Okay, here goes. While I am not done experimenting yet, I have reached some tentative conclusion.
I inserted the Polestar USB cable into the system, replacing the Belkin Gold cable I have been using for a number of yers. After 150 hours or so I sat down for some critical listening. On my better recordings I noticed better image density and richer sounds on particular notes and passages. Take the opening bass notes on Flamenco Sketches--alternate take (Miles Davis -- Kind of Blue, last song). These notes were a little deeper, richer, fuller than with the Belkin. For some this will make the $250 well worth it -- and I understand that.
On lesser recordings the differences were more subtle. After a few weeks of casual and critical listening, I removed the cable from my system and replaced it with the Belkin. Honestly, I enjoyed my music no less with the Belkin cable back in the system. So, it improved some particular sounds and passages but I believe that the improvements it yielded are a little idiosyncratic.
Maybe my system is not revealing enough, or maybe I just do not hear as good as I used to. I could see this making a bigger difference in some systems than in others -- like most things in audio. Hope this helps some of you.
