal balance of the rig, and all for the good.

Perhaps it's just a ploy to sell more interconnects...
What? And kill the audio aftermarket? Same applies for automobiles. Yes, I agree with you but why should audio companies pony up for more expensive cabling when chances are you will? If you're willing to lay down $2,800 for the integrated you will more than likely spend $65 for quality jumpers. www.dedicatedaudio.com/jumpers
I replaced the stock wires between pre & power sections in my Nu-Vista integrated..
About 5 inches of custom made KCAG with Eichmann Silver bullets gave a huge leap in transparency & detail and took the amp to an altogether higher level.
Si
For me, it seems as though there has been a sonic improvement since I replaced the stock jumpers; not as much as I hoped however.