How important are speaker cables to the sound emanating from the speakers?

You opened up a Pandora's box of opinions here ... so let me stoke it a little further. Go ahead and Google [ speaker cable blind listening tests ].

Or better yet, get a friend and some cables and try it yourself.

Those who don't like what they read will say that blind listening doesn't work. That you need to live with the component to learn all of its true nuances. Funny how we enjoy the only products on earth where blind testing isn't useful!! Yes it's true for example that a loudspeaker may reveal itself to have certain spikes or dips or anomalies only after listening to many different performances over time. But I immediately know if a speaker that I haven't heard before is great or not after 30 seconds of listening, and then further listening will reveal to me all of its strengths or weaknesses.

I myself have a handful of musical references that I have been using for 20+ years, and so when I listen to a new piece of gear using these references I know almost everything that I need to know immediately. But more often than not, I do know everything I need to know and further listening proves no help. And I work in an industry that requires me to do a lot of blind audio testing on a daily basis.

So of course blind listening is useful in audio, that is self-evident, but it does sometimes require further time and repeated listening.

That being said, go ahead ...  Google speaker cable blind listening tests ...

Happy arguing!

That's a great link dsper. I haven't been to Roger's website in years and had forgotten about it.

I especially like this tidbit: "When there is an audible difference in speaker wire due to wire capacitance, it can be interpreted as an improvement when one wire appears to have more clarity but is actually altering the sound and departing from accuracy. "

John Dunlavy was another very credible manufacturer in the high end who also felt the same way. And I've read the same from dozens more over the years. Here's one Dunlavy link: http://www.avsforum.com/forum/28-tweaks-do-yourself/36910-cable-nonsense-john-dunlavy.html

Whether one chooses to believe what these guys say or not, you owe it to yourself to try some blind listening tests. The placebo effect is stronger than anyone wants to believe (check out the Dunlavy link), including myself sometimes, and I have witnessed it firsthand in other listeners literally thousands of times over the years.

I don't look to professional studio personnel and technicians to know how to set up a fine home audio system. I advise not to listen to them.

I have to assume that you meant me Mr. Schroeder. What a ridiculous statement! I guess that you haven't noticed that most of us here on Audiogon don't try to disparage other members' opinions, we just respectfully state what we believe for ourselves, but without suggesting that anyone else not be listened to.

What bad form.

You have no idea of who I am or what my capabilities are. If Alan Parsons said something ignorant, that means that all music producers can't be trusted with home audio? Give me a break. Some can, some can't.

Most well-known producers aren't famous because of their audiophile chops - they may have none - it's because of the performances they inspire or from the aural effect that they create, the records themselves may sound terrible from an audiophile perspective. Think Phil Spector.

But some producers are first rate audiophiles - otherwise you would not have any audiophile recordings. Because creating an audiophile recording is never by accident - it is really, really hard to do. That's why there are so few of them. And yes, these audiophile producers can wax eloquently about home audio.

Oh and by the way, "a fine home audio system" is ridiculously easier to set up than a competent recording studio system.

Most of us here are familiar with blind testing, so you didn't really add much to the discussion.

Too funny Douglas Schroeder! You ask that I not take your first post directed at me personally (the one in which you advised that I not be listened to), and then in the same breath proceed to say that I "didn't really add much to the discussion."

LOL! How many times can you be insulting in the same thread?

Whether you have patience for blind testing or not does not excuse good manners. I've been reading the Audiogon boards for over 12 years now and find your deportment to be at odds with most others here.

And I could make the same indictment about your post not really adding much to the discussion because most of us here are familiar with how important many people say that cables are.

But were we addressing "most of us here" in the Audiogon community, or the original poster?? The latter I think.