Cables for Devialet D200

[NickB]

My only interest in this is to save the OP some money, which I think we can all agree is a good thing. To that end it does seem important to point out that

1. a decent gauge copper cable is a good thing

2. aside from that, there's no evidence that audiophile cables improve sound quality.

Right on.  This is objective fact.  Science is not a matter of opinion.

My position comes from experience as an ear, nose, and throat surgeon and the considerable amount of otologic/audiologic training inherent to that field.  There is a defined threshold and resolution to human hearing that, again, is a matter of science fact and not audiophile dreaming.  Having said that, there is the matter of psychoacoustics.  Having spent thousands of dollars on speaker cable, it is completely conceivable that an individual would subconsciously prefer the sound of their new purchase as more [insert pretentious audiophile adjective] than their prior cables.  The placebo effect.  Another well defined scientific fact.  Identical to the perceived relief of pain demonstrated in double blind controlled studies when you provide participants with sugar pills and not the analgesic they thought they received.

So, no, I do not agree that some "hear" a difference and others do not.  Rather, some "perceive" a difference...but that has absolutely nothing to do with their hearing.  This perception of improvement is worth significant financial outlay to some -- indeed, many "audiophile" manufacturers of snake oil products absolutely count on it.

Yes its very important to use the correct term - perception is all.

The Emperor's new clothes is the longest running story in town.