Galen Gareis, retired Belden engineer, designed the best possible signal conductor (speaker cables) based 100% on science. Accuracy of signal transmission, nothing added - nothing removed, was the primary goal. The math, science, and physics involved are undeniable proof that signal transmission in wire is not simple nor identical between different configurations or material.
Yep, Galen is a solid engineer and his cable designs are based on sound engineering principles. He's published a series of white papers on important aspects of cable design and the information in these is accurate and informative.
Something that his speaker cables don't address, though, is the impact of "reflections" of the EM wave that propogates along the cable which carries the signal.
I'll just digress for a moment here. Many folks think that in a signal cable, e.g. a speaker cable, that current is carried by electrons in the conductor material much like water flowing through a hose or marbles rolling in a tube, etc.
This is not the case at all. The signal is carried by a hypotrochoid EM
wave that
propogates along the conductor. This Vp, propogation velocity is different for different frequencies. This means that signals at different frequencies, which is what we have in audio applications for reproducing music, will propogate at different velocities at and will arrive at the end of the cable...
at different times. Moreover, these EM waves can reflect back along the conductor and interact with the EM wave coming "downstream", and much like water waves in a pool, cause summations (a higher peak wave) and cancellations (a null, or lower-peak wave) of the EM wave which will impact the both the timing and the quality of signal from the source. These EM wave "reflections" are measurable using a time-domain reflectometer, and, importantly, the effect of them is audible, including their impact on timing.
Note: If folks want to read Galen's white papers, send me a PM and I will send a link to them. I don't want to derail the discussion by posting active links to other manufacturers in this thread.