How good does my system have to be to realize an improvement with cables?

@lanx0003 Absolutely agree with you!

The only reason I even tried another Kimber Kable item was because customer service was very good.  

I think it'a also important to take into account that many brands/models of cables will lose little or no value over a few years, and can either be sold or grow with your system...Kimber 8TC or 12TC are a great example...

I have a 2.5k cable on a realistic receiver from the 70s. The difference in sound quality is mind blowing. Smokes my buddies 40k gryphon system. 

@stevewharton - I used all Blue Jeans Cables for a long time because they are very well made, affordable, and they are fairly local for me so overnight delivery is almost the standard.

I was surprised at the difference (improvement to my ears) that I heard between the BJC LC-1 ($50) and the Audioquest Chicago ($100) and then Sydney ($200).

Or put a different way How would you know if your cables are your weakest link?

Start with the cheapest Best Buy cables and if the expensive ones make no difference, then job done.

It is pretty easy to spend more than 10% even doing DIY cables, on gear that is not super expensive. I must have spent over $1000 on cables an ICs between the wire and the ends in the last couple of years… and that was for DIY cables. Easy to do ~$40-50 on a DIY IC, and more if one is using silver wire instead of Mogami or Cardas etc. wire.

Usually I have found that moving the speakers a few inches makes more of a difference than I have noticed with cables.

I’d likely buy BlueJeans if I did not have a soldering iron.

Wouldn't that $200 be better spent on a better component? 

Bingo!
We have a winner.