Dave: Since a few posters are pushing Harley's book, let me push the antidote. Call or write The Audio Critic (PO Box 978, Quakertown PA 18951; 215-538-9555) and order back issues #16 and 20. #16 has an article called "Basic Issues of Equipment Reviewing and Critical Listening" along with a technical analysis of the real sonic effects of speaker cables. #20 features a piece called "The Tweaks vs. the Pros," which gets to the root of the disparate advice you've gotten above. Either #24 or #25 has a similar summary article, but I don't remember which and I've loaned my copies out. Anyway, 4 issues will cost you $24, and it'll at least give you the other side of the argument, if you believe there's a legitimate argument here.