The Cost of Cables


We all know that there have been countless posts with endless debates about cables on every audio forum available. The reason I start this post is to garner thoughts from others on the cost of cables, not necessarily whether they make a difference or not. I find the prices for cables staggering and I (me personally) do not understand where the cost comes from. Some will say R&D, ok, I can go for that to a point, but can the manufacturing of wire really cost much? (In thinking about this, the discussion could be applied to audio as a whole.)

Obviously cable companies survive because we purchase their products, I include myself. But if we quit paying these large prices, would prices fall dramatically or would they just quit making cables such as we know it and/or close their doors?
brianmgrarcom
john..with your obvious complete understanding of 'human psychology 101'..you should begin making audio cables immediately.i am sure you would be a huge success and make millions off the 'potential customers' that surely exist in the thousands ready to buy the most expensive cables you could make....just to have them...never mind if they were good or not.
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Just an observation in support of John and Tvad re cost equals value. Poster signs in with a system which is known by critical listeners to be unspectatular, i.e. not exceptionally resolved/detailed etc. Wants a recommendation for speaker cable. Told that some Canare at cents for the foot are good benchmark cables, he takes offense and wants 'real cables'. You know, those ones that the guys use with their expensive well though out systems which have been properly set up. What I have learned is that when someone asks about cables the only thing he doesn't want to hear has to do with money management v sound. :-)
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Tvad, Re "Does that mean Canare are not used by guys with well thought out systems which have been properly set up"?

Not by a long shot I know of several, including one guy for whom I have undying respect! In his case it replaced some Cardas due to length requirements. :-)