I am sick of cables

Matching cables to your system can make a big difference. I'm not talking about using the most expensive cables. It depends on your budget and system as to which cables you choose and how much you spend. Also, not many musicians are audiophiles and the same goes for recording studios. Of all the musicians I know, I am one of the few audiophiles.

How much have cables evolved over the past 16 years, when this thread was started. Do people get more bang for their buck? I would definitely assert there are more cable vendors now compared to 16 years ago, many of which sell directly and avoid the additional expense of marketing and magazine ads. Magazine, what is that? 

The thing we forget when debating the benefit of various cable designs is that science does not fully understand how electricity flows in wire. From AI;

No, how electricity flows along a wire is not yet fully understood by science

. While classic physics explains the basic principles of electrical conduction, modern research into quantum mechanics has revealed complexities that are not yet fully resolved. 

What we know from classical physics

For everyday purposes, the classical model provides a very solid and predictable understanding of electricity. 

• Electron drift: The common analogy of electricity flowing is simplified. The signal propagates at near the speed of light, but the individual electrons only drift slowly through the conductor. Imagine a long pipe full of marbles. If you push a marble in one end, a marble is immediately pushed out the other, but the marble you originally pushed moves very little.
• Electromagnetic fields: The energy in an electrical circuit is primarily transported by electromagnetic fields that surround the wires, not by the electrons themselves. The electrons are the medium that guide these waves.
• Resistivity: The collisions between drifting electrons and the atoms in the conductor produce resistance, which generates heat. This is why a light bulb's filament glows when electricity is passed through it. 

Point taken. Observations appreciated.  But really, could be so much more absurd than it already is.  https://zadok.com/products/vacheron-constantin-patrimony-watch-43175-000r-9687?variant=44703601950876&country=US&currency=USD&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=&utm_term=&utm_content=&gad_source=5&gad_campaignid=22592018584&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9d7Z7uX6jwMVhgytBh2eqRCEEAQYASABEgL_2vD_BwE
92K watch?  And the beat goes on…..