why do people feel the need to buy expensive cable


I have tried expensive cables and one's moderately priced. I would say there were some differences but I can't actually say the expensive cables were better. IMHO I believe a lot of people buy expensive cables because they don't actual trust their ears and are afraid of making a mistake. They figure the expensive cables are better for the fact they cost more. If you have a difference of opinion or share the same thoughts, I would like to hear about it.
taters
Well, don't get on a rant or anything!  I suppose it appears that some high end stuff is really expensive, but you or I have no basis to know whether they are simply priced at the usual mark up from manufacturer to wholesaler to retail.  I do know that when stereo components are made in small batches the cost per unit is much higher.  That's just simple economics.

And if they use military grade and or very high tolerances for the parts, which are going to be again made in small batches, up goes the price.  A $10,000 amp or pair of speakers will not be sold by the thousands, friend.  Do some of these expensive components even sell 200 units per year?  I doubt it.  One company, Ayre, makes the front aluminum pieces out of solid blocks that get machined down to the designed piece, again not cheap.  I have no idea whether they sell at the usual margins or not.  And frankly, I really don't care.  If some wealthy people want to buy these unobtanium pieces, so what?  That's up to them, not you.

That said, for myself I can't afford such but have pieced together a pretty nice sounding system through some trial and error and reading forums like this one.  I use Morrow Audio cables, and have turned to some of the internet direct companies to get what I consider to be better bang for buck.  The Morrow cables really do make a difference in my system, and so did the Audioquest Type 4 speaker cables.

In fact, these cables really upped the sound quality in my system, and although I only spent about 700 for 3 sets of cables, it was well worth it.  I truly believe that some may not be able to hear this difference due to hearing.  

I know a guy who can't sing on key for love nor money.  He'll bellow out the words, and has no idea he's way off.  His hearing is different than mine, and that is why some people can't hear these improvements.  Then they go online and rant about how they bought an expensive cable and it didn't help(nothing to do with hearing loss).  Or perhaps they tried one cable and left the other 3 cheap monoprice crap in the system which neutralized any benefits.  

Buy what you like, but to call cable enthusiasts snake oil suckers says more about you than anyone else.
It appears that this thread is crossing over in to the New Year!
It is good to read such discussions about Cabling. Easily, this is the most-important component in any system. Keep me posted & Happy Listening!
As we enter the what fortieth year of the cable debate let's hope it never ends.  Let us pray.

Are you kidding?  We might as be talking religion, here!  It'll never end and one day one side may start a holy war!  LOL
 
dvavc
56 posts
01-02-2016 8:29pm
"The point is that all "hi-end"(for whatever it means)) prices are totally baseless B.S., and rip-off. They never justified by any cost of materials or any other logical way or common sense, it never makes any sense at all and sooner or later each of us will confront the fact that $1000 component might sound on par or even better than one for $10,000 and moreover might use same or even better parts. People picking on cables just because it is so obvious to everyone that piece of wire can’t cost $$$$$$). However, components are no different, i.e. parts cost can’t ever justify the hi-end prices. A "trick" of "know how" that’s what sells, let alone those who doesn’t even have any tricks and sell overpriced fancy aluminum boxes, LED lights, fancy shrinks, etc.))). For some reason people, in their mind, identify better looking box with better sounding, without any regard whatsoever to what electronic parts are inside of that box. Bottom line - all this "hi-end" stuff, whether it is a cable or a component, is ridiculously overpriced, no, not "expansive" - OVERPRICED. I think manufacturers, when they sticking those ridiculous price tags on their goods are anticipating that it will be sold for 50%-75% less, however, lately prices went sooo out of hands that even that doesn’t help.)) And it doesn’t even matter how much one making, or what is the economy outside of your listening room, it just ridiculous in a relative term, i.e. how for example DAC can cost $40.000 (let alone speakers and/or turntables for $120,000)? A car cost that much requires plants, thousands of employees insurances, steel etc, etc., i.e. cost about 100 times more to build. One of my favorites is when something which in real life worth $50 priced about $10,000 but to add some credibility to that bogus, out of blue tag, they make it like $10, 015.23, like it was strictly calculated and justified to the last penny, like they been struggle to bring to you their best price possible but couldn’t make it any better because another .15 cents less would force them out of business.)))))) What a B.S. That’s why used it sells for a penny on a dollar, there are no real value in any of it."

So help me try to understand why you frequent A'gon and why you make the effort to post... If in fact, the whole thing is an overpriced farce, why even bother, really? Why trouble yourself? Why not just listen to tunes on your car radio and be done with all this? Or just pick up an honest and reasonable hobby like wittling? :)