why do people feel the need to buy expensive cable

I agree with Melbguy1!

"10-26-15: Maplegrovemusic
zd . thanks for pointing out the manufacturing costs for one cable out of a thousand !"

I gave more than 1. If you do a search for Cardas pics, you'll find some pictures of cables that were stripped down, layer by layer, so you can see how intricate the assembly actually is. The artists drawings in the sales lit doesn't do it justice.

I also mentioned Tara. As far as I know, you can't go out and buy rectangular solid core conductors. That has to be made in house using custom built machines.

I also remember stating that many cables don't have this type of construction cost and are probably over priced. I can name plenty of those as well. I also don't think its a coincidence that Tara, Nordost and Cardas are 3 of the biggest brands of cables in the world. They must be doing something right.

My recollection from retail sales days is that historically all wires tended to be mostly profit to help compensate for the fact that there was little profit in selling electronics. I doubt much has changed except that more people realize the profit in wires versus other gear and jumped on the bandwagon.

Speakers were the next highest profit margin items in general, usually 100%, not unreasonable in order for a store to be able to make a profit because there was little or non to be had selling electronics.

Just look at the prices of wires at BEst Buy even today and it seems things have not changed much. Nowadays, profit is mostly in services, like in cell phone service as opposed to the cost of buying the actual phone.

If you gotta have it, you gotta have it. Profit margins should not deter you. People have to make a living somehow.

Moderately expensive cables are very inexpensive if you buy and sell used, especially with brands that do not change models very often. Nothing much to debate, we each decide what is worth the cost. But this needs to include resale.