Who thinks $5K speaker cable really better than generic 14AWG cable?

folkfreak: All I was "researching" was the price. Don’t really care what they are made of since they seem to fix a problem that does not exist...or at least is not audible to the human ear (an opinion)...or provide an increase in audio quality so infinitesimal that moving a sofa 1/4" might work as well.

So, you are correct, "...I have no interest or belief," which is the point of my comment.

These over engineered, ridiculously priced cables and other "accessories" seem to say more about the buyers and the marketeers who gladly sell them. Kinda like a Rolex vs. Timex. Both tell time accurately but only the Rolex says you have money to burn. It is a piece of jewelry. Just like a $16,000.00 RCA connect is a piece of jewelry. I want good music from my $30K system...not a personal financial statement.

Think I’ve made my opinions known so I will leave this forum now. If anyone needs the final word, fire away.

Thanks Folkfreak. Have a great day.

This is a useful discussion for someone who is unhappy with their system's sound or who has been debating spending a boatload on cables.

'Tis an ancient debate and will never be settled in the court of critical listening although I think it gas in the court of science. For myself, I believe very strongly in both sides. ;^)
I use 12 g Auvio speaker wire. It's 50% bare copper and 50% silver coated. I haven't compared it with more expensive cable; but other's have measured its resistance against 10 other cables and it came in second to Canare 411. http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?14134-When-12-Gauge-Wire-is-not-12-Gauge!
I've compared it to 14 g and basic 12 g. Not a huge difference; but at 10 ft. length, I like the Auvio better. Tried bi-wiring. I Think I may gave heard a slight difference in non-blind comparison. I left the speakers bi-wired because it couldn't hurt.

ICs are a different story. I feel one MUST replace the generic RCA ICs that come with most components, but I've achieved a sound that I like without spending a boatload. I recently replaced a pair of 1 1/2 meter AQ AlphaSnakes with a pair of 1 meter WireWorld Luna 7s, their cheapest at $40, on my Oppo BDP-95. There was a change in tonality, the WW being a little brighter and seeming to have better detail. I like that; but there are some passages where it is too bright for me. I'll live with that because these cables accomplished something I could not, no matter how I positioned my Canton Ergo 1002DCs. Not only did they widen the already wide soundstage and provide more space between the musicians, they actually elevated the stage from the level of my navel to that of my ears. I was not expecting that! I had a friend listen, literally blindfolded, as I switched the ICs back and forth - or not. He heard the same thing and was able to pick out the WWs 4 of 5 times. The WireWorld cables have a unique physical design, which is why I chose them. Was that the cause of the difference, or is it just that they are 1/2 meter shorter?  I don't know, but I'm planning on tying their Solstice or Oasis between my phono-pre and preamp. Maybe I'll keep them in the freezer for a week before I connect them. Nah. You can't believe everything you read. ;^)

"You can't believe everything you read."

Good words to live by.  I've always tried to take everything I've read with a 'grain of salt', as we were admonished by the older wizened ones.

It's since grown to the size of a salt lick, but it's a great place to prop up my weary feet whilst perusing the 'net's nooks 'n crannies....;)

"Sifting sand, sifting sand, lookin' for some trace of you...."

Note: All written below with the intent of humor, particularly at the end!

"Rolex & Timex, both tell time correctly..."; personally I do NOT like Rolex or other 'big balls on my wrist/matcho watches" type of watches but that's neither here nor there & is clearly a personal preference.  I tend more towards the more traditional Rados, Movados, etc and would love to own a (even used) Patek some day but you just cannot (IMHO in the long-run) compare the correctness of timekeeping and "likely to still work in 20+years" aspects of commodity watches (Timex, lower-end Bulova, Citizen, etc.. and others including Fossil (I've owned several of all 4 brands) and the vast collection of inexpensive bauble fashion watches out there in terms of build quality, etc...Go to the mall; it seems like every fashion brand out there now somehow magically knows how to match watches too.  I know in many cases mechanical movements are gone and the digital ones internally are in, but watch how the clasp, band, case, etc...hold up, how many of them (not all) either lose time or gain time after the 1 or more years, etc...and then compare against a better watch. In many (NOT ALL!) cases you get what you pay for. Both my wife and i have been through as has my son and the number of 'inexpensive' watches we've had to have fixed or discarded because the cost of fixing them exceeds what it took to buy them initially, is a very long list.

Here are the humor-laden intended bits below!

See,...I've gone and done "it" above; same problem as these damned cable threads. We will never solve or close down or win these things. They simply clutter up (which I've helped do here!) the forums. We all try to justify what we spend, or don't spend, do/don't believe accordingly; it's all subjective and there is no right or wrong.

Everybody who like higher-cost cables, let's all go ahead and keep using them and "STFU".

Everyone who wants to use lampshade wire, stock cords or good quality stock 10, 12, 14 or whatever gauge (which exists by the way) from Home Depot or Lowe's or GE, Westinghouse or anyone else, go ahead and keep on using them and "STFU".

In short, let's stop beating the crap out of each other with the same ole' threads with different subject lines and different content shall we?

Clearly,...ROTFLMAO, have a great day/night everyone!