Simple snake oil detection

I used to be the same as OP before I built better audio systems. :) 

I will explain the problem. Audiophilia is not simple arithmetic (elementary math), but rather Boolean Algebra. 

I'm glad I could clarify that for everyone.  :) 

Czarivey, Yogiboy's snake oil wouldn't set off your SOD. Nor does a product need to cost as much as a BMW; do you recall the Tice electric clock? 

Dear geoffkait, Your posts are most humorous, sarcastic, but humorous.

personally i think the op is expressing what most reasonable people would think. I think wire is very important in a high end system but only the buyer can decide the value in financial terms.
But there is no doubt that us in the audio club have allowed the ridiculous pricing of so many audio products because we are willing to pay for it.
I have certainly spent plenty of bad money in audio but it was my choice.
The OP expresses an opinion that I very much agree with. The cost to final price is not evidenced in any other manufactured products that I’m aware. Does anyone really think the cost to price ratio of a Steinway to a similar priced interconnect pair would in any way be similar. Give credit to the cable guys in particular. They don’t make us buy it. 

To say that there is no ’snake oil’ is the same as saying every claim every vendor or fanboy makes to support their particular product is true.

Any takers on that?

Of course the snake oil salesmen absolutely have no problem making baseless sometimes even absolute claims and will do what they can to discredit any naysayer or skeptic. Watch out!