How much money do you want to waste?

I invite anyone who can expose the imposters who mainly badge stock wire to do so, and support those companies with proprietary technology like Acoustic Zen, Harmonic Technology, Synergistic Research or whatever brand anyone might like to mention.

Let's get something straight here: having worked with test and measurement equipment for 10 years, I can assure you that differences in cables CAN (easily) be measured! Take a variable frequency LCR bridge and measure at 20Hz and 20KHz. Also, just recently someone posted a repeatably measurable difference with a sound meter. You can argue that the measured differences shouldn't have any effect if you'd like, but MY ears say otherwise.

The finest drivers typically use aluminum wire in their voice coils. This wire is small and there is a lot of it. Wire used in the voice coil is solid and sometimes rectangular to pack the most volumn into the available space. The voice coil is in series with the speaker cable. If cheapo wire has an effect there should be a substantial signal degradation from the considerable amount of aluminum voice coil wire. Any higher quality wire in series with it would be wasted (if there were such a thing).

Additionally, there is relatively speaking, substantial inductance (compared to any conceivable speaker wire geometry) in the voice coil/motor assembly of the speaker.

And so, my point is that if you like the sound of your speakers then you like the sound of solid aluminum wire. For those who care, solid aluminum wire is even cheaper than cheap copper zip cord.

If you have electrostatic speakers, well, I suppose you could use this argument to explain why they are inherently better.

Steve, you forgot that E-stat's use step up transformers. Since a transformer is ( typically ) a coil of wire, you've once again got the same type of situation to deal with.

Other than that, your train of thought is completely logical. Even though anybody with reasonable hearing will probably disagree with you, you must be right according to the laws of common sense.

Too bad life ( and audio ) aren't that easy. Sean
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i'm not real sure but i believe the purpose of coils is to create and collapse magnetic fields and is not to carry signals per se.

as far as cables, or for that matter, any other hardware go, the whole stereo trip is about looks and hype. you find the look and the hype that jives with your stereo sense and you indulge yourself...then sit back and enjoy the music you like to play. upgrades occur when new looks and new hype create sufficient insecurity in the status quo to prompt change. assuming unlimited funds, how much you wanna spend equals how insecure you have been in your pleasure. the best discovery is yourself. great post craigklomparens!