I thought speaker cables (and interconnects, and power cords) were smoke and mirrors, too. Until I actually bothered to compare a few. In no time flat three things quickly became apparent:
1. They do indeed make a huge difference. In fact, they are every bit as important as every other component in a system. and
2. The best do not necessarily cost the most. One of my very first upgrades was to toss out a $2k/pr set of AudiQuest Silver Dragons for some much better sounding cables from Synergistic Research that cost only $175. Even the dealer who sold them to me was surprised they were better. Nothing does more to harm the very real potential value of good wire than the vast majority of overpriced garbage that is out there. and
3. The only way to choose is by listening because nobody knows why one is better than another. Anyone starts talking design, tune them out. Waste of time. Only thing that matters is performance. So you simply must listen. Never buy to find out. Never. Audition, audition, audition, then audition some more.
Guess I could add one more:
4. But nobody ever does.
1. They do indeed make a huge difference. In fact, they are every bit as important as every other component in a system. and
2. The best do not necessarily cost the most. One of my very first upgrades was to toss out a $2k/pr set of AudiQuest Silver Dragons for some much better sounding cables from Synergistic Research that cost only $175. Even the dealer who sold them to me was surprised they were better. Nothing does more to harm the very real potential value of good wire than the vast majority of overpriced garbage that is out there. and
3. The only way to choose is by listening because nobody knows why one is better than another. Anyone starts talking design, tune them out. Waste of time. Only thing that matters is performance. So you simply must listen. Never buy to find out. Never. Audition, audition, audition, then audition some more.
Guess I could add one more:
4. But nobody ever does.