Cable Costs Relative to System

Simple. Your system is as good as the weakest link. The cable cost relative to the system is not a good measure. Find the weakest link, improve on this, then go to the next link. If your source or speaks are limiting, cables are not going to do anything. Reduce the number of cables and components, this reduces the weakest points.

Metaphysics and pseudo-psychology are all fine and well. But if one can afford thousands and thousands of dollars on wire, then one has too much money. To me, such monies would be better spent on assisting the less fortunate among us. People listen to music, not metals that are efficient conductors of electricity.

Llanger hits on something obvious, but never the less, extremely important. If music is truly the reason behind our obsession with this hobby, then any system that could reasonably reproduce sound accurately would be enough. Of course that is not the case in the least. We all have OCD to some degree or another and perpetually ruminate over the potential improvements that could be affected in our systems if only...you get the idea. Personaly, I cashed in my last mega system a couple of years ago and have been playing around with that money ever since, vowing to not spend any new money going forward (maybe even paying off a few bills along the way). I have stuck to my self imposed promise and have managed to put together a system that satisfies my musical soul even more than the mega system. Case in point, I came across a professional version of a popular interconnect available to the recording industry and compared them to my $6500 IC's. Yup, the $100/pair IC's were identical in performannce with perhaps an even greater dynamic range and enhanced clarity. Bottom line is that we should not have to spend obscene amounts of money on Audiohype. Setting a reasonable budget and knowing what's important to YOU are most important and efficacious. Being hoodwinked by the Audio Industrial Complex is not!

Well, what are the $100 cables?

"Yup, the $100/pair IC's were identical in performannce with perhaps an even greater dynamic range and enhanced clarity"

Yes, I've heard stories like that before. Next person says that he bought $0.12 wire in Home Depot and it was much better than mentioned $100 cables.

Cables do change sound and it my case more expensive cable improved lower midrange that sounded a little thin with AQ Indigo (class D amp) but I'm not sure if next 10x dollar increase would buy audible difference - at least for my inexperienced ears.

What is getting improved might not be appreciated. For instance some don't like certain DACs like Benchmark because their clarity makes them sound "sterile" and "less dynamic". I even heard opinion that instruments should blend more together and guitars sound too clean. Fuzz guitar will always sound more lively than super clean Jazz guitar and if cheaper wire is making it for you - go for it and don't spend money on expensive cables. There is no right or wrong here.

It is also important to mention that placebo effect works in both directions - If you don't believe in cables then cheaper cables will sound better to you. It is possible that in my case more expensive cable gives me only placebo effect but I'm still happy as long as it does. Also cables are non-perishable items and I can spend more to avoid buying them over and over again.

It always puzzles me why people who don't believe in cables post on cable forum. Does anybody know? It sounds a little like deaf man answering add for music teacher just to tell them not to count on him.

Please don't give me BS about helping poor instead of expensive cables. If you want to help poor you should not be in this hobby to start with and you should not drink coffee or alcohol because you could help poor instead(and it is bad for you).