Speaker Cables? why all the hype for expensive speaker wire?


After listening to many speaker cables, I am listening to basic 14 Gauge, high purity copper speaker wire and find myself shaking my head.  Does this basic speaker wire sound better than cables many times the price?  I am really starting to ponder that question.  I think I am hearing things on my records I never heard before and better balance of sound.  What are your thoughts?
tzh21y
Oh boy.....another cable thread!
63 responses in, and the only clarity is that once again there is no clarity.....shocker!
Listen to your system, buy some cables if you want, or buy a bicycle.
Either way, don't forget to enjoy the music, and stay safe on the road.
I think there are two issues, taste and science.
Taste is subjective like in comparing a Guarani to a Stradivarius violin, musicians have their preference as to sound. Maybe same with cables and if you like one cable does not mean others have to feel the same and vice versa.

Science is lacking if the user is not comparing cables without knowledge as to what cable one is listening to in making a preference.
mahlman
... If you could toss a vibrant word salad with the same ingredients and taste qualities as the plebian described one, and you could convince people to spend 100 times more for the privilege of digesting your words, why not ...
 It is a sort of religious cult where the secret keys to the audio kingdom are possessed by oracular golden ear pontiffs who disdain the idea of blind tests ...
Wow, now that's a heaping bowl of word salad!
I've always paid special attention to anyone that calls me an idiot, that's always a good start. Couple that with a strong opinion on what I should or should not do with my own money, obviously a winning combo.