why do people feel the need to buy expensive cable

Twelve pages.. Has even one person’s opinion been changed by any/all reading this stuff? I doubt it.
But I will do my best to add something...
I have been interested in playing music on a decent stereo since 1965.When I got my first real stereo. Over thousand back in mid 60’s.. Fisher, Garrard, JBL. And the cheap IC that came with it. I made my own speaker cables out of 12 gauge Powercord wire and XLR connectors (so I could adjust the lengths as wanted) These wires ARE STILL IN USE TODAY by the person who bought that system from me in 1979 BTW.

As time went on, and somewhere early 1980s, IC became a upgrade item, and not a forgotten child.
I had a few baby step IC, and made some ICout of Mark Levinson $2 a foot wire and gold plated Radio Shack RCA. I used those for 30 years.. (which I still own with upgraded Vampire Tiffany RCA ends, but currently do not use)

I also collected a few wires just in the course of living. Kimber PBJ, used Kimber KCAG, Hero.. ..
Anyway, they all seemed OK, and I was really hard pressed to say any one of them sounded any different in my around $700 a pop for each component system.(though I had $3,200 speakers)
Fast forward to mid 90’s when I tried my first aftermarket powercord. THIS ONLY because it was selling for less than I could make a good one, on my own. The Pangea PC was the first wire I could really hear a repeatable change in the sound due to a wire on my Forte’4a amplifier. The bass in the music was definitely better WITH the Pangea.

By 2010 I retired, and splurged $35,000 on piles of new equipment.
(Some friends were stunned I would ’waste’ that much on stereo crap when I ’could’ have bought a new car instead)
That is when I started to be able to actually hear changes due to different models of Pangea power cords, and various IC.
I now had two power conditioners, and most of my electronics averaged $5K a pop.
At this point I owned a 7 meter Kimber Hero IC ($800) from preamp to amp. And it was good, but I felt it could be cleaner and less grunge.
And I tried a few other solutions which did not pan out. I had foolishly SOLD the Hero! (I returned one cable which was $1,400 as totally unsuitable) Then after trying a home made solution with $1000 worth of wire, which also was not so great I decided to splurge and go for a wire like the Hero I liked, but a step up. KImber KS1116 at 7 meters was $3000.(Gulp I really had to think about it and took TWO YEARS to decide) I went for it and it is perfect. So I bought a few 1.5 meter KS1016. Total $7,000. For wires.

I would NEVER tell someone they need to spend anything on wires. It is totally a personal quest for the best sound. And I have to say it can certainly be attained with Dime Store IC. The plan of spending 10% (or less) on all wires is still a good one for those uncertain what to allocate
I just thought I would post my experience so others might see the reasons for yes or no on their own quest for great sound.
It is true there are folks in any hobby, and naysayers who are also too narrow minded to see for themselves, and rely on trying to insult the folks who have experiences differing from their own..Just because you can’t see or hear it, does not mean other cannot.
The most telling stories are folks who USED to be naysayers.. until they discovered they COULD hear a difference..
Good luck.

I think it is a good thing for all folks to be able to express their views.
Good, bad, or neutral. The one part which I hope folks will respect is other's have a right to disagree without being called names, insulted in any way, nor being restricted, except to be reasonably polite. Explain in polite terms why you think they are idiots.. LOL
So I enjoy reading the posts of folks who think cables are crazy. Even though i find wires can make a difference.

A different perspective is we each have different ear/brain hearing systems, and each of us want different things in the reproduced music to be perfect. And allow other things to be less than perfect.
Then  the equipment we each have is different, with an amazing jumble of different manufacture parts (and those manufactures each have their own 'voicing' of what they want the equipment to sound like)
So there is no 'right' IC or powercord which Universally will make folks happy. Since those items are being added to a Rub Goldberg pile of stuff.
So when I read about the guy who replaced his big buck pile of IC with some cheap 'magic' wonders of the age.. All I think is he found what fits HIM and HIS system to make it what he likes best.
And not the intended claim that expensive wires are a rip off.

I still use two Cardas Parsec XLR in my system. $360 meter pair.I bought them when they came out. and like what they do. One clear feature is an interesting pearl like edge to the notes. Really just a tiny touch, but lovely. Since I bought all of those (like 7 pair 2 XLR 5 RCA) I jumped up the $1000 a pair Kimber KS 1016, mainly due to needing a really good 7 meter IC and I liked the sound of the 7m KS1116 XLR, I bought a few more RCA Kimber for the rest. But I do keep the two Cardas XLR in the system (The Cardas is slightly more veiled than the Kimber, But cost a lot less. So for a step up, I would suggest the Cardas Parsec XLR.     

