Double up on speaker cables

I use to think similar about speaker cables as Tim clearly stated above.  However, I actually tried some quality cables to replace my 12-ga Crutchfield stranded wire and was shocked by the performance improvements.  Even my wife commented that she could hear an improvement.  It’s not a fairytale!  

Agreed cables do make a difference. Quality of copper, Gauge size, Routing a/c Interference etc. It’s the good better best lipstick on a pig it’s better tomorrow, BS that’s disgusting. And the price you’re expected to pay for this placebo pseudo-engineering, that’s criminal ! A true whatever the gullible market will bear situation. This 200 year debate lol, wouldn’t be happening if Science verified documentation was supplied. The you hear I hear isn’t debateable it is what it is. One can’t Address or Teach without fact, add pompous BS to Poorly informed and we’re all tired.

@1971gto455ho Interestingly, I agree with you on almost everything you said, including the gullible market. The challenge is to weed out the real from the pseudo- engineering from the actual effort to make a significant difference  by trial and (mostly) error.   Audiogoners come from all areas of expertise, and perhaps not as many can appreciate the engineering of a cable as can truly HEAR a difference.  The problem is often they can definitely tell a difference but really have no idea why that difference is there. For those who like relatively basic but informative rabbit holes, check out what you find when you do a search for ac conductor surface effect vs frequency, OR,  Skin effect | Description, Example & Application (your-physicist.com), or for an even deeper dive, simply go to the Wikipedia page  Skin effect - Wikipedia.

The bottom line is that what you get at the speaker end of the cable will be determined by a whole handful of electrical parameters that vary with the size, shape, material, number of and proximal interaction of the conductors in the bundle, interna (yes, INternal) and external cross-section of each conductor (a variety would be the best), insulation type and thickness, EMI suppression, termination, and is different at every frequency.  Throw in the mix the variety of dedicated engineers (who all think different aspects of the problem are the toughest to deal with) and the charlatans that see a market ripe for exploitation, and you have a witch's brew of possibilities. 

My only recommendation is to arm yourself with whatever of the above resources you are comfortable with, set a budget, talk as knowledgeably as possible with several product suppliers, and then trust your own ears, which are hopefully the most important part of the process.   What drives the load and what the load presents back to the amp will be integral parts of the performance profile of EVERY cable.  There is no standard answer - Focus on achieving the sound you like in your environment.  Test, compare and hopefully enjoy something just that little bit better in your place. 

Compare to others if you wish, but it will never be the same as the guy next door.