Cables more hype than value?

Al, I always enjoy your posts. You're a classy guy. I understand your position, that classical theory tells you shouldn't hear cable differences, but in a system context you feel you still do. I can take leaps of faith for audibility with active components, but cables? At least with active components there are measured differences, and it's a matter of argument over what's audible. Even then most of us fail the blinded tests. Amplifiers, especially, can be load-sensitive, but cables aren't, and there's just nowhere to stand. How do you reconcile that? Or do you just give in to your whatever your mind desires? ;-) (A position, incidentally, that I understand completely, as long as one is honest about what's happening.)

Al,
Thanks again, for chiming in. Your insight is always welcome, comprehensive, and calming. Would it be that we all had that same discipline.

Irv,
I've disagreed with you but never mentioned your maturity or experience. I simply doubt you or your systems aural acuity as there are cables laying about my place that all sound different that anyone who has been to my place can attest to and none of them are badly or improperly made and that work in any system. None of them were that expensive nor would I condone dropping mucho coin on cables unless one could afford to. I know I can't.

Simple as that, all mass delusion theories aside.

I, and others, do hear a difference. As I've said earlier here and elsewhere, I've come across people who do hear the difference but simply don't think it makes that big a difference and it's only been through debating it that they finally admit it.

I believe it due to the nature of this hobby and the ridiculous prices some pay thinking it will make a dramatic difference in their lives. (this is not to impugn Audiolabrynth who's took a different and interesting route in assembling his system).

This enmity seems to be a in the form of a redress of sorts taken up with a well intentioned but misguided belief that one can set things straight if only they scold others enough.

It's only a discussion.

All the best,
Nonoise

Just when one of these threads dies down another rears its ugly head. Agreement will never be reached between the two opposing schools of thought here. Why don't we all just agree to disagree and go on to better/other things?
These discussions never end well and eventually descend into vitriol, name calling and worse.

Reminds of the old saying: "There's two sides to every story, mine and the a**holes". :^)

Why don't we all just agree to disagree and go on to better/other things?

Because there are no better issues for cables.