If you go with 'Big Name' used, the likelihood of buying way overpriced fakes goes up exponentially. Particularly big name brands and well known cables.I haven't bought a used cable in years. Just too likely to be burned. Plus the cable I really want, never seemed to be for sale anyway. If you have a local dealer who can loan you something to try, that would be ideal. Or "The Cable Company" has cables they loan out. You do pay a fee, but if you eventually buy something/anything, you get that money back as a credit toward any purchase. that way you actually get to TRY the exact cable you are interested in, or several. You can listen and decide with  actual experience of the cable in your own system.

Yeah, Geoff, but knowing when to buy used, vs new is critical. I enjoy high end preamps, I have found used ones as low as 25% of new retail. Last one was 30% of new retail. that means I am just leaping in on a buy I was really not specifically looking for, just because it is neat, and cheap. Works out for me so far.                  
But if I want specific cables. Like say... my seven meter Kimber XLR KS1116. Exactly how many YEARS do you think I will be waiting for one to show up used? Twenty years? Thirty?              
If you just want 'any' fancy cable and are willing to go for it, then yeah you can find good deals on cables. Aside from the chance it is a fake...

I just wanted to throw in here that I added a 4th preamp to my main system, just to have SOMETHING with some tone controls.
The recently added preamp I paid $20 at a Goodwill like 8 years ago.
Onkyo Integra P308. The reason this is pertinent is the cables I used to connect it include a $1,100 Kimber KS1016. and a much cheaper $360 Cardas Parsec. So I paid SEVENTY THREE TIMES the value of the electronics on the cables. LOL.

The reason I need some tone controls is my new Magnepan 20.7 speakers on a few modern Rock albums the bass is way to much for apartment living. So I have the Onkyo set up to be introduced at the flip if the tape switch on my main preamp.. And have the bass contour set to -10 dB. Works perfect!
The end result is the bass with the switch on cuts the bass down to about what my previous speakers had, (3.6 Magnepan.) And thus no eviction for me.

And here on the eight hundred and eightieth day of this discussion we are back to slinging dung. (did it ever stop?)
So far ZERO people have ’changed sides’, or been convince about anything, (except too many other people are just freaking idiots)

I say good luck to the combatants! and may the bloviating continue!

Thank you all for giving me one more way to idle away my life... reading this exciting and amazing thread.

Al is entirely correct in reading my meaning.

Two good points in the last two posts.
Those are the main problems in discussing the subtle audio changes audiophiles discuss.
Sadly both are used to accuse the 'other side' of being wrong...
I don't think there will ever be any agreement. Other than a possible we can agree to disagree.

Sadly I suddenly got a case of ding dong affecting my onus.
I was having a seance with Taters discussing hot burritos, when the pains struck.

All drawn wire is drawn in one direction. Not two.
Now it may be there is some small tiny near impossible to to find reason that due to the way wire is created.. IE drawn through a die, that the claim of directionality may be true for all wire drawn through a die.
Now I remember ’cast’ as being a claim to advantage by a certain audio company. Perhaps they are right. and drawn wire has a problem?
In steel, it is certainly apparent that being rolled does change the properties of the metal. Is this also true of Copper when it is drawn?

"" But that doesn’t make the wire directional from an electrical conductivity perspective. "" probably for a normal ’scientific’ analysis.

But perhaps from a audiophile listening to the last tiny fragment of possible hearing acuity.. there could be a difference and a possible measurement no one has found yet?

I personally am not saying there is. But no one can say with absolute certainty(with the current state of the art) that there is NOT.

There are clear evidence about grain in copper/crystal lengths making a difference in the quality of sound performance.
Something no one in audio thought of seventy years ago.
Maybe there are still internal structure mysteries of the copper we have yet to understand.

I got the 'break in' runaround on a cable. But after a month the dealer did take it back. (but only for credit on something more expensive...)
As far as that dealer was concerned, they thought I should use the cable until Doomsday to 'let it break in'.
Funny a later cable I bought was fine form day one.
So yeah screw the 'extended break in from Hell'
And those cables could not be reversed. They were XLR.

Amazing the psychology around guys arguing about stuff.
I swear guys can ague about the same thing, with the same impasse forever. No need to think "This is a waste of time"
no... not to them. They can say the same thing a hundred times, it never gets tired. (I mean how many 'wire' posts do each of you think you have added in the past ten years? A thousand, ten thousand? I really doubt it is 'just three posts' LOL
Now I understand how, in the 17th century, guys could argue for years and years about: "How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?" No problem.
If there are other intelligent species in the Universe, I wonder if all males do this? Or just Humans?

