Why Do Cables Matter?

I find I can agree only with your last paragraph.  You make inferences that cables are simple and easy to make but I haven’t seen much from you to substantiate that.  What then is the proper pricing structure for cables be it Cu, Ag, or Au alloys?  What about the structure and weave of the cable and the insulators used?  Or should not pricing be based on performance?  What is Uber expensive in your mind?  Is an amp, speaker or turntable that costs as much as a 550 HP luxury car overpriced in your mind then?

I will tell you that I know very little about the engineering and design of audio cables but I do know something about wire.  I worked with wire in Aerospace and Automotive.  There the primary goals were fatigue resistance and joint integrity.  Other requirements included noise rejection and EMI emissions.  Wire harnesses can get complicated very quickly and especially when working with high frequencies- ie. 5 kHz and above.

I also know the economics of production.  Low volume, handmade boutique level gear, be it cables, amps or turntables will be costly.  No avoiding that.  A handmade watch that costs $100k cannot keep time as well as a $100 quartz watch but which one looks and feels good on the arm?  No, I myself would never spend that on a watch but I’d love to buy a pair of speakers…

To explain where I am coming from, I got me a pair of liquid filled interconnects that cost nearly as much as my preamp.  Fortunately, I got them used for much less.  The change these cables made to my audio system is astounding.  Would that I could upgrade all of my cables to that level.  Only it would cost me more than what I paid for my first house and I can’t bring myself to do that.  It always comes down to, “how far are you willing to take it?”

btw- tweaks are fun and they do not have to be expensive.

For your entry level gear they won’t matter as much

Because, sometimes it's not what you hear,it's what you don't hear.