Digital Cable Choice; how critical is it?

If two digital (let's say S/PDIF) cables measure the same, they will sound identical regardless of price, material (copper, silver, gold, palladium, amorphous metal), dielectric or wire configuration. This might be a dangerous statement but I personally don't see why these two cables would sound differently. Do those measurements have limited value with regard to how good the cable will perform?

Chris

Nsgarch - fair question, but my better angel is telling me to just give up, take my toys and go home. If anybody is interested and has a fairly fast internet connection an insight into what is possible to take audiophile concerns (ac line effect, vibration tweaks, digital & power cables, why does my system sound different than it used to, etc.) more toward science is at http://www.dataq.com/applicat/presentation/I_A_hardware-overview.html
Happy listening!

Jeff, thanks for the link. I enjoyed the presentation.

Have you used this device to measure the things you mentioned in your audio system, or it it strictly a work tool?

I've never used anything but AT&T glass. For one thing, the Wadia DAC I used to have just had one glass input! (My new one has several different kinds.) I did try a lot of different AT&T cables though without any impressive differences UNTIL I sprung for an Aural Symphonics Optimism V2 and WOW! What an ear opening experience that was, with slightly different tonal balance depending on which way the cable was oriented. I know, according to your measurements, that should have no effect -- and it didn't with all my other ST cables.

As for 75ohm jobbies, all I know is what I've heard about connectors -- that BNC connections maintain the 75ohm continuity better than RCA connectors and therefore provide a more accurate datastream to the chips. But I don't use metal, so I haven't ever compared.
.

Nsgarch, I'm only referring to 75-ohm metal cables, I have no experience with any other kind.

My experiences have shown that there are dramatic sonic differences between digital cables. I cannot explain these differences in scientific terms but I am sure they exist, zeros and ones notwithstanding. One thing of which I'm sure, the differences are not "placebo" effect. Does everything that can't be explained by science fail to exist?