I spent over $3000 on some AC duplex (for the stereo of course). Most recent spent $100 for four resistors which happened to be on sale for 50% off.                   
So just how much SHOULD I be spending for interconnects? (naturally this is a rhetorical question, but I am sure I can get some answers... FYI my last two IC spending sprees cost me $9000.)

If you have the money, Geoff, just buy a BIGGER NEEDLE.Buy one big enough to fly a 747 through it. No problem.

dave _b seems to think all audiophiles are mindless fools who are incapable of making decisions. By his lights they all need 'protecting' from charlatans and con men and are universally gullible.  
Where I think audiophiles, like nearly all people ,are intelligent, have an ability to make decisions based on self interest. 
And just because someone chooses to buy a product dave_b thinks is hokum, does not make him right. It is far more likely to mean dave_b is wrong in his assessment.           
As for Geoff. :But what am I you ask? clearly you are a giant gingerbread cookie. Your photo PROVES it. Where I am a giant blank slate with a big "E". I think I escaped from an eye chart...

dracule1 seems to be writing (at least to my understanding of 'High End) ordinary fools are buying $40,000 IC. I don't know anyone buying IC that cost more than most High End gear.I guess it is easy to make up fantasy and expostulate on the fantasy 'as if' it is reality. I also doubt HE knows anyone who "Buys cables that cost more than most High end equipment".               
First I would try to form a basic amount. How much money is the 'high end equipment' dracule1 is using as a basis? To me High End is like preamps and amps costing over $30,000. Speakers costing over $50,000.              
However dracule1 may have a much lower standard than I do as to what 'High End equipment costs.. Maybe as low as $3000?If it is $3000, Yup I own an IC I paid $3,200 for. And do not consider it a big deal. (it took me a number of years to decide to BUY that cable.. Just to add to the discussion, my IC cable percentage for my whole system is under 10%) And in the recent past I used a $1,100 IC cable on a DAC I paid $250 (used) for! (now I use that same $1,100 IC on a $7000 DAC.
Anyway, I disagree about the notion 'fools and their money'. I would just call it what folks choose to buy which makes their stereo sound better. I know some folks write about buying several AudioQuest Hurricane powercords, or even Dragon powercords. (for me, those are way too expensive..But if i could affor them, Yeah I would be buying them too.  just sayin'.)

"Look out below" is what the beach gulls think (and do) to tourists walking the beach. Smart folks just take a step to the side when the gull dives, abruptly pulls up with a little squawk flinging it's **** right at your head. The gulls never figure it out. Some tourists do. Other tourists just swear a lot. I love the sea gulls, and laugh with them.

HDMI cables have different qualities too!
I can say that since I bought a better silver plated OFC one and Hell yes the picture is cleaner and better looking.
And IMO there is a lot of overlap in Video and audio gear. Particularly for tweaking.
The big plus for video gear is you can SEE the results in the picture. Audio the ear has a tougher time to 'see' as easily.
For my Plasma TV, I could see the results of different powercords. and using a conditioner at all. or a different AC conditioner.
So I would say there is value in talking about video equipment and tweaks in an audio thread.

"" Just let's be honest; admit you buy them mostly for the looks. If you cannot then you are being hoodwinked. Or you want them so bad to sound "better," they magically do. ""

Both of those claims are straw man arguments. Asked and answered.
Why the need to belittle other folks who find the Universe to be more interesting than you do?

Even the car analogy fails. Most cars that folks think 'look cool' because they actually are faster, turn better and do most enthusiast things better than 'ordinary' cars.
Now someone might put 20" wheels with 30 series profile tires on a Buick just to 'look cool'. But that is not what is being claimed. The claim seems to be that all car modifications are for 'show' and not enhanced performance. Which is easily seen to be an error on the part of dynaquest4 making wild claims, then saying they are the norm..
When all you can do is throw mud.. I think your arguments are finished. Time to throw in the towel dynaquest4!

Not even good old honest techno babble.

Threads like this.. They're attractive to audiophiles like a shiny bit of tinsel to a crow..
You just HAVE to respond
Adding anther few lines of infinite wisdom to the outhouse floor.

Knowing which cables have the alien technology..                 
Taking them apart, finding the tiny imbedded microchips (only a few nano-meters across) and then re-purposing that tech for nefarious activities is MY excuse....