Speaker wire is it science or psychology

Pops and Detlof hit it on the nose. Like I said, 10% of cable is true science and the remainder 90% is psychology (snake oil) pushed by the press. The minute we can not tell the difference between cables, they ( meaning the press or their advocate/deciples) tells us that our system is not good enough to tell the difference. This is somewhat true, but doesn't that make you feel like an idiot because your not smart enough or can afford to have a system that can tell the difference? What's worse is when you tell them your system (which you have spent a lot if money on), but you still can't tell the difference, they say it's your ear that doesn't know how to listen. Are you suppose to feel handicap now because can't hear that they hear? Before you know it, you start to trick your mind to hear what they tell you what you should hear just so that you can hold a conversation with the press in their lingo. Talk about psychology. I don't mean to insult anyone with my comments. I am just trying to raise questions/discussions to see if we have all gone over board with this. Think of this as the checks and balances of our society/industry. The industry advances every year and they do take us in various directions. Consumers like you and I should have discussions like this to keep the industry going to a direct that we are comfortable with. After all we are their life blood considering how much money we have spent. In addition, don't you think Audiogon tracks and expose these comments to the vendors as feedbacks?

I must agree with some of your comments here. I think you can tell the difference between a $1 and a $350 cable. However, the value of diminishing returns kicks in rapidly has the more expensive the cables get. My best friend used to work for a company that manufactures cables for Cardas about 8 months ago. Cardas would send the connectors and her company would provide the cable and the assembly. Dealers charges about $750 per meter for golden cross. She told me that her company normally pays only $7 per meter (without connectors of course) and her company would then charges Cardas ~$21 a meter. If you do the math, that's a hell of a margin for Cardas. Bottom line is that cables do make a difference, but what I don't understand why is it that cable company decide to charge so much? $5000, $10,000, what's the basis for that? Perhaps cables is 10% science and 90% snake oil. As the some cable prices continue to sky rocket, wouldn't it be cheaper to go down to your local jewelery store and pick up a meter of 24 karat gold chain? Why have gold plated, when you can have the real thing! Just be sure to wrap your 24 karat gold chain in electrical tape so no one gets shock!