I have to agree to a point with Jadem6.Maybe not 50% but more around 25%,this is really dependant on your system.My current home theater/2ch setup is not as my friends 2ch tube only rig.Spikes,sorbathane,and well broke in cables can seem like an entire component upgrade.1/16 of an inch seems a bit extreme but to each their own I guess.I don't know what the hell those other guys are talking about.
How important is tuning?
I had a reciever NAD(25W) and I was playing my music on a Phillips DVD I also had JMlab speakers. I did not like how it sounded it was sharp and edgy. Psychicanimal brought me some cords which he called "tuned", a PS Audio Juice bar, and some sort of cones for the DVD that mad a incredible improvement. The sound was so smooth your ear could not get tired of listening to it. The question is, Is knowing how to "tune the equipment" more important than buying all the expensive things out there??