why do people feel the need to buy expensive cable


I have tried expensive cables and one's moderately priced. I would say there were some differences but I can't actually say the expensive cables were better. IMHO I believe a lot of people buy expensive cables because they don't actual trust their ears and are afraid of making a mistake. They figure the expensive cables are better for the fact they cost more. If you have a difference of opinion or share the same thoughts, I would like to hear about it.
taters
Al...forgive me but your post makes little sense to me.  Sorry...know you meant well.
Elizabeth, sorry to disappoint but convincing anyone of anything is not the point of this thread.
We are all trying to help Geoff reach 10,000 posts so he can take a break.
I secretly suspect taters is a secret agent (or at least a lobbyist) for the aftermarket fuse manufacturers with a mission to get audiophiles to stop spending their money on expensive cables so they have more to spend on fancy fuses.  Fuse threads can be found behind doors No$. 149, 175, and 225 across the hall from the True Believers Kool-Aid stand.
taters starts many discussions for the kick of getting people to argue. He almost never responds to his own posts. Just look at his many, many posts!!! This post was for his own amusement. 
I haven't read through this thread, so forgive me if someone has already mentioned that Galen Gareis of Belden Cable has been writing some articles for Copper, PS Audio's free online magazine. I'm finding them well worth the time it's taking me to read them.
cj1965 "I have a full bench of spectrum analyzers, signal generators, multi trace scopes, and a very reliable Earthworks mic that I use on a daily basis. Digital technology exploded a lot of myths. Now that it is fairly cheap and accessible, only those who actively choose to bury their heads in the sand will succumb to foolish arguments involving so called "audible improvements" that can't be measured or tested for. My microphone can pick up low frequency grumbling of a truck approaching a quarter mile away and display it on my software recording dashboard about 20 seconds before it's loud enough for me ti audibly detect. I see evidence of this every day and don't needs anyone's "veils have been lifted" hype to tell me if there's a difference. And no neither NASA nor the BBB are necessary. All that's needed is a little common sense and a mind that's open to accept science and the scientific method."

Being that you have such an extensive stable of testing equipment and also the considerable expertise to commit such equipment to the rigors of scientific testing and apply the results to the body of data about audio why don't you share with us the results of that testing? Being that you see "evidence every day" of what you call audio myths this should be an undertaking that will only require of a you a very brief committment of time and energy and it will also form the foundation of proof/ legal action you can take against those you consider to be frauds in the audio industry.