Gary, hopefully it didn't really sound good to you, because if the comment was meant other than jokingly, it's sheer nonsense. Any copper exposed to air(e.g., the stripped end of a speaker cable)will have some surface oxidation over a long period of time which can either be cleaned off with a mild abrasive or the stripped end can be trimmed off and another half inch stripped. This is true regardless of whether the cable cost $1 or $100,000.
John, one of the differences can be the quality of the insulation used in the construction of the cable. Over time i think that the insulation can break down if the manufacture uses the cheapest possible stuff.
