Do speaker cables really make a difference ?

I find that speaker cables always make a difference and are system/taste dependent but may make less of a difference with speakers that are easier to drive (i.e sensitivity > 90dB and minimum impedance 6 Ohms+). Definitely worth exploring, and with so many direct sellers with generous trial periods and a robust used market (at least for cables from reputable manufacturers) there’s really no excuse to not try a few cables in your system. Best of luck.

@zlone If you wanna stop messing around with entry-level cables, buy these Acoustic Zen Satori cables at a great price and go to the next level.  If they don’t work out just turn around and sell them at little/no loss as there’s a fluid market for AZ cables.  Just do it.  You won’t be disappointed. 
https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649912537-acoustic-zen-satori-shotgun-speaker-cable-8ft-spades-at-both-ends/

For years people have sold snake oil to every industry by convincing people they needed to buy this or that. Then the so called "experts" and pundits step in and support the theory blindly. I’m always going to be skeptical unless faced with scientific data...not theory.

@dadawada What about using your own ears? I find that by reading reviewers I’ve learned to trust over the years I can get a pretty good idea of what a component sounds like and which ones I’d like to audition. Plus, with the proliferation of and access to used equipment these days it makes trying things out at home fairly feasible despite the ongoing disappearance of good dealers. Not saying measurements aren’t important because they surely are, but not sure putting them above subjective opinions from people you trust and/or who seem to have similar tastes/hearing as you might be like fighting with one hand behind your back. Just my $0.02 FWIW.