I know. Wires are the easiest component to fool you. There are fake AudioQuests and Harmonic Tech that look exactly the same.
Its now a larger question to where these wires or cables are being manufactured. The price to purchase equipment capable of properly dressing and terminating wires plus materials turns out to be even cheaper than single set of such PLUS the sonic differences are so minimal that you won't be able to hear.
Having in hands original wire of any manufacturer, it's very easy to replicate it and it's the most profitable to replicate ones for a few kilobucks per piece rather than going an affordable line.
My perception on this is not to use expensive wires anywhere. I'm wired balanced with Mogