So is there no middle ground between yea and naysayers?

[E-Stat]

The setup in many dealers' showrooms allows for reasonably rapid switching and comparison between one speaker and another, one receiver and another, one cd player or turntable and another.

Isn't that just flawed sighting testing subject to all the human foibles?

But what about cables? How do you know which one to buy? Let's assume you have decided that you definitely want to put some money into them because you are convinced you could hear an improvement.

I began with reviews from knowledgeable sources (I happen to know both of them and have heard theirs systems) and a dealer in whom I could trust. I did not, however, begin with the assumption that I would hear a difference. I have a deep love of music and some disposable income and if I found audible differences, then I would weigh that decision appropriately. I have no desire to spend money just to spend money. My comparisons were done in what I believe to be a better environment for me to discern what differences exist (or do not as the case may be): my own system. The "overpriced" cables in my system were only purchased after weeks of comparisons weighing what I heard. How is that worse than quick audio cowboy showroom switching on unfamiliar gear in an unfamiliar setting?

But what would that give you? A few tenths of a db difference at 20 Khz from one to another? Is that all there is to it? Just a little extra high end boost? Is that what I'm being asked to spend my money on?

Your response assumes that such measurements fully describe the world in which they are asked to perform. There is more to the (subtle) differences I hear than a tipped up (or down) high end response. Perhaps my system is simply more sensitive to others based on the component mix. I use passive attenuators from CDP to amps because I find there to be a significant difference in clarity, definition, image width, and dynamic range with bypassing the otherwise superflous active preamp stage. The Audio Research unit is nice, but not perfect. I use tube power amps driving electrostatic speakers, another situation known to be more challenging than others.

If there is more to it, what is it?

I honestly have no idea.

rw