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

So you contradict yourself with your own statement of:

' And the ONLY measure of efficacy is extremely subjective - one's perception of what is being heard.'

Yes, perception. I use the term jaw dropping, because in my system that's what I hear as well as others in the house who had no clue that I installed said cables.  Also, I have no skin in the game and honestly, I paid more for my pair of Niagara that I'm about to list for sale.

You don't hear any difference and that's fine.  Let me know when you have heard MY system so you can make that statement as fact please. ha.

Yes, you point out scientific reality.  Have you measure the cables I'm personally using?  I know you haven't.  Maybe there aren't measurements available yet that show the differences. I personally don't know, nor do I care as I trust my ears.  Some of the differences in cables deals with how they shield interferrences, so how can you make a statement about scientific reality saying you can't hear a difference.  The reality is that over the years we've been able to take measurements that we couldn't in the past.  

I used to work in the gold industry selling product to the dental and jewelry industry.  The metallurgist was also a budding audiophile and we used to talk all the time about cable properties  and how it affects sound.  We discussed grain boundaries and grain size etc..  There are many differences in the metallurgy of these high end cables. Just because some folks who claim to be scientists come on threads like this and post as though their feelings are supported by science and therefore are the best opinion, are not correct as many of these designs are based on science and measurable.  That is a fact.

I'll just wait for your response telling me that your position is correct.  :)

Ctsooner: read your post and, unfortunately, find noting there that merits further response from me.  Sorry.

I don't get it. To claim "scientific reality" as a point of view, and then state that there wasn't a "significant difference" belies the point being made.

Scientific reality would reveal the slightest of differences, and a difference is just that, a difference. To move on from that juncture, what constitutes slight to someone could be significant to someone else, especially to audiophiles who value such differences.

For me, once I've heard better, it's very hard to go back. It's in the very nature of audiophiles to want better, inch by inch if necessary. This is, after all, a ground game, and who wants to give up ground because someone else says the difference isn't worth it?

I think we're beyond the OP's value judgement argument and have progressed to simply some stating that small differences aren't worth it and I say that is simply untrue.

All the best,
Nonoise

NoNoise....significant "differences" are moot.  What is important is whether there are significant "improvements."  Science says overpriced cables are just that.  Over priced, pretty, sparkly, fat, colorful and interesting...just not accoustically effective in my opinion.

Small differences may be worth it...but given the power of expectation bias, seems most would want some measure of effectiveness beyond the overstated claims of how "good it sounded.". 

I've been reading this thread almost daily and can appreciate everyone's points of view.  Unlike some though, I do see value in ctsooner's and others' more recent posts as well.  I've posted my views previously on my own experience trying a lot of cables from dirt cheap to inexpensive to mid-priced to 'expensive' and back down the price slope several times culminating in what I use today (and the even more expensive cables I've evaluated them against).  The fact is, I've heard differences in all sorts of cables; both those I could afford and those I could not; I've settled on a combination that I truly hear the difference and that help make a musical experience that is of the type I am after.

Trust me when I tell you I am not happy about the dollars it has taken to make this journey or (no matter how much I love the current sound) what it takes to maintain or better it.  The fact does remain however that whenever I have pulled cables out of the system and gone to mono-priced or similar, sound stage collapses, imaging goes to hell and the overall musical experience suffer dramatically.  I would also ask you to trust that if I could achieve the sound I have today for less dollars spent on cables and that money put elsewhere, I definitely would.

I'm sure that this post will draw either much criticism from the cable detractors or price skeptics among you (whose opinions and points of view I do respect as I think the whole cable and high-end market is tragically over-priced by the way...) however, the truth is in the listening for me in my system (having nothing to do with what others should/do experience).

One key point that keeps hitting me squarely between the eyes about this thread though is that I see myriad references to real science, scientific method, etc...on this thread but when I read through everything carefully and objectively, I don't see real science or scientific method being utilized. I see scientific jargon being utilized to justify a point of view but little if any real science or hard test results being presented regarding cables good or bad .

***I will say for the record that I could be dead wrong in what I am perceiving here and my point of view so please know my intent in saying what I have here is not to offend anyone....