If your a hardcore audiophile then perfecting your setup is the number one thing on your to-do-list. For the people who really go all out on perfect Hi-Fi setup, no detail should be spared and often times it isn’t. This level of detail can come down to each wire that connects your beautiful and expensive set up together.
Some audiophiles are willing to spend $100 to $1000 on their cables alone, but how much of an impact would these expensive cables make? I think there’s some misconception around what makes a cable worth the investment. Some common marketing ploys to avoid are products that advertise gold plating and an immunity to the skin effect.
The wires that make up cables plated in gold are almost always going to be made out of copper or silver as they are better insulators. Gold plating would be useful because they don’t oxidize at the same rate other metals such as copper do. This would ensure a longer life on your cable, however, most cables already come with proper insulation to last the cables lifetime. As for the skin effect, while it is based on a sound scientific phenomenon, the effect would have any meaningful effect on any audio frequency coming from.
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