Talking about interconnects is a lot like going to small claims' court: in the grand scheme of things, there's not a lot of money involved, but there's a principle behind it. For small claims' court, that principle is justice; for A/V interconnects, it's truth. (Oh, how pithy!) What I think is interesting about the topic is that people on both sides of the argument have a strong belief that there is a "correct" answer (as opposed to it being purely a matter of taste). A/V interconnects represent a multi-million dollar industry, millions are spent advertizing the significance of Brand X cables, and, unlike proofs of the existance of God, I think people generally believe that these claims can either be justified or disproven.

Unfortunately, questions that seem "answerable" can be addressed by different people employing arguments based upon incompatible criteria: "I heard a difference!" "That's scientifically impossible; it's all in your mind!" This seems to be a common recipe for flared tempers on many "hot topics." Is the theory of evolution accurate? Is homosexuality an immutable trait? Science generally says yes; many conservative Christians assert that the Bible says no. In the end, questions like these won't be settled until people agree on a common hierarchy of authority, e.g. science trumps the Bible, or vice versa.

And until people agree on the relative weight to be placed on the value of first-hand experience vs. scientific models, interconnect discussions will rage on.