I agree with getting affordable good sounding cables too. I'm not rich, and like good sounding gear.
I think that alot of the sentiment spoken here is based on the desire to have the advantages of megabuck equipment at mass market prices. I'm all for it.
In other markets, there has been some "standardization" protocols used for connection technologies. Maybe that is what some of us would like to see here. Like all speaker loads could be required to exhibit the same impedance, current draw, phase shift, and other characteristics, before they could be approved for "standardization". Also, all amp output stages would have to have similar characteristics that are optimized for driving the "standardized" speaker loads. Cables could then be "standardized" to provide the proper criteria for connecting these "standardized" amps and speakers.
Unfortunately, this kind of standardization generally results in mediocrity of performance, but nice interconnectivity and price. When performance innovations are considered, they may not fit into the standardization pattern, and performance seeking audiophiles could then purchase non-standard audio equipment at their own risk(and pleasure).
This way, the mass market, and lower end audiphile market could have great interconnectivity and flexibility, with decent performance guaranteed by the "standards committee". Any piece of gear with the "seal of approval" could be counted-on to work well with other gear exhibiting the "seal of approval". Other gear "outside the box" and not exhibiting the "seal of approval" could be purchased by more seasoned audiophiles who wish to go beyond the norm, and experiment with high-performance products at their own financial risk.
With both types of products available to consumers, nobody is "boxed in" to any one form or the other. They are free to buy the "standardized gear" and be assured of a good level of performance. Or they could spend alot more and get what they want to have without any restrictions by the standardizations.
Perhaps this is what is needed.
But, without standardization, there are too many variables to make very realistic predictions exactly how any given product will perform with other products. We are expected to know that my little 2 watt SET amp will not work with a pair of Apogee Scintillas. But when it gets more subtle, it becomes more difficult. Maybe this is even some of the fun in assembling an audio system. And the variety is part of the game.
We all want a Ferrari for the price of a used Yugo, but that ain't gonna happen. If we boil all this down to the essence, it is that we want a particular cable because it sounds like we want it to, but we don't want to pay the guy that makes it what he wants to charge us. Unfortunately, that's life. If all we wanted was just some cable, we'd go down to Home Depot and buy the 14ga extension cords and cut them up and use them. But we really don't want that, do we? Not really. What we want is the ultimate megabuck cable for $12.95. It's just not realistic. In all markets, the better stuff costs more, and the really hot stuff costs alot. If you really want it, you'll have to pay for it. And if you can't pay for it, then you'll have to settle for what you can. Or, if you actually think that there isn't any real technology in these cables, you can try to make some yourself. If you get a good sounding cable put together, you can start up your own company and find out how much it really costs to do this on a corporate scale, with labor costs, inventory costs, taxes, plants, warehouses, insurance, marketing, advertising, dealer margins, etc, and why they cost what they do when you can only sell a couple hundred pairs a year(if you're lucky).
Just some thoughts.
