I used to only buy planet waves cables and these were the only ones I used to buy. They have upgraded them since and I believe they are better now. Previously the jacks were compressable so that it'd be a tight fit in the input jacks of amps and guitars which is nice so it won't fall out lose however, they were so tight and after time they would wear down the input jacks themselves and eventually strip them. This became a bit of a problem and as far as I've heard they have improved that. However the quality of the cable is quite nice, I haven’t had any jacks rip or tear or bust or come unsoldered etc. The cable itself is ok too but it is definitely still prone to being tangled which has always been a problem with cables since day one. The more kinks you create the more you wear down the cable, of course there is no REAL solution for this aside from wireless units or coily cables, which I think the latter is quite effective. However besides that the PW cables are a definite improvement in quality and sound above the free one you get when you buy your first guitar. I would definitely look into these cables for home use or if you’re okay with tangling cables as a hobby (ha!). Yes there is a bit of a tonal difference between the gold plated ends and nickel plated ends however I am not completely convinced that it’s worth the difference in price versus the tone so I can’t judge that to be honest. When I look for cables I look for longevity, I want the cable to last forever and be versatile for both live and the studio, and my theory is if it’s good for live it’s definitely good for studio. These are worth looking into for an upgrade for beginners or intermediate players I’d say. But they still tangle, so it’s up to you in the end.