Cables Are Crazy, what do you think?

You will run into many in life that choose to remain ignorant, rather than admit they are wrong.

Exactly my point. Both points of view see the other as ignorant and there is a simple explanation for the divergence.

The scientist likely knows enough basics about analog audio and audio electronic design standards to know that if a change in speaker cable makes a big difference then something is incorrect about the equipment design, quality or choice of equipment. (for instance...coupling a low impedance complex speaker load to an underpowered or unstable amplifier that is struggling to drive the load correctly. A situation where there are likely issues whichever cable is used and with audible differences in distortion that occur due to small variations in music and volume levels)

In the above, the non-scientist quite logically ascribes any observed differences to what has physically been changed - so the "new sound properties" are immediately attributed to the new speaker cable versus the old one. This seems quite sensible unless one is aware that the way equipment performs when connected (consistently or not in response to slight changes) is almost entirely determined by the equipment design/selection rather than something as basic as the wire connection between them. Generally appropriate design and equipment matching will normally minimize wire differences and changes due to slight volume variations to the point of insignificance.

So, as you can see, both points of view are correct depending on "where" you attribute audible differences. One says "Gee my amp and speakers don't work well together - even the slightest change in a wire causes large audible differences". The other says "Gee, WOW, AWESOME this speaker cable is detailed, brighter and has much more PRAT then the my old one.".

Both are right in their own way.

Shadorne,
there is only one truth and many, many
uneducated opinions and fake claims.
White is white & black is black .
No grey or anything else in between.

If you don't think it is mental ,
try to dress the future bride
in the most expensive black dress.
Or,
try to sell a $20 IC, PC or speaker cable in plain,ugly jacket........it doesn't
matter that this cable is as neutral,
transparent, without coloration as it can possibly be.
What matters is, that it is just to cheap to be any good.
It is sad but true. And there is nothing that you or I can do about it.

Put a blindfold on him. Play the same thing with a good cable and a bad cable. See if he can tell the difference.

Cables do transefer signals but what type of noise do they create or get rid of in the process? If he can't hear the difference then he can't hear well or he doesn't listen. My neighbors aren't audiophiles or videophiles but they can tell the difference easily in a demo on power cords with the plasma and the cdp. They are in amasement and one of them wants a shunyata power cord for his plasma now.

beerdraft

$100 goes a long way and can get just a little bit of happiness after all.