let us also never lose sight of the software we are using, as no amount of costly cable, room treatment, nor expensive gears can do to a poorly recorded music...
i would say the program materials we use are about 50% the rest is hardware.....
In fact much of those items that contribute so little (almost negligible) to the sound are those that have been magnified grossly by some section of the hobbyist - cable, IC, amp, players. Of course, these items are the heart of music reproduction. Decent items from reputable manufacturers will provide you a very low distortion factor.
But the body of music reproduction - the one that each one of us hears, are affected by at least 3 big contributor to the distortion factors
(1) Your recorded materials - depending on its sources can introduce the first whopping distortion that problems caused by your gears+cable pale so much in comparison
(2) your chosen speakers with its unique characteristics that gets into the way of your gears can introduce another massive distortion that your gear+cable-distortion seems to be nothing
(3) your listening area (speaker positioning) - which serve as a baffle itself finally adding insult to injury to the reproduced music.
And whether one believe or not about those cables' claims (including those amp and player claims) does not matter at all - since belief system will not make good audio reproduction in the real world. To enjoy good sound reproduction, after buying decent equipment, give attendance to the real issue than spending so much for items that offers so little (if not none) benefits.
One said our world is quite different now ... all items now are being described using techno terms ... and only technically-inclined people can really interpret what those really means in the world ... and I couldn't agree more. Have you experience being asked by someone to buy digital cameras, flat TVs, movie players, PC, celfon, etc etc?
You will have to do a lot of convincing that so much specs does not necessarily translates into something you can use in the real world! and paying for those specs is basically a waste of money.
I hope no one will end using copper tubing (used in refrigeration as their speaker cable) just because it may support the theory of skin effect!