After clicking on this link provided by a ggc:
http://www.hb-cable-design.com/1_english/start.htmlI would like to comment (as a licensed engineer - who is far from the smartest, most knowledgeable in electrical systems).
Making wire to perform well in a very high performance system isn't an "unknown art" like is alluded to by this manufacturer. Far, far from it. Applying specific engineering principals such as metallurgy, dielectrics, electro mechanics, geometry, construction, etc. all impact wire performance. The article states a specific parameter measures better but the wire sounds / performs worse - that's because only one parameter was measured and most importantly - the correct parameters weren't measure or weren't measure precisely.
Another issue is sometimes we get things wrong and empirical results (actual performance tested after a product is made) teaches us to identify why the performance was different from what was predicted. That's how science advances.
Make no mistake - wire design is done using science. Sure - there are people and even companies that don't use science but that's most certainly not the norm. Do you really think power companies use non-specific wire to transfer high voltage power for many miles? Power transmission wire is indeed very specific.
Doesn't apply to audio? It most certainly does.
Just one example (my posts are already too long) - shielding wire. Has anyone tested well designed cables, the exact same cables, exact in every detail - except one is conventionally shielded and one that isn't? I have - and the shielded cable reduces dynamics. Anyone care to guess why? Consider electromagnetic interaction. What I'm referring to is induced electromagnetic fields - it's what makes a magnet using electricity.
Simplified - current flowing through a wire induces a magnetic field around that wire. Signals flowing through a wire change rapidly when music is played. The induced magnetic fields expand and collapse very very rapidly.
Now, just like the mechanical inertia of a physical object on earth (with gravity) in motion requires a force to stop it - electromagnetic induced fields have what we can refer to as an electromagnetic inertia. These fields expand and collapse within fractions of a second. Shielding impedes the ability of these electromechanical field to expand and collapse - stated another way - the rise and collapse times of these fields are effected. I presume AudioQuest uses active shielding fields that are directed and spaced far enough away from the signal carrying wire so as not to significantly compromise the expanding and collapsing of these electromagnetic induced fields.
Not sure if I'm doing a good job in trying to explain, in over simplified terms that science is very much used in making wire that performs well.
But please realize any entity that states science isn't used as the primary method to design and construct wire - I'd recommend avoiding.
Kindest regards :-)