Looking For 90% of the performane of the super expensive cables for much less money

dave_b wrote: " Why can’t we follow our muse wherever it takes us and not judge each other. " my take on that problem is fear. Some folks need the psychological herd to feel safe. Anyone not just like them creates fear, since the person really does not know, but is relying on the herd to know, 'for sure'. So attacking anyone not 'just like themselves' is a part of that herd confidence. Folks who actually know, and have the confidence of it, have no need to get assurances from others. (It might be nice, bit not required, as it is for folks who are insecure) This makes it much easier to weather attacks, Knowing the person attacking is just afraid of you, of you ability to know, and not be dependent on the herd for support.     
My take on it anyway.

To add to the above.
- everyone needs "psychological herd"
- not everyone wants to feel safe

anyway, back to the op’s original question. 90% of the quality for much less money.

That’s a given, an easy one.

It’s due to the point that 95-97% (I mean, pick a percentage, it’s not like there’s some known quantity and standard, here) of what a cable does, at the high end of things..is available for considerably less. The key being that it is only those last few percentage points that we fight for, in most any endeavor. eg, beer, or scotch or any commodity or goods. Tires, cars, and so on. All the same, relatively speaking... and only a few percentage points separate the cheapies from the extreme.

It plays out in cables the same way it does everywhere else in the world.

100% of what we look for plays out in the last few peak percentage points. Everyone’s got almost all of what is attempted at being brought forth, in broad electrical measurement terms, that is.. Even the $0.25 cable that comes with the $29 dvd player at Walmart. 

Those last few given percentage points is where all the effort, brain power, and money is applied.

Results vary, of course.

teo_audio, I disagree with your mathematics, I think we fight for more than a few percentage points. $0.25 cable and even $500 cable are very far apart.

My daughters name is Elizabeth so I have to agree with her namesakes post!  As for the 90% equivelancy range...well, I’ve heard some pretty awful cheap stuff and horrid expensive stuff.  Really do have to address system and cables individually.  Assuming the cheap stuff can give you a high percentage of the best sound available is not accurate.  Occasionally you can get close with a value brand though!