Do expensive cables/wires REALLY make a difference

Wow, I'm going to respond to a 7 year old thread...

Hopefully, the OP has come to his own conclusions about cables by now.

Here's my $.02:  Cables make the least difference in sound of any component change or upgrade.  I think speakers offer (obviously) the greatest difference in sound.  

But the MOST important components of any audio rig is the room itself.  A million dollar system in a crap room will sound like, well, crap.  A thousand dollar rig in a good room with proper acoustic treatment will sound like a million bucks.

Hi,
they do make a difference.
Get a cheap cable on high end system, how will it sound? DULL to start with. Get a high end cable on a cheap system, how will it sound? BRIGHT to start with.
Still cannot believe that people deny this fact after so many years of same topic.

I've tested many cables over the years, in short, yes cables do make a difference. But it's the material used, the conductors, dielectric, geometry, connectors that determines what a cable sounds like and not the price. I'll go on to say that PRICE is the worst indicator of how good a component will sound, and that's the best recommendation I can give to anyone new to the hobby.
So once you're done assembling the more important part of your system, the speakers, the amp, the source, etc. and you feel your system can improve in a certain area. That's when you can try to improve it with cables.
When you get to that point, I can help in achieving what materials in a cable yield the sound you're looking for.
Good luck on your journey, and enjoy!