Do your ears deceive you?

My opinion, from my experience, everything in the signal path from the preamp connectors to the speaker wire make a significant difference. From my experience the 100% oxygen-free copper connectors give better overall bandwidth in sound. Most notably transparency, detail, bass clairiy punch, low end. I chose " The worlds best cables" because the reviews were good, and I could afford them. I used interex 10 gage OFC on speakers. Works for me. The Worlds best cables made a significant difference from $20 inter-connects. . Most likely, installing a $1000 or more in interconnects or speaker cables would not be worth it on a $3000 integrated or separate PA Pre amp. ( to each his own) I think in a high end system that brings out every detail, it would. Thats what the big bucks are for. I am sure there would be a difference, but I doubt $1000 worth in sound on a cheaper mid fi wont be worth it. The WBC cables made my system brighter, I had to turn down the mid and tweeter! If your system does not have adjustable mids and highs, you might end up with too bright of a result and not be happy with it. When I visited my local brick and mortar, the owner first asked if my speakers were bright in mids and highs. I am older and need that. He suggested a Hegel or Primaluna system because they are work well with crisp, bright speaker components. So changing cables on an already bright electronics and speakers might not work if the cables enhance that. If I was going to drop a bunch of cash on cables with a high end system, I suggest talking to a pro at a brick and mortar business that carries your system because they will be able to guide you right, and, probably let you try a few different ones. They can be a real benefit figuring things out. What you like in sound is whats important and they can help you get the best sound you can afford.

Let me know when the holy grail of cable is available. 

"I don't understand how it works, therefore it cannot exist." -Every cable naysayer.

I know the physics and CS behind it, I am not spending 2K on cables and streamers

every person not drinking the cool-aid

the troll

@kevn Yes, that’s a certainty. Very few (none maybe) beginning audiophiles are capable of discerning acoustical properties which coincide with music reproduction at a high level unless hearing a audio system that can accomplish that. Being a musician does not qualify either.

After hearing 1000s of systems at shows, audio salons and friends homes, I am able to compare them with live acoustical music and determine what I like. Audiophiles have differences in music preferences as well as their hearing attributes/character so different strokes for different folks. I also have a great advantage over beginners having recorded in studios, performed and engineered recordings (simple) in major orchestral venues and appraised/inspected most recording studios in So. Cal.

I’m still not an expert though. Time/amplitude-dynamics/tonality-overtones/etc. are immensely more complex in music than photography is (with it’s more easily measured parameters). I’ve taken about 100,000+ photos during my worklife and began with the lowly Argus C-3 rangefinder at 10 years old (beat my parents who just pointed and shot with maybe 2 photos out of a roll being okay-my exposures were fabulous, too bad audio is so much more complex).