Setting a budget

[soundbuff]

Does it make sense to set an overall budget for a power chords, speaker and interconnect etc. In a sense I am settled with my present set up, at least for now, but I have not paid much attention to the 'wires'. For one thing they are all from different manufacturers, and at different price points, and bought at different times. Some of the interconnects are even 20 years old.The interconnects are in the price range of 5 to 6 K, the speaker wires again about the same and the power chords also about the same. I would have spent about 25-30 K over all for all of that. My set up, comprising a CD transport, a DAC, a Turntable, a stage, a fairly powerful amp running in Class A and decent floor standing, and an expensive power conditioner stack up in cost to about ten lakhs. What kind of budget would I need to set for a set up like this. As of now it is a hypothetical question, but it need not remain one.
I would need the following
1. Power chord from wall to conditiner ( 1.5m)
2. Power chord from conditioner to amp (1m)
3. power chord from conditioner to DAC (1.m)
4. Power chord from Conditioner to CD Transport (1m)
(Thats a lot of power chords so we can leave the turntable and phono stage alone since that is not my primary source)
5. Connection from CDT to DAC
6. interconnect from DAC to power amp.
7. Speaker cable from amp to speakers.

How should I proceed? Buy a bunch of power cables connect everything up and then move to the interconnects and speaker cable, or the other way round.

 

[Nikhil]

Going by price comparison is unreliable unless you have a valid reference point.

I have found using a basis like material used in the cable design is a better approach.
Some of us are exploring a pure copper cable with different gauges (12 AWG, 16 AWG etc)
A vintage cable approach using Tinned Copper has rich tone and texture.
The gauge of speaker, power and IC cables all affect the sound.

Depending on which cable you use - the price points can vary drastically.
But the sound quality does not always follow the price.

I am using Western Electric cables in my Power Cord (WE 10 AWG) and Speaker Cable (WE 12AWG).
IC cables are Belden 8402. All are based on the vintage Tinned Copper approach.



.

 

[soundbuff]

I was thinking of eventually getting a 'loom' as they say from one manufacturer. It probably amounts to something like what you are suggesting. As of now, I have a heady mixture of various brands. Not sure what the material differences between the different components are.

Thanks for your response.