i've only skimmed the thread, but this is how i see it, for my two-penneth worth:
When i hung out on hi-fi forums, i noticed there was always a lot of debate as to whether better cabling = better sound. The one side were saying that the cabling is the weak link in the chain, while the other side insisted cabling was subject to 'voodoo' - in the sense that manufacturers' hype might make the gullible listener think he was hearing a difference, when he spent his money. One person attempted to support this with evidence he believed he'd gained from voltage tests on various qualities of cable... Some experiment set up to monitor the signal dynamics. He claimed that if his instruments could not tell the difference, neither could you!
Well, this caused an uproar because it was seen as very rude to stamp all over another person's private listening experience... However, the point made in cabling's defence put forward the idea, that we listen with more than just our ears. That instrumentation is not a pair of ears - nor is it connected directly to a human signal processor (ie: Your brain!).
Now what you have to realise is, is that if approaching this from a purely empirical standpoint, the burden of proof is upon you, to prove it by evidential means. In other words, if you want to know the ''truth', you have to go by the findings and not by anecdotal evidence.
This is one of the key, fundamental problems which exist between evidence and belief - and even then, science still demands of us a little faith...
So what do i believe? Well, i'm of the opinion that cabling matters. Why? Because i do not measure the precise signal strength coming down a cable - i hook up a system and enjoy it. If i swap cables, (even within the high quality range) i hear a difference. It's very subtle - and yet - i can hear even more difference, if i downgrade to a shite one.
If people want to call it 'marketing voodoo' then let them... Basically, if you spend more time looking at quivering needles and dancing oscilloscopes than you do listening to music - that's exactly how your mind will interpet this debate. Music has soul and cabling is the weak link between the boxes that are designed to bring that out. Make that link strong and you can't go wrong.
But now we're talking about sound engineering - not domestic hi-fi, so this is what i think:
I believe that cabling for sound engineering purposes will naturally be of a higher standard, across the board, than that of domestic hi-fi cabling, whose quality can vary greatly between brands. In other words: You don't often find manufacturers of low-grade electronics offering xlr cables, do you? No, you tend to find that the more specialist companies make them. So, she could be right - athough you really must build up your personal preferences, not on conventional wisdom alone - and certainly not on manufacturers' hype - but on experience.
So the bottom line is: No. I don't think you'll find that much of a startling difference, in the professional ranges. Just don't quote me on this, because i have not tried all the different ones.
For what it's worth, i think it's an excellent idea to make up your own cables - provided you use quality materials and construct them correctly. Though, perhaps, until you have this down to an exact science, you might be better off buying off companies who already do.
One thing i'd like to add though. I was once informed that gold is not the best material for making connections. Someone with a lot of experience told me that he would prefer nickel-silver (or was it copper?) anyday because of it's superior electrical qualities. So i think that, presuming 'gold range' means gold-plated connectors, it might well be just the inclusion of a precious metal in the product to make it stand out.
But at least they will not corrode. Despite what i've just said, i own loads of gold-tipped cables and some of my gear has gold-plated rca outs and i enjoy listening to these units very much, so...
I'm not sure if this answers your question, exactly - but that's just my personal take on the subject - and i'm not that experienced in sound engineering.
Regards
dr. V
