What do you all make of this psuedo-science

https://www.tomshardware.com/speakers/in-a-blind-test-audiophiles-couldnt-tell-the-difference-between-audio-signals-sent-through-copper-wire-a-banana-or-wet-mud-the-mud-should-sound-perfectly-awful-but-it-doesnt-notes-the-experiment-creator

The Experiment

The goal was to see if listeners could distinguish between a high-quality original audio file and versions of that file that had been "re-recorded" after being passed through different conductive mediums:

1. Original CD File (The control).

2. 180cm of Professional Copper Wire.

3. 13cm of Banana (connected via 120cm of copper).

4. 20cm of Wet Mud (connected via 120cm of copper).

The Results

After a month of testing with 43 participants (many of whom consider themselves audiophiles with high-end equipment), the results were:

• Identification Rate: Only about 14% (6 out of 43) of the guesses were correct.

• Statistical Significance: This is actually lower than random guessing (which would be 25% for 4 options). Tom’s Hardware noted that there was a 6.12% chance of getting these results by accident, meaning the data is consistent with people simply guessing.

• The "Mud" Surprise: The creator of the test noted, "The mud should sound perfectly awful, but it doesn't." Most listeners couldn't reliably tell it apart from the professional copper wire or the original digital file.

Why does "Mud Audio" work?

The physics behind this is simpler than it sounds:

• Resistance: Both mud (due to water and salts) and bananas (due to potassium and moisture) are conductive. While they are worse conductors than copper, at the "line level" (the low-power signal between a player and an amp), they mostly just act as a resistor.

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• Signal Integrity: A resistor reduces the volume (gain) slightly but doesn't necessarily distort the frequency response or add noise in a way that the human ear can easily detect over short distances.

• The Conclusion: The experiment reinforces a long-standing skeptical view in the audio world: while shielding and build quality matter for cables, the "exotic materials" used in expensive high-end cables often provide no audible benefit over basic conductors—even if that conductor is a piece of fruit or dirt from the backyard.

I realise the being the "best of the average" is not the same as the comparing the mud, banana, "hi-grade copper" may not be the same as a "high-end" interconnect or speaker cable. But I do wonder if there is a price point when we get negative return in regards to sound quality. When I do the AB testing at home or in a shop (blind AB testing's) I rarely hear a significant difference and usually not one worth an extra $1000+.  I know it is horses for courses with this hobby and appreciate that.