Audible differences between speaker cables?

Clueless, just goes to show, you have to believe. Now that you say it, I'm convinced. Clueless before, now enlightened.

If you want something to compare some sonic differences, Vampire wire CSS and Nordost SPM Reference are at the opposite end of the cable sound spectrum. Yes, cable will make a difference in the sound, the better the system, the more dramatic..... The more $$$$ does not always ensure a good cable or a synergistic match to your system. I am an EET and there are differences in network impedance of the cable that explain frequency response changes. I have physically seen it on an impedance analyzer under laboratory conditions. There are also differences due to the metal type, grain structure and quality that will make differences in sound. One clue -- my wallet was a lot better off before I got into cable swapping, and at the price point I got off the wagon I think there was still trade-offs in the wire for the sonic preferences of different types of music.

IMHO, speaker wire is less likey to change character between brands and makes than equivalent line level interconnects. In my system(s) (past and present) I *could* hear differences between some interconnects using *similar* construction. Once you get past a certain "threshold", it gets exponentially hard to discertain, or something. :-) For far more of the solid core copper speaker wires with spade lugs - all sound the same to me. So I just bought a used pair pair of tara labs space and time the looks good and has quality contruction and leave it at that. :-)

But I can tell you one thing, it *did* sound less veiled than 8AWG stranded monster speaker wire with bananas. But I don't think I could tell the difference when say AudioQuest and Tara Labs, if both used similar construction and materials. Heck if they were made well enough, they could probably be a little dissimilar, and I doubt I could assertain which was which! LOL! ;-)

I'd say if you can't tell the difference between interconnects, I *doubt* you'd be able to discern between speaker wires. YMMV.

Before Monster started us on different cables in the 70's we all used whatever Radioshack sold and now we spend a lot on gimmicks and maybe even some justified claims - we worry about the speaker cables but not much is said about all the wire used inside the equipment before it gets to the cables - most are thin copper or silver in super small gauge that might cost a manufacturer next to nothing - then we spend a fortune to take that signal corrupted by this generic copper or silver and reproduce as close to live sound as possible through speakers with some of the same generic wire the equipment had. I would say there are differences but not always to justify the cost or for the better.

Ljgj brings up a good point that I have thought about quite a bit: "we worry about the speaker cables but not much is said about all the wire used inside the equipment before it".

Indeed, the "speaker wire" in most speakers (most have wire from binding posts to crossover, then crossover to drivers), is not very impressive. However, I am of the opinion that a high end speaker is a complete and fine tuned system, where the designer/design has accounted for every piece inside. It is now a "closed system", so whether it uses silver or copper wires for example, is almost irrelevant because the end result has accounted for it. On the other hand, the cables we are talking about here, are cables that are not only "outside" of the speaker system, but also connecting another "closed system" on the other end - the amp. So the cables I buy are more a matter of _mating_ the two closed systems, to produce a result that is pleasing to me. Thus I find that "good" speaker cables improve or hurt the sound of a system, almost regardless of the quality of the parts inside the speaker or amp.

Also, I do agree with some of the others' comments about interconnects making a bigger difference in general than speaker cable.

In answer to the original question then, the audible differences in speaker cable I have found are:
EVERYTHING.

Bass - it's speed, attack, decay, quantity
Mids - clarity, sharpness, space, presence
Highs- crispness, space, air, sibilence.

All of these have been effected in my playing with speaker wires. So, I think the question is more of how to define the differences, than a question of "if and what".