What do audiophiles want from a cable?

OP,
In response to your original question, I am not going to say whether a cable should make your system warm or cold or clinical anything else. If anything, it should make your system more musical and make you want to listen to more music.
I heard a big difference in my system when I changed from my previous speaker cable to the current speaker cables. My system needs all the gain that can be extracted to the last iota. I do not know why, but I GOT this gain in my system and it sounded fabulous. I can explain the FIRST time I experienced a gain - it was because I moved from RCA to XLRs. But the SECOD gain was by simply by changing the loudspeaker cables - and that too surprisingly from bi-wiring to single wire + jumpers.
Whatever happened - my system is more musical now than what it was before. I think YOU should listen to the system in which the new cables re introduced. The reviews are just to get you started. There is a 100% chance that you will completely disagree with the reviewers - both professionals and regular users.

My guess is that audiophiles see cables as similar to water hoses, and the goal is to increase the flow and remove the constriction. That's at odds with reality, since we're not dealing with electrons flowing into preamps, amps or speakers.  But anything that creates such an illusion can often find a market, and often command amazing markups over cost to produce.

"My guess is that audiophiles see cables as similar to water hoses, and the goal is to increase the flow and remove the constriction. That's at odds with reality, since we're not dealing with electrons flowing into preamps, amps or speakers."

I hope the above is a typo!  If its not electrons flowing along the cables into our components and speakers then what is it?  Little fairies?

Yeah, let's talk about Higg's bosons too and their influence on what we hear. Could be interesting.

Good one, inna.  Sheldon Cooper, where are you?

Best to you inna,
Dave