Lifting speaker cables

FWIW since MT brought it up, many of the demo rooms at last weeks Stereophile show had their mondo cables neatly arranged on a variety of lifts. Of course this could just be the cable rep making sure his babies got in the spotlight...

Then of course there were the rooms that looked worse then my rack and the surrounding area...

I do it - had some fun on ebay collecting old ceramic isolators - but honestly I can't say I hear a difference. On the other hand I believe that a lot of this stuff is synergistic, and that lots of tiny details add up to a greater whole. Besides it puzzles the maid (who has learned to put the cables back on after she knocks them over) and the dog, who has not.

I agree lifting any cables makes a huge difference particularly in imaging and smoothness. My experience tells me not to lift cables more than about 1/4" to 1/2" off the ground otherwise you lose body. Also avoid contact with solid materials such as metal or wood; e.g. corners of cabinets, etc. as this can add hardness to the sound. Plastics are one of the best materials to use under cables. Styrofoam cups and plastic drink glasses are a cheap way to go. Ceramic materials tend to add a bit of hardness to the sound.

I have found that floating the cables in water has a greater effect that lifting them. Various dyes may be added to the water to make the sound "darker". Ideally, one should experiment with a combination of isolators and dyes to optimize the sound. Thickeners may be added to tame those darn transient excursions and cologne to improve music that truly stinks. Filling your mouth with water and spitting it on the system also helps. Just my two cents.

Maybe nothing for sound quality improvement, but the cables look neater and cooler sitting on top of the porcelin holders.

Unquestionably, the answer is yes. I wrote a review of the Goertz cables months ago, and, unfortunately, the editor cut out my comments about keeping the cables off the floor. Even the goertz sound better off the floor, SD.
Trust me. I've elevated my cable ever since 1988 and they ALL sound better, comments that say otherwise notwithstanding. I've elevated the MITs, Transparent Reference, Nordost VAlhallas (the ones I've heard the LEAST change from), The Goertz, the Shunyatas (Andromeda and Gemini), and they all sound smoother, with more focus, and better low-level detail. If it can't be heard in your system, then perhaps the polarity is reversed, or there's not enough low-level details coming from the equipment.
When I was the Acquisitions Editor at Fi Magazine in 1996, I went over to Larry Kay's house. He had Wilson Grand Slamms. Dick Brown (Bel) was there, Tom Miiller, Sallie Reynolds and a few others. We were listening to Larry's Bel/Grand Slamm/Jadis/Rockport system, and the upper midrang was great, but a bit shrill. I went over and elevated the speaker cable on top of a book or something and it was easily heard by all present (as I recall, Tom Miiller looked at me and said "Show off!").
It really does make a difference, but the rest of the system has to be "dressed" equally well: no power cords near interconnects, everything at right angles (if possible), as much isolation as possible, damped first reflections (and second). Otherwise, you can easily miss this. I was fortunate enough to have WATTs at the time, a Versa, Convergent and other good equipment that made the speaker cable lifting obvious.