Let me preface this by saying I'm in no way advocating expensive cables. Your post just brought up an interesting point, regarding the "range of human hearing thing."
While I'm not claiming this is true, proven, or anything like that, there is evidence to suggest that we (humans) still can detect a difference with sounds even when they're above 20khz ... indeed up to 45 and 50khz. I've read a few studies, but I'm too lazy and don't have the time to find the link right now.
Anyway, what does this mean as it relates to $15 cables vs. $115 cables? Probably not much. (IIRC, this study was an analog vs. digital thing, touting the virtues of analog.) It's just that I'm certainly open to the possibility that there's more to it than simple hz limits of human hearing. With everything we're learning about physics and biology every day, it seems the only constant thing we know is how little we really do know.
Think about a simple example. I can't conciously hear all the notes in the overtone series that are present when I play the open A string. (Granted, depending on where you pick, what kind of tone you have, etc., you can hear some of them, but not all of them in the upper reaches.) But they all are there, and they are affecting me greatly.
For that matter, most of us can't really even conciously hear 18khz. Those human hearing limits were set a good while ago as well, and I'm wondering with what technology they were established.
I'm guessing they took a bunch of people, gave them hearing tests, and determined what our "audible range" was.
Well, if they used that same type of test with reference to overtones, how many notes do you think people would say they heard if you piped a guitar's open A string through their headphones?
With an academic background in musical acoustic research I can say quite confidently that you are mistaken. First the range of human hearing is taken to be as it is as a result of very real and accurate testing. All the existing studies that are considered creditable qualify certain things. That the range as defined is not absolute. Variations occur amongst individuals and a quite definite degradation in our capacity to detect sounds with increasing age, illness and environmental living conditions also play a part.
I'm guessing they took a bunch of people, gave them hearing tests, and determined what our "audible range" was.
The accepted range has been studied using both simple blind testing and with complicated neurological equipment. The results are remarkably similar. There is a strong body of scientific evidence that supports the psycho-acoustic phenomena that we will often claim to hear what we want to hear. Those artifacts that we claim to hear disappear when the tests are done blindfold, so we might as well conclude that our eyesight also effects our ability to process sound waves!!
One thing here about what we do and do not know about the physics of sound. No matter what discoveries may be made in the future, they will not suddenly extend our capacity to hear above or below certain frequencies.
The frequency range in which we can observe quantifiable changes in the properties of electrical signals passed through conductors that are relevant to sound waves are way above the spectrum that any human can detect. Couple that with the fact that if you did the same tests on the electrical equipment that converts the electrical signal into sound waves, your amp and speaker. They would colour the sound far more than any cable making any supposed benefits redundant even with the most sophisticated equipment..
Your example of the overtones or higher harmonics of a note. Yes you can hear them it is those higher partials that dictate the timbre and tone quality of a sound. If you remove subtleties above or below certain inaudible frequencies you do not alter the timbre or tonal quality. What you are hearing is a product of all those higher harmonics within the audible range. The only higher or lower partials that effect the timbre are those that are of such a magnitude that they either cancel out or amplify weaker ones within the audible spectrum. The size of any such resonances in the signal passed through a cable are so small as to have no effect in that regard.
Well, if they used that same type of test with reference to overtones, how many notes do you think people would say they heard if you piped a guitar's open A string through their headphones?
This unquantifiable and of no relevance to the debate.
With everything we're learning about physics and biology every day, it seems the only constant thing we know is how little we really do know.
This is very true, but it does not exclude people from making ridiculous claims that are supposedly based in good science when in fact they are not. There is a lot of good science out there and none of it supports the claims made by these people.
Next time you are in a music store and one of the sales guys tries to tell you that his $100 cable out performs the $10 one, suggest you carry out a blind test on the spot. Then suggest you do the cable switching and if he can get a better than 60% success rate that you'll buy his cable and but him one as well. Believe me I've tried it. That cable will never come out of the packet. I've heard excuses ranging from "cables need to be broken in", down right lies, to "you obviously don't have the experience to hear the difference so there is no point", a joke considering my background but if I have the time I ask what their experience is. That always provides some fun listening.
The bottom line if you want to use a £100 cable thats fine it's not going to hurt, but don't suppose you are getting more sound for your money, your not. What you are getting is a well made cable that has had a lot of marketing money spent on it and inflated mark up prices that make it worthwhile for the shop to push them ahead of other perfectly good cables.
Personally as I make the guitars they plug into I tend to make the cables as well. Its not hard and I can make one that is as good as any "Monster cable at a tenth of the price.
All you need for a decent guitar cable is one that is well constructed, will last the rigors of the road and gets your signal from the guitar from the amp in the traditional fashion. There is too much else going on as far as physics and acoustics is concerned to even begin to worry about the effect it is having on your tone.
You millage shouldn't vary..
I buy those elastic ties with the little ball on each end of the loop that girls use to put their hair in a pony tail. A whole bag of 'em costs about $2. Been using these forever & they work great.
