DO CABLES REALLY MATTER?

I am currently comparing a couple of different Roon endpoint devices in my system.  One of them outputs USB and the other one (the Ambre by Metrum) can output either bnc, AES/EBU, or I2S directly to my Metrum DAC, but not USB.  Metrum provided an I2S board that replaces the USB input board in my DAC so their endpoint can supply an I2S connection directly to their DAC.  While I am comparing the two devices, I wanted to keep the USB board in the DAC (and not install the new I2S board) so I could easily switch between the two devices, since the one device will only output USB.

From the Metrum endpoint to the DAC I tried a fairly high quality bnc cable and it sounded pretty good.  I had heard the AES/EBU input may sound better (although the I2S input is supposed to ultimately be the best).  I purchased a $12 AES/EBU 110 ohm cable from Amazon and it blows away the bnc connection.....a $12 cable!  So, while I believe cables do matter (to some extent), what they are connected to matters much more IMO.

@glupson, absolutely right. Every word.

How do Bose do it? They started here as a mail order business with extravagant sound quality claims and now everyone has heard of them, right up there with JBL. Yet also in the UK hardly anyone has heard of (let alone seen) anything from such respected US audiophile brands such as Klipsch, Magnepan, Thiel, McIntosh etc.

I guess their main opposition will come from stuff like Amazon Echo, Apple Homepod, Google Home, Sonos etc.

The loss of Steve Jobs might also have been a big loss for audio. Apple transformed the audio scene, but if Steve (the audiophile?) was still around, who knows what we might be seeing by now?  

Still, it's great to see some of the current big guns taking an interest. Especially as sound quality is always mentioned in reviews.

WireWorld designer actually understands the physics and electrical properties that separates sonically great cables from the masses of mediocre cables, regardless of their pricing

iTunes Rez is 1/2 CD quality!  In other words, it sucks.  Steve Jobs?  No.  Tidal or Deezer is far better.  Cables do make a difference in a system where you can discern a difference.  Fidelity must be at a certain level to hear changes in Q.  Bottom line is explore and have fun till you hit the sweet spot where all you care about is listening to the music and NOT the gear.

tweak1
WireWorld designer actually understands the physics and electrical properties that separates sonically great cables from the masses of mediocre cables, regardless of their pricing.

Yeah, right.  🙄