I think some cables are just a little too expensive.

in 2005 i purchased a set of Von Schweikert VR9SE speakers, which could be bi-amped. so i used 2 stereo darTZeel NHB-108 amplifiers and used 2 sets of $33k Transparent Opus MM speaker cables.......$66k list price. i did not pay full retail, but a fair portion of that number i admit. i did trade up with some other Transparent cables to acquire the 2nd pair.

it did sound awesome. here is a review i wrote about that experience.

https://positive-feedback.com/Issue26/lavigne_vr9.htm

it’s the only ’review’ i ever wrote and i have no illusions i did a particularly good job at it. there is a good reason i stopped there,

shortly after i wrote that article, a friend in HK wanted to buy the VR9SE’s, so i sold them and one of the sets of Transparent Opus speaker cables. but it was fun to listen to that system while i had it.

and if you have never listened to the very top level of cables, you really have no idea what can be done.

my system now is much, much better than then. and i have not used really expensive speaker cables for a number of years. i am about to spend a large sum of money on a phono cable but don’t yet have it......so can’t really talk about it yet.

i don’t view expensive cables as necessary for a top level system; but i don’t have any philosophical conflict with the idea of expensive cables to reach a particular sonic goal. it’s just a tool to achieve a level of performance. if it has something unique about it to get you where you want to go, and you can afford it, then go for it.

if owning expensive cables is the goal, i can relate to the view that that is a bit much. but the world is full of vanity, and few are immune from it. so don’t get your panties in a bunch about it.

and if we have to be hair-shirt ultra politically correct here on Audiogon......really?

1 in 6 children in America are food insecure. Pretty high price for the kind of “freedom” only cronyism creates. Expensive objects like this are meant to reinforce the identity of people who are so far removed from everybody else that they need to measure their status against one another, rather than against the principles  of an ethical and spiritual life. They need ways to signal their worth to one another.

That’s the cultural function of these products.

+1

Folks, plz stop communistic, socialistic and other mass fairness ideas... that is totally utopia and it’s already being proven by others bad experiences. All communists and socialists ending being saved and fed by capitalists. Maybe those ideas looks sweet and fair but reality is different. The idea to fight rich, to take everything and to share among everyone that exactly from what Soviet Union was started.... and where is Soviet Union now !?....at the end of their socialistic madness capitalistic countries was sending them huge donations shipments of food and second hand clothing, for people to survive. Such a shame. So, let’s better concentrate not one the prices, what is kind of personal aspect but on SQ pursuit. 

This thread has disassembled even faster than usual cable threads.

surfmuzz,

You are aware that food banks and other caritative institutions exist in the current capitalist world, too? They receive huge donations shipments of food and second hand clothing, for people to survive. They have customers in their own front yard.