I think the Audioquest theories make sense (although the science seems theoretical)...various sizes of solid conductors wound around each other....and in my audio system (as opposed maybe to my digestive system) it works really well. I assume the utter largeness and success of AQ as a company does engender what I see as seemingly unfounded criticism from the "audio-illuminati", but I use my ears for audio product testing and I actually LIKE the hard working Chinese people. Maybe I'll score some liquid nitrogen and freeze some cable and see what happens...I bet the dialectric cracks off along with the toe I spill the nitrogen on.