Why do digital cables sound different?

Having had Audioquest Truth solid copper conductor with air dielectric and Audioquest Truth solid silver conductor with air dielectric digital cables for comparison, it was obvious, in my system at least, there were important differences in how they sounded.

If a person Pays $5000 for a cable, they are going to have higher expectations. They sound better because one expects it to sound better.

As usual, when I explain audio cables, I remind everyone first exactly what is "the scientific method". As an engineer myself, trained in science, I don't try to explain anything until AFTER I have conducted a test, using my senses and my powers of observation to determine the human response to an issue. Then, and ONLY then am I ready to search for the explanation of why these observations occured. As scientists, we NEVER search for an explanation first, then force ourselves to observe what we logically determined to be true before-hand. So, the answer to "do digital cables sound different" is 100% in the ears of the observer. Then, the EXPLANATION of why must be consistent with that subjective experience. In other words, I listen first, with a complete reliance on my subjective ability to hear any difference. Then, and ONLY then, can I create hypothesis to explain why.

I have to admit it, I love this thread!!!

Ethernet has VASTLY improve bit error correction chips. Audio DACS benifit...a LOT from this. A one or a zero has no sound, it is just a toggle of logic a DA converter uses to construct the analog waveform.

Missing bits are "filled-in" and interpolated between bits for an analog signal. To that end, the analog circuits are what we "hear" if all the bits get through (and they do to a crazh high level of perfection!). So my ears tend to say that the analog waveshaping circuits don't all make the same decisions with the same bits.