I have to agree. You really don't want an answer. For whatever reason some people just "don't like" certain aspects of high end audio. Don't ask me why. But they go on a crusade of never ending questions that they know can't be answered or dealt with in any real way.
"I would love to have the resources to challenge people prove it to me and test it with my own ears."
No resources will ever be enough for you. There will always be some essential element that you must have, and that you won't be able to attain, in order to conduct a proper test.
"I would build a listening room where the only components in the listening space were the speakers and the speaker cables coming through opening in the wall where the rest of the system was setup."
Why not just hang a curtain (or something similar) in front of your system so you can't see it. Then you can just have a friend swap out components. It will be a lot cheaper than building a whole new room. This is something you should have the resources to do right now.
"Here's what I would do if time and financial resources were no object (I'm visualizing retired millionaires that are audiophiles)."
Here's another example of why you don't want an answer. You need to be a retired millionaire with lots of time on your hands? Well if that's the case, its another way to get you off the hook. If you're not a retired millionaire audiophile, there's no way you can conduct a proper test. I know cables aren't cheap, but how do you think the rest of us non millionaire audiophiles test cables? The answer is simple. We find a way.
"In my system I am sure that I could identify a change in amplification or speakers, but highly doubt that I could do the same with any cables, isolation devices, or digital sources. Maybe I just reduced myself to being a non-audiophile with low-fi gear?"
Or you are just talking yourself out of a way to get some answers. Why try, its hopeless?!! Just think, if you are reduced to being a non-audiophile with low-fi gear, you have no place to go but up.
"I would love to have the resources to challenge people prove it to me and test it with my own ears."
No resources will ever be enough for you. There will always be some essential element that you must have, and that you won't be able to attain, in order to conduct a proper test.
"I would build a listening room where the only components in the listening space were the speakers and the speaker cables coming through opening in the wall where the rest of the system was setup."
Why not just hang a curtain (or something similar) in front of your system so you can't see it. Then you can just have a friend swap out components. It will be a lot cheaper than building a whole new room. This is something you should have the resources to do right now.
"Here's what I would do if time and financial resources were no object (I'm visualizing retired millionaires that are audiophiles)."
Here's another example of why you don't want an answer. You need to be a retired millionaire with lots of time on your hands? Well if that's the case, its another way to get you off the hook. If you're not a retired millionaire audiophile, there's no way you can conduct a proper test. I know cables aren't cheap, but how do you think the rest of us non millionaire audiophiles test cables? The answer is simple. We find a way.
"In my system I am sure that I could identify a change in amplification or speakers, but highly doubt that I could do the same with any cables, isolation devices, or digital sources. Maybe I just reduced myself to being a non-audiophile with low-fi gear?"
Or you are just talking yourself out of a way to get some answers. Why try, its hopeless?!! Just think, if you are reduced to being a non-audiophile with low-fi gear, you have no place to go but up.