One Super high end cable or mid level set?

This is a very very tough question to answer, simply because the answer would vary from one cable to other and from one system to other. But I would still like to give you an answer.

If you know of a cable which is really special in your system, get it. In all probability the cable would be either a digital cable or an analog IC between your CDP and preamp. Most of the magic occurs only at such early stages of signal reproduction. We are not talking about speaker cables here, just interconnects. So, get that special cable even if it is very expensive. For the rest of the system use some decent neutral copper cables which do not harm much even they may not be anything special (something like the Audionote Lexus). In my experience the magic has already been brought into the system by that one "super" cable and you are definitely hearing a good 75-80% of the magic even with the decent inexpensive cable if not 100%.

Second case, if you split up the money in equal halves and buy two or three average to good cables, the chances of getting the same % of the magic is very very low. It is simple. The magic was because of that one extraordinary cable (you can call it high quality synergy) which is extremely difficult to replicate with a different and that too lesser cable.

In summary, if you do not know of any high-end cable which you think is amazing in your system, you may want to experiment with both the approaches. But in case, you are lucky enough to know that one great cable which does amazing things in your system, go for it. Balance the rest of the system with something that you can afford.

Pani - Your response makes no sense to me. Let me explain.

Assuming a CD player outputs a perfect signal via a perfect cable, that signal is going to be processed in a pre-amp and sent via an 80% "perfect" cable to the amplifier. I don't understand how the second cable would be any less important than the first as it would be the limiting factor. The only way to justify that a cable sound better, rather than different, is to assume that it somehow carries more or more detailed information that would be filtered out in the second cable. Obviously, the better the signal at any one stage the better the end result, but I don't see how one super cable could really make a significant difference beyond the bling knowledge.

I'm certainly not an expert, it just doesn't make sense to me.

Mceljo, you tried to be too analytical of the situation and hence used maths to evaluate the situation.

On the contrary audio is not just about science and maths, a large part of it is ART. There are many aspects of audio which is intangible and cannot be calculated, measured or justified by science because music touches your senses directly and how it is evaluated after that is totally ART.

I would answer your post in two parts, 1st will be scientific and 2nd would be non-scientific.

1. To answer your question using basic maths and science, the signal that travels between the CDP and the preamp is extremely low level, a slight contamination to this signal is actually big change in terms of % of change. Moreover it will go through two levels of amplification (preamp and power amp) so the change is also amplified and in turn magnified to make a huge impact to the final sound. It is a big challenge for the interconnect to carry such valuable low level signal maintaining all its integrity.
However the signal from preamp to power amp is already amplified and is a high level signal (relatively). The effect of contamination is much lower because the % change compared to the full signal is lower and also there is one less level of magnification i.e the power amp. So the overall impact is much much lower. Hence the compromise at this level will not be as drastic as the interconnect at the first level (cdp to preamp).

2. Coming to the non-scientific explanation. So, you said "assuming that the CDP gives out a perfect signal", my first question would be, how do you know what a perfect signal sounds like ? For example, one interconnect may sound extremely holographic with precise imaging of instruments with nice detailing and tones While another interconnect may bring in amazing body to the instruments, great tones, warm, open airy stage but little less detail and little less precise imaging. Tell me which one is right ? Meaning which is the sound that mimics the CDP's perfect signal more ? Very difficult to say right ? Basically we do not know.
All we know, is the signature sound that appeals to our senses more. When you hear that signature you call it MAGIC!! That is the magic I was talking about in my previous post. Even our equipments are bought with that very same magic in mind. Unfortunately cables play a big role in deciding the final sound (considering you have a revealing enough system). Hence one needs to extend his search for that magic even with cables. Now, the effect of the first interconnect in the chain is the most drastic. It decides the signature of the system by a large extent. So, if you know of a cable which brings in that magic to your system, buy it if you can. The second cable may reduce/change the effect by an extent but you still get a good part of that signature sound. Sometimes it so happens that it is a combination of two cables which brings that magic in but that is a different situation.
So, it is not really just detail, dynamics or staging, it is a complete presentation that one looks for and that if one cable is able to lock-in in your system, get it.

For me I opted for a "mid level" set of ICs all round for peace of mind and balance all around. If I had one REALLY good and expensive set of cables I'd always be wondering about the lesser quality ICs in my set-up and the impact to sound they may or may not be having.

Pani,

Your "scientific" explaination makes sense to me. I wasn't thinking about the reletive magnitudes of the signals at different points in the system. It would seem that if it does actually make as much difference as you suggest that having IC specifically designed for each application would make sense and would certainly sell to people that have more money than synergy.

I'll probably be a bit skeptical of the difference in sound simply from chaning IC's, but admittedly have not heard an A/B and might be surprised.

All cables have some level of loss in the signal so it's really about purchasing cables that eliminate the part of the signal that you prefer to have missing. Cables cannot add information so the only explaination for any change in sound is a loss. It's a necessary evil.