Ok,
This will stir up the pot I'm sure, but I don't understand it at all. Maybe someone here can change my mind.
First, let me tell you my background. I have an engineering degree with a math minor. But I haven't used it and I've forgotten so much that it is embarrassing. On the other hand, I still have enough basic knowledge and understanding of the concepts that I can usually do a little research and re-learn or catch up on things that I am rusty with these days when I need. In other words, I understand the basic concepts of electronic circuitry and electricity.
I ended up going into (radio) broadcasting my senior year of college and never did anything in the engineering field.
However, this career has involved me with some quite expensive professional sound equipment over the years. That has changed somewhat recently, as computers and (data) compression have become big parts of radio. Still, we have some nice processing equipment in the broadcast chain and we use decent speakers in our studios, etc... I have a little hands on experience with high-end stuff.
So... Here is my perspective.
I believe that MOST, if not ALL, high end cables are a scam. PARTICULARLY for subwoofers.
Let me zip my flame-suit on (someone needs to make a cool smiley for that).
Here's why:
1. For subs, you are running RCA to the amp. This involves very little current or voltage and the average RCA connector wire will handle this load easily. I'd MAYBE recommend going to Radio Shack and making sure you were getting a good quality (copper wire, gold plated ends) wire, but I wouldn't spend any serious money on it.
BTW, the reason I bring this up at all, is another thread ("subs under $600" I think) where someone was going to sacrifice the quality of his sub because the price of a sub that he wanted wouldn't leave any money left over for the cable.
I cannot believe that cable is important enough to outrank the quality of the sub itself. I think this is the effect of good marketing of a snake-oil product which takes money from a budget that could have been spent on better equipment.
2. Ok, lets talk about loudspeaker wiring. Here's my suggestion. Go out and buy some good copper extension cords and cut them up and use them. They can carry 120 volts at ~20 AMPS!!!! You can't possibly use all the headroom there, even over very long household distances.
3. Some cabling advertises that it has special winding that helps this frequency or that. I believe that may, or may not, be true. But I think people get lost in specifications sometimes. Sure, maybe this wire has 1db better response on 22khz signals, blah blah blah... But can you hear it?
If you truly believe in cabling, and you have the extra money to throw around - go ahead. Just like most "snake-oil" products, "it can't hurt" (anything but your wallet.)
http://www.csicop.org/sb/9812/snakeoil.html
But if you are on a budget, then I'd demand some blind tests. That's where you don't know which cabling is being used and you listen.
I bet ya can't hear a difference.
-Tom Steele