Sum Total Cost Of All Cables In Your Rig?

I have purchased so many cables over the years in this hobby, that I have not really captured the true costs. Sometimes I trade in/up, other times I buy cables on special discounts, promotions, close-outs, etc. A few times I was given cables by dealers and audio friends for just being an audio geek and a friend. The most I ever spent on one cable, and I was sweating, was about 3K. This was a power cable. I experimented and kept the cable. So over years, including buying audio cables from the PX (Monster Cable) and Radio Shack, and later on in my audio life, I would say roughly, maybe 6-8K. This is for an entire 30 plus years of being in the audio hobby. Compared to an avid smoker who purchased a carton of cigarettes each week since 1985, I paid far less for something that brings musical bliss to my ears compared to poisoning my body for far less costs.  

The estimated total cost of buying one carton of cigarettes every week from 1985 through 2025 is approximately:

\[ \boxed{\$114,660} \]

This estimate uses historical average prices and weekly purchases; actual costs may vary with precise price inflation and tax changes over the years.

Cables are a necessity in order to hook up your system. In actuality, many people spent more than they realize if they can remember the costs of each little cable purchase since starting this hobby way back when. This is where I blame my age on trying to remember the true costs.   

As Deep_333 stated, cables are a matter of personal choice, and many, many. only sound different, not necessarily better. This is why I have traded and tested other cables over the years because of that difference in sound qualities which appealed to me from the cable itself. I have thrown down the drain, not really, cables that cost 8K Euro that did not do anything for me and altered sound traits of my system in a way not to my liking. For reference, my original go to cables were custom built Neotech OFC or pure silver with silver WBT's. They still are used for testing and comparing to other cables. So, price (high or low), does it really matter if you like what you have and are willing to spend what you need to enjoy for a fleeting moment in life, the sound of music the way you want to hear it?  

I just added up in my head the cost of all the cables I own. Take in to consideration that most were purchased used,and some would be considered extinct to some. The total out of pocket is around $4k. 

This was a revealing question! Since most cable purchases come slowly, over years, the totals add up to a total which kind of shocked me. Speaker cables, (and discarded speaker cables), a barrage of interconnects, (the demoted ones get moved down line), headphone cables, power cords (ouch), all totaled...about...$3000. So not too terrible reading about some others. Some few I can admit provided no sonic benefit that I could tell. Some were shockingly fantastic. TIP: Before starting a serious system position your dedicated outlets reasonably close as possible to your main components. I learned painfully that unless I would pay $$$ the best audio comes direct to AC outlets. 

$6.5K used, probably at least double that new.

Power cords and interconnects that maximize the performance of the electronics, and speaker cables that maximize the performance of high end speakers - should both be considered components themselves.  Small but musically noticeable improvements can not be 'unheard' to go back to less satisfying cabling.