DO CABLES REALLY MATTER?

Laws were meant to be broken. Look at poor Newton. 😛

This subject is getting old quick!!

I think I may have commented on this before.  I really do hear a difference in phono interconnects.  I have a medium priced set  of Verastar Silver Stream phono interconnects and can definitely hear a difference between them and say a generic brand by MCM electronics.  I use xlr cables every where else.  They go under my floor, over the river and through the woods.  Question:  I have many feet of xlr cables between my preamps and power amps.  If I switch to a higher quality, do you think I will hear a difference?  Subjective question I know. I am using a set of Transparent MusicLink Supers, but have a simple extension, to increase their length.  I’ve read that when using balanced cables, quality doesn’t come into play that much.  What say you?

I use a seven meter set of XLR between my Brystom preamp and my amp.                             
I have used in the distant past: Kimber PBJ. Then for many years a Kimber Hero 7m.Then I tried a Cardas parsec, which was a total fail sound wise, and I returned it. Then I made some home made ones with Kimber bulk wire. And finally I jumped and bought a pair of Kimber KS1116 ($3,200) The Hero were decent, good bass in particular, but rather grainy and not nearly as transparent as the wires after it Can really hear the grain in the wire compared to more expensive cables. (but if you did not know, it seems fine) The Parsec 7m (only) was thin sounding, glorious treble, but thin mids. For a month I put up with it 'breaking in' finally I returned it for a refund.     
Then I made my own. Still not full sounding. I used those for two years, until I finally had the extra cash to buy a $3000 IC pair.I am pretty sure the KS1116 is the last IC I will buy, The KS1116 is a good strong midrange, clarity is great. Detail. most natural sound. . lets me hear a lot more in tiny other changes I make to the system. With enjoying that long KS, I bought a few other shorter ones (less money) to use. Now I have four 1.5m pair around the system. I still like the 1m Cardas Parsec and for the money it is a good cable.   
So for me there was a difference in the sound with XLR. I kept a one meter Cardas Parsec XLR, and I have to say it (and the Parsec RCA) imparts a interesting tiny pearl like edge to the notes. Particularly noticeable on piano. even now I try to keep one Parsec in the chain. to give that little touch. even though it is not as clear as the Kimber KS.

@elizabeth ,

In another thread, you mentioned that you live in an apartment and that you move every 10 years.

On your history alone, that’s quite a bit of changes to have a quantitative opinion on any one device in the audio chain. Most of us live with our components/room for our lifetime. This is a basis for a recommendation that holds "more water".

BTW, I have always thought that your moniker is a personal familial way of honoring a close family relation.