What do audiophiles want from a cable?


What should a high quality interconnect or speaker cable do to the sound of a system? Make it more transparent? Improve the sound stage and focus? Soften unpleasant highs? Tighten the base? Bring out the mids?

To me, a good cable should reveal more of what is on the recording and more of the true nature of my components. So when trying new cables, I look for more detail and accuracy without becoming cold and clinical. This seems logical, and yet after reading reviews and trying a few of the cables in the reviews, I find that the cables that have received glowing endorsements are not especially transparent or revealing. They modify the sound, but they don’t take me where I want to go. I wonder if the reason I don’t hear what the reviewer heard is that I don’t know what to listen for. Am I too focused on cable accuracy and resolution, and not enough on actual sound quality? Or is it just a case of no two systems sounding alike so why trust a review anyway? Thanks.
mward
I can only say that revealing cables are IME and IMO a good thing and would be the correct goal, but keep in mind that they may only be revealing a lack of synergy in your gear choices....perhaps especially if your aural experience with them is substantially at odds with the preponderance of their reviews (both user and pro)...(or they may only be revealing a lack of quality level in the gear, if that applies). But, I agree with inna, the cabling should be of sufficient quality as to not be a limiting factor between equipment.
ALL cables modify the sound, it's just a matter of do they modify the sound to suit your tastes/equipment or not.
+1 for inna  Cables Are components and should be up to the quality of the components they are connecting.  jmcgrogan2  +1  Your comment above is also correct.  I don't think there is a cable that is totally neutral.  


Audiophiles want cables to solve all their perceived system shortcomings and transport them to the perfect anechoic listening room where everything sounds exactly as a live performance.

Fortunately, for cable manufacturers, audiophiles are a determined lot that continually buy new cables in pursuit of this neverending quest.
mitch2
Audiophiles want cables to solve all their perceived system shortcomings and transport them to the perfect anechoic listening room where everything sounds exactly as a live performance.

Fortunately, for cable manufacturers, audiophiles are a determined lot that continually buy new cables in pursuit of this neverending quest.
Speak for yourself, please.