Hi folks, without getting into the quality of cable = better sound argument, the Cat3 example caught my eye as requiring some further explanation.
Cat 3 verses Cat 5 wiring is not a relevant example for analogue sound transfer. The difference that cat5 cas over cat3 is not so much quality but in design and it is designed to assist where you have multiple data paths all flowing through the same sheathed cable.
The difference is in the way the pairs inside are twisted. Cat 3 has multiple pairs of wires but these pairs are not twisted together individually. It's designed for analogue signal such as phone use and works fine for that.
Cat 5 is designed for things like computer data transfer where each pair has separate data signals traveling through it simultaneously. The only significant difference is that each of the pairs are twisted together to help 'insulate' each pair from the other pairs signal via induction.
It is the twists that make this a better choice for data transfers, it is not the 'quality' of the cable. Without the twists effecting the magnetic fields to reduce induction, you would be limited to very short lengths for data transfers. This is not nearly as relevant to a single pair of speaker wires, even if they are mixed in the wall with a few other speaker wires.
Not being argumentative at all, just thought I could help clear up this point.
