RCA interconnect recommendation

The rule of thumb is 10 - 15% of total budget. But depends on your components. One thing I learned early on, with modest components, be careful of too transparent interconnects. My system didn't sound better with truly neutral interconnects until my components were at the $5K level. Before that slightly warm interconnects that would cover up some of the deficiencies in the components was helpful. My first jump into high end cables, Straight Wire... was a disaster. Highly reviewed cables, sounded terrible. Thirty years latter I pulled them out... they are simply fantastic... with the components I had then about $7K each... when you get to a certain level, you want transparency, but before that you want some protection. 

Look at Cardas and Wire World, other brands made of copper... maybe silver coated copper. Stay away from all silver. 

@millercarbon is quite right. An expensive interconnect can have a component level effect on a system. I have had three systems around for a long time. Occasionally I’ll swap some rediculously expensive cable into one of my less expensive systems, it might have big improvement, none, or sound simply atrocious. But typically a component needs to be of a very high sound quality before real positive results are gained.

As you obviously realized you can put a lot of effort put into assembling a good system. If you are willing to work like a mad man, you can assemble a great system for less money... but it takes tremendous effort. MC has put in the effort. But it takes effort and time... years learning how to listen, understanding sound, components, interactions. It is pretty easy in the beginning to make mistakes and get yourself into a negative feedback loop.

Hence, some basic rules of thumb can help. Hence, the idea of 10 - 15% investment in interconnects. The idea is you need a bit of guidance at the beginning. Plunking down $5K for interconnects for a $5K component is not something guaranteed to be a good investment. On the other hand some of the really inexpensive cables recommended here are also no better than what is supplied by the manufacturer. Until you really know what you are doing it is probably going to be true that putting an extra $5K into a well chosen component (valued at $5K) is a better investment than using that $5K in a set of interconnects. Typically a well chosen $10K component will sound far superior (big difference) to a equivalent $5K component.

The best strategy is to invest in the very best possible, compatible components. Get to know them intimately, inside and out... while saving money (for the next phase of the process). Then look for and evaluate interconnects and cables... this is a very time consuming ( and fun... hopefully) process. Then tweak... isolation, power cords, etc. if you try to do too icy at once it becomes really confusing... especially if new to this. I have spent literally thousands of hours evaluation components, interconnects and tweaks over the last 50 years... so has MC.

I have also swapped an expensive cable into a system and literally have a jaw dropping, component level change in the sound... but that is not the most common change.

OP.   "It's a curious problem of "you don't know until you know" sort of thing.""
 

This is so true! But also one of the things truly wonderful about high end audio... there is virtually no end to it... the more effort you put into it the better it sounds. A pursuit of constant discovery.

Cool. The sound more relaxed or laid back is a thing. Remember interconnects can take a hundred or more hours to break in. Typically they will sound bright with less bass and a bit unnatural at first. As they break in they get more natural sounding, less bright. Also good interconnects typically will make the biggest difference on the lower standard signal (Phonostage), but of course will have large impacts on all components.

@smaarch1

One of the attributes of components and of a system which I found really really difficult to manage is adding too much highlighted detail so one’s system brings out flaws. High lighted detail can be very rewarding when listening to your system but gets in the way of listening to music. I got a pretty good handle on it about 20 years ago when I had a system I called my “reference system”. The difference in venue and mastering techniques were in my face… I enjoyed getting lost in the space” of a symphony hall, but it got in the way of falling into the music. This was not an ear bleed system at all. But poor recordings were emphasized as poor recordings.

I found that reading through professional reviews I could actually figure out if the component was going to enhance or detract from this tendency. Over the time since when I have upgraded components my system has improved detail and nuance and lot it’s unnatural emphasis highlighting detail. So all recordings sound better. It took me thirty years to figure this out and how to manage it. But it has been very worthwhile.

Hopefully, this is useful for you to think about. But, the good news, I think, is that the difference you describe sounds like new cables, and if interconnects have only a couple dozen hours on them, making bad albums sound worse will probably go away as the break in.

This attribute in combination with the desire to enhance rhythm and pace is what component by component led me to Audio Reseach tubed equipment. The music first with the detail in realistic and natural emphasis.