Sharing my experience with cables

Many years ago I owned a Bryston 4B.  My friend had a Threshold 400A which sounded better. Passing through an audio salon I found a used 400A that I manged to obtain for a great price. I got the dealer to throw in a SEAC cable (litz wire, rhodium connectors) for free.  I was astonished to discover that the $100 cable made more of a difference in my system than the $3000 amplifier. This experience mad a believer out of me.

Your scientific skepticism toward cables was justified, as few still understand them.  First, electrons do not travel at light speed. While the EM wave travels at 50-80% c, after Feynman and applying the index of refraction for skin depth effect at frequency we find, for example at 20 Hz, the Vp, velocity of propagation, is 1.83 m/s.  Therefore the wavelength is 0.30 ft, therefore cable length matters at AF. Secondly, what you are hearing with different cables is the result of matching impedances with amplifier circuits.  To prove and measure this, watch the reflected pulse on an oscilloscope to prove this to yourself.  Better yet a spectral analyzer to see the intense noise remaining on your cable.  Cables are active places, while amplifiers are relatively quiet.  These tools are far less expensive than a single audio component yet who has them.  

Third, power cables have a different application.  To be brief again, a very low inductance is desired, yet I have yet to see this parameter advertised.  Secure connections with a high clamping force are essential.  The bandwidth should also be wide because of the switching delay from the forward bias of the diodes, among several other factors.  

Not enough time to address your several concerns.  Also I don’t know how to respond to responses as I comment infrequently.  

@buckhorn_cortez

Thanks for sharing. Great hearing observations from your experiences.

"How do you define ’latest’?"

Probably the same way you do...

Power cords, interconnects and cables do make a big difference, one thing I have learned that new cables or used cables that have not been in use will need some time to break in, I had retired a pair of speaker cables that sounded just as good as the pair I'm using but of course I thought I would compare them again and the difference was night and day, the cables that had been out of use sounded nothing like they did before but after a few days of normal listening they sounded much better.. It's weird that what sounds good with someones gear might sound bad with your gear.If your like me sitting in the sweet spot wanting the best sound you can afford then you will have try a lot of combinations of cables, cords and interconnects but if you are happy with the way it sounds best to leave it alone and enjoy it. Instead of upgrading a preamp or power amp try different interconnects and you might be surprised how good it can sound and a lot cheaper than upgrading your preamp and less you go for the really expensive gear, and this is my thinking but most of us know if you have a high end or ultra high end system to get the most out of it you will need cabling to match that gear, basically match your cables to what your system needs, don't put high end cables on modest gear and don't put modest cables on high end gear, that is my advise to the newcomers of this hobby but for us old farts we know all that and let your ears decide what sounds the best on YOUR system and let the cabling break in but if the cable you just put in sounds better than what you have been using it should keep sounding better as it breaks but if sounds worst give it sometime of normal use then make your decision.