I think that the most important factor isn't the quality of the cables and housings as much as the installation. Mainly, make sure you don't have any burrs where you've cut the housing.
If your front derailleur seems harder to shift up than you think it should, look at where the cable attaches. Often there is a little finger right in cable route. It's important the cable is routed OVER that finger. It changes the angle of leverage and makes a huge difference.
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My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.