Cable Costs Relative to System


Since making a spread sheet with my audio system prices, I have been thinking(shocked) about my total investment in cables. My total system retails at $67,000 (Digital and analog front ends included). I purchased all of it here on Audiogon so my investment is about 50%. Of that I have about 10% invested in interconnects and cables and another 10% in Power Cables (Shunyata Hydra included). That's $13,000 worth of wire. I'm starting to question whether it might be more effective to put some of this budget into acitve components. It would take forever to listen to all possible combinations, but would like to hear others experiences with relatively high end systems and cable selection. It would seem to me that the point of diminishing returns would be reached sooner with cables than with speakers and amps. Do most of you follow the 10% "rule" for cabling? How do PCs fit into this rule? Are there any super bargain cables capable of keeping up with highly resolving electronics?
metaphysics
"Show me a judgmental person who has made up their mind wire is snake oil and it's a 95% chance they are republicans."

The observation about audio wire is one thing, though on the most grave matters affecting everyone they don't sound the least bit remorseful after sandbagging the US economy for billions in lost revenue, causing pressure to downgrade US credit rating which drives borrowing costs for up for everyone, or for eroding the confidence of our foreign trading partners/buyers to name but a few ramifications. Demagog's are destructive and self-righteous nincompoops.
Kijanki is exactly right. Velocity of electrons in copper audio wire with signal flowing through it is about a meter an hour.
Airegin... If the "self-righteous nincompoops" you're referring to are the same people that are asking the present administration to "stop spending money we don't have", I'm proud to be one of those a nincompoops.
The retail price of my system is about 15k-20k euro. My speaker cable costed me 50 euro for a single run of 10meters. I cut it into the proper length myself.
@ Aintitgr8, great story on the cables, I believe you 100%!, what I am about to say, I care less what any one thinks or believes!, cables are the most profound important part of any system period!, I have a exspensive system, guess what? the cables cost way more than my very exspensive componets, lets see here, Taralabs very best everything!, man-o-man does these cables make a difference!, I absolutly have no regrets ever!, to each their own, see ya.