[nicoliani]

Maybe the gain is not so significant going from 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm soundcard/amplifier to phono to phono.
Yet in my soundcard I only have 3.5 mm so I'm using a 3.5 mm to phono cable (soundcard/amplifier).
Does this mean that I could just as well gone 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm because if the phono cable is going to be any good, it needs to be phono to phono all the way, or it doesn't matter that much that the source is 3.5 mm?

 

[Nickum32]

It shouldn't matter too much the connectors of your cable. What really matters is the quality cable and connectors on the end. And you said it yourself, 3.5 is only so good, and the phono is probably better, which means your limiting factor is the 3.5 plug.

 

[DrGroove]

It doesn't matter