But the thing is, wadia-meister, I have heard differences between cables and I did believe that Van den Hul D102 was better than other, cheaper cables I had when I bought it (Ixos 104, QED Qunenx 2 - probably spelt wrong - and DNM Reson). Now I really can't hear a difference between the cables I kept, the Ixos and Van den Hul.

Certainly I admit I don't have massive experience of cables so am relying on what I read elsewhere but unfortunately the debate is along the lines of some people with plenty of experience claiming there are audible differences and some people with equal experience claiming there are not. Thankfully, though, the debate on this forum is much friendlier than on, say, the Google newsgroups. And I can only remember a couple of threads about this on Zerogain (but I may have missed earlier ones).

So I think the issue is not that simple. Cookiemonster's point was very valid and I think he made it very well. If we do hear differences then as long as that fact alone is good enough for someone then I do think that is absolutely fine. Whether these differences exist or can be proved in any 'objective' sphere is a point of interest but, at the end of the day, it is up to the listener to decide if that is of any relevance to them.

I can understand people getting fed up with it all and I would like to be 'neutral' but I'm afraid I personally have been convinced that the issue of what people report they hear in blind v. sighted tests is relevant. And this would also apply to CD players and amplifiers.