Cable septic

I can only say I wasted some 25 years by not believing that cables make a significant difference :-( I have physics and electronics background and I thought that with rather small lengths, acoustic frequencies, and smallish voltage/current, all non-faulty cables should sound the same -- be a commodity. I am kicking myself now for not even experimenting once! Long story short, I first replaced stock w/ thick Monoprice: significant positive difference already! This year I replaced everything with Audioquest in the price range $41 to $450. Again a definite positive improvement, eg. in tonality. Even AQ Tower more the tonal difference that impressed me; perhaps I should stay at that level.
That said, I am quite angry with audio cable companies for creating 'ladders' of tens of progressively more expensive cables that I believe are designed to squeeze money from perfectionist audiophiles who yearn for that elusive "step up".
This week I got a good beyerdynamic 1.4 m balanced cable made of OCC N7 copper, made in Korea: $100, no nonsense, ultra simple packaging. In contrast, my AQ Colorados came in a pretty large beautiful box, complete w/ an etui (that I have no use for), but that enhances the image of top-class, luxury good. They sound *minimally* better than BJC RCAs.  
Last thing: I simply don't know why cables do sound different. Our ears are EXTREMELY precise instruments, that's for sure.

Go to other forums and there are fanatics against anybody that can hear a difference in cables. They claim its a waste of money, only fools would buy them, on and on, but when you look at their systems, they aren't using the real cheap cables that you get in a $25 dvd box. They are using $20 and a little higher cables. Why is that? If they are dead set that there are no differences in cables, then they should use the cables that most of us throw away.
IMO, if the audiophile has any decent system or the ears to hear a difference, it boils down to: do you want to pay more and maybe a lot more $$$ to get a different sound. I'll admit, not every jump in cable price is a better cable, it will sound different, maybe better or maybe worse, but there is a different sound to cables and if it does sound better, then you have to make a decision if the price increase of the cable is worth it.
Same goes for other audio components, cars, appliances, pretty much everything.

That said, I am quite angry with audio cable companies for creating 'ladders' of tens of progressively more expensive cables that I believe are designed to squeeze money from perfectionist audiophiles who yearn for that elusive "step up".

They are just as likely to be worse. I've heard many demos where the High Priced Spread was clearly wrong for the equipment, yet the salesman prattled extolled the faults as virtues. And it's not a matter of opinion because I recorded the material!

Last thing: I simply don't know why cables do sound different. 

It's in the math.

Read http://ielogical.com/Audio/CableSnakeOil.php and the Garen Galeis papers linked there.

mmporsche,
Nice system, going Voxativ myself with PAP. 
With that investment, you could purchase a Decware Zen switch box for $359 and use it as an A-B switch to change cables on the fly. It’s clearly shown on the website. Then listen for yourself and put all the wondering to rest. Worst case scenario sell the box and for little investment, you have maximized your ability to discern differences or not that matter to you. 

Decware Zen switch box

With a switch box you have C vs D, not A vs B.

And unless the box is scrupulously designed, A-A will also give C-D.