Are expensive cables worth it?

Room treatment will be a much better place to spend money also. There's a reason on some forums the dbt between wires isn't allowed to be discussed. The differences are so subtle with wire that speakers and room acoustics offer a far better return on your investment. Of course it's to each his own. I'll save my money as I've had several IC's loaned to me and can't hear enough of a difference to bother, maybe no difference. These IC's were from 50 bucks a pair to 300 a pair, no difference that I can hear. Same with speaker cables. My system is extremely resolving btw.

You are not crazy at all. Unless you are in need of some tone controls (frequency bending cables) the differences between quality cables and IC's should be and are very subtle, where as the choice of speakers & amp are anything but subtle. I agree with Warnerwh - optomize your room and present speaker/amp (or future speaker) set up first, then revisit cables and IC's. They are the final tune and high cost doesn't insure high value.

When your equipment is revealing enough that cable differences are significant rather than marginal, then the cost is worth it. And the most expensive cables aren't necessarily better than cables from the middle of the line: you have to listen. In my case the investment in Transparent and Elrod cables took place after intensive and extensive sessions of comparative listening, and the differences were not subtle.