Speaker wire is it science or psychology

Interesting you mention the Radio Shack cables. I have tried and used the thicker RS gold series a/v cables (yellow and white rings on the ends instead of red and white) because of a dimmer switch problem and I think they're fine. No frequency anomalies, good three dimensional palpable images. Depth, spread, isolation. No problems. Now, if anything, I have a bias in favor of the underdog, so I dont want the more expensive stuff to sound better. But Im also honest with myself. I actually prefer the Radio Shack cables to some cables, and cannot say for sure that I can detect a difference between the RS cables and, for example, Kimber PBJ. (I love the looks of the PBJ and want to like them more than anything.) In addition to the RS GOld A/V cable, I use Kimber Silver Streak and I think its more open and lets some more detail through, and I also use some $40/pair silver plated copper center coax with locking RCA's made by a local pro gear maker that I like the best. Now I know silver plated copper is not suppose to be good, but Nordost is doing it (didnt know that til later).

As suggested by another thread around here, and the designer of my favorite speakers, I'd rather leave well enough alone and enjoy the music through the equipment I have. I know it isnt state of the art, but its enjoyable. If you aren't unhappy with the wires you have then who cares if they sound different from other wires? If you have no wires at all, buy something inexpensive and dont obsess.

Stevemj- "I am all ears". It appears that you are anything but that. Your need to have validation from someone else on such a personal, subjective experience as audio is quite revealing. It is unfortunate that you don't trust your own ability to perceive differences in your experiences. Worse, you haven't bothered to really investigate this issue yourself. You've relied upon the limited knowledge or experience of those around you who you deem to be qualified to give you their interpretation or understanding without earning it yourself. You wish to put the effort of proof on someone else to change your unearned opinion rather than taking the responsibility upon yourself to become informed through the most basic scientific process- controlled, repeatable personal experience and observation. You haven't offered any example of personal experimentation to back your claim. Why should anyone on this forum, particularly those of us that have expended time and energy (and yes, money) into experiencing different cables, take you seriously on this issue? Please, go perform your own listening tests with a highly resolving audio system, even double-blind tests if you think they are more valid, and then come back here an inform us of your results. At that point, I would at least respect your opinion and seriously consider it, even if I didn't agree with it. In my mind, you haven't earned that respect to be taken seriously yet. Nothing personal, just my opinion.

Jostler3, perhaps if you read my post with a little care you would appreciate that I made none of the claims you protest about. Before you call me ignorant, perhaps you should get checked out for Alzheimers, because there were indeed scientists (not marketers) at the time that proclaimed that Nyquist's theory was proof that there was nothing wrong with the digital standard (my reference to the maths), and of course they were wrong. Furthermore, if you were not so anal you might have realised that I am a scientist and was complaining that it is the application of prep school scientific theory that mars this debate, and that this was in direct rebuttal of the original posters ludicrous suggestion that all cables sound the same (something you manage to accuse me of despite me making no such statement in my post) - or are you British and suffering from foot in mouth right now.

Kasboot: I believe Stereo Review did just such a test many years ago. Don't have the issue date, but if you check the ABX page (see the address in teh Blind Listening Test thread), it'll be listed on the publications page. No, as a true believer, you will certainly be able to find a zillion things "wrong" with that little experiment, and I'll grant you it's not definitive. But ask yourself this: Why don't the peddlers of cables do such tests, in order to demonstrate that their products are indeed distinguishable from plain old 12 gauge copper? (Surely, some of them are.) Reason: 'cause many of them aren't.

Redkiwi: For my own edification, would you explain what is wrong with the digital standard, and how Nyquist's theory falls short?