"At the end of the day, when it comes down to it, when I or anyone else switches on their system and presses play, it becomes an entirely subjective activity; after all, for me anyway it's about the music and love/passion for music. If it sounds good/I enjoy the presentation my system gives me, nothing else matters - not measurements, cost, brand, none of it. I want to get lost in the music, end of."
This frequently stated talking point is entirely fallacious. That audio gear didn't manifest itself subjectively. It came about by using science and engineering. Some companies are great at this; others not so much. Measurements are your best friend when it comes to figuring this out.
Plenty of gear sounds excellent. You could buy an AVR from a big box store for $250, hook up a pair of $250 speakers and get great enjoyment. But that is not what some of you do, are you? You go and buy a $2000 USB cable and convince yourself it must be improving fidelity because it lowers "jitter" or "noise." What does have to do with what you claim? Nothing. It is a purely technical and objective assumption. My role is to test that manufacturer claim. I can test for Jitter. I can test for noise. When those tests don't show a difference, there goes your reason for buying said cable. Take this JPS Superconductor V USB Cable Review. They have already got you with that "superconductor" term as if such a thing exists in a $1000 cable at room temperature. Here is its noise and jitter compared to a $9 Amazon cable:
See how the two graphs land identically on top of each other? Your threshold of hearing is at -115 dB and here I am measuring down to whopping -160 dB! Still no difference.
Of course that cable transfers USB bits just the same and with right system and content, it can sound superb. That is not the issue and I have no doubt you would enjoy the sound of a system with this cable. So would I. Difference between us is the knowledge I have that this cable does nothing for the sound coming out of your audio equipment. That you perceive any difference is due to improper listening tests and nothing more. Since you are not willing to engage in such controlled tests, then measurements better be your friend, not your enemy.