Are expensive cables worth it?

I agree with Swlein. I think it depends on where you are with the sonics of your present system. If at this point you are well pleased with the system overall, then finding the right cables may be just enough to put your system over the top.

If, on the other hand, you still have quite a journey to go with your system, you may hear little to no difference with different cables regardless of the sonic abilities of the cable. I'm staying away from using the word 'price' because I just sold my fairly highly rated $1800 speaker cables for superior sounding cables that cost me $120 (for a full bi-wire set) new and included shipping.

And though I was quite pleased with my fairly well regarded ics, I tried just one pair of the far more expensive Jena Lab Valkyres between my source and pre. At first, there was no difference, but after a few days of burn-in, the sonic improvements in certain areas were far from subtle and well worth the price increase.

-IMO

when you clear your head and really concentrate on the music, at least certain types of music (for me, baroque massed strings, or solo violin, a harpsichord, or a piano that's well recorded), the attack and decay, the "rosin on the bow" becomes more apparent as your system improves. or, you ("i") can listen less intently and miss it just as easily. good cables enhance the effect, but once again, you can't experience it with a magazine in your hand, or even a glass of wine or "whatever". it requires a certain focus that took me a very long time to develop. it can be very exciting and satisfying, but you also have to put monetary issues aside at one point.

No, you're not crazy -- you are right on.

A bottle of wine in some of the high-class night clubs of NYC would run above $200 while in liquer stores it's $20 max and ordinary italian or french restaurant would sell it probably for $40.

A class may be higher but the content is the same.
Whoever visits the high-class clubs probably doesn't care whether it's $200 or $20...

Marak's analogy is well-stated.

Consider the success of a cable maker such as Signal. No-nonsense, well-engineered, great sounding cables that work for many/most of us. Last word in resolution? Probably not. But you cannot deny the impact of guys like Frank which he well deserves. 775 xactions, 100% positive feedback. Element, VH, MAS and LAT all dovetail into this category as well. Bettercables, blue jeans cables, homegrown, etc.

If you DIY cables, the aroma of snake oil is overwhelming, at least to this probocis.