Well, figured I would use the British words but okay cable. I will argue that the bass has less to do then we all wish. Marcus, Victor, Jaco, dUG, and so many more use separate pre-amps. Heck, Marcus pretty much was the poster child for the pre. So then is the tone the bass ir the pre?
Cabs and amps can really color your tone. Hartke is known for its mid scoop. Markbass has its "darker" tonality. Ampeg has its "classic" tonality. Play a p bass through each of them set with all the knobs at noon and it will sound different.
But I hope my bigger point rings true. Investing more in your amp/pre/cabs makes a lot of sense and will mean more to your sound then the same investment in an instrument.