why do people feel the need to buy expensive cable

When it comes to taste, we humans use a fraction of our genes available and it's NEVER the same ones used from one person to the next, nor the amount. That accounts for why some have phenomenal tasting abilities and some, like me, don't. There's a lot of overlap but it's never the same.

That accounts for the widely varying abilities of some to be able to nail it each and every time. The same goes for visual acuity, tactile acuity and hearing acuity. We're not all wired the same. 

I've seen blind tastings with wine and it all boils down to what suits your tastes. It's an immediate and undeniable process: either you like it or you don't. There's no penalty to it unless it's your job to be able to identify and quantify (those jobs can pay very well). 

Visual acuity can be rigorously tested and affirmed due to it's nature. There are standards that cannot be denied. I've yet to see any A/B testing of visual acuity let's say from one brand of TV to another as a means to deny the obvious advantages of having a better picture to watch.

Hearing acuity is a different animal but, again, we're not all wired the same and no amount of parlor tricks can refute what we can or can't hear. This has been debated ad nauseam here and elsewhere. Granted, there are snake oil salesmen out there but there's some honest manufacturers as well. 

Enjoy what you like and ignore the naysayers. It's possible they can't hear the difference. 

All the best,
Nonoise

Because the cables are usually better.  How much better depends on what makes your ears happy and how much you willing to pay

jmcgrogan wrote "This thread makes me wonder if car enthusiasts on automobile websites bash Mercedes and Porsche, because obviously any Ford or Kia will do." 

If you look at the bodies of a Kia and Porsche or under the hoods of a Kia and a Porsche the differences will be obvious to any human with a brain . If you dress two cables of the same gauge and construction with the same fancy jackets and cut them open to look at you will not see the difference . So this luxury car comparison is strange .

What Ford or Kia owner thinks their car is in the same class as a Porsche ?