I was of the same opinion until I auditioned Ansuz C2 and D2 PCs and Interconnects. Not quite $10K (list), but not far from.
I now have a full loom of C2's.
All I can tell you is I do not think I could have invested the money in any other part of the system and achieved more gratifying results. You really can't know the full potential of your system until you put in great cables. I recommend obtaining loaners from a dealer, for whichever brands you are interested in, and hear for your self in your own system. And in the case of Azus, dealer discounts of between 30% - 60% are not uncommon.