Long interconnects or speaker cables?

I recently went from 1M interconnects (IC's) and 7' speaker cables to 8' IC's and 18" speaker cables (using monoblocks, not an option for you, I realize). The improvement was huge and the IC and speaker cables were the same models, the only difference was the lengths. I think this will be the advice you get from just about everyone: long IC's and short speaker cables. How short can you make the speaker cables? Whatever you can do to get their length down will pay off, especially since you're not trying to use a passive preamp or direct drive from a digital source, which MIGHT cause a problem for long IC's.

With long ICs you tend to pick up more grain than with short ICs, less so with balanced ICs. With long speaker cables you tend to lose immediacy and soundstage size compared with short speaker cables. You will also hear more of the speaker cable's "sound" the more of it is used (not so noticeable with ICs). On balance the preferable trade off is long ICs and short speaker cables, as Tom_nice says, but is usually more expensive (ie. an extra foot of interconnect is usually dearer than an extra foot of speaker cable, at similar quality levels). Be sure you take the time to get an interconnect you really like since that is where your money will be going.

Redkiwi's description the long IC/short speaker cable or vice versa issue is the most tersely eloquent summary I've encountered and I thank him for that. I'd only add that the preamp section of the B-60 outputs more than enough voltage for 8 or 20 foot interconnects. Cheers, Joel.

Tom with what brand of cables did you experience that? Curious, because if you're using network-terminated cables (Transparent, MIT) the deleterious effects of cable-lengths is supposedly compensated (I was told). Could be true? Anyway, if using a passive preamp, then long interconnects are a problem at least from my experience. YMMV

Short speaker cables help retain the micro information or the ambiance of the recording. Use long good quality interconnects with short top quality speaker cables. I have 1m50 Wireworld Eclipse III speaker cables and a run of 5 meter-long Wireworld Equinox III interconnect.