On cables and sound

I posted just a little while back about my project to build some new amplifiers for my stereo.   I had a little problem with the power supply for one of the amps - it gave off a spark when switched on.  I sent it back to Hypex, who told me that they couldn't reproduce the problem, but they sent me a new one anyway.  So I installed it, fired up the amps, and they worked fine.  So now they form part of my stereo.  Here's a picture - the new amps are the two side-by-side silver boxes halfway up.

One of the things that I noticed is that they new amps have a bit more top end that I'm used to - they're a bit trebly.   I don't know if that's because the amps have to be run in - that's a common enough phenomenon.   But as it happens I have a set of very fine audio interconnect cables that I have used on systems in the past, that tame a slightly wild top end, and I swapped them into the system. Perfect.

Now, I know that audio signals fall into the lower end of the frequency spectrum that cables might have to deal with, and that measurable effects on cable performance only start to come in at radio frequencies.  I have debated with friends of mine about whether or not  choice of cables can impact the sound of a stereo.  The only proof is by demonstration, and I have shown puzzled scientific friends that two different types of cable, both of which should be perfectly adequate for audio, give very different results.  And they then sit and debate what might be happening.  As far as I'm aware, right now, no-one really knows.

As a listener to music, I really don't care what's happening, as long as I like the result.  As a scientist, I'd like to know.  And the trouble with no-one knowing, is that there tend to be forwarded all sorts of nonsensical explanations, most of which relate sound quality to the price of the cable.

Never mind.  Enjoy the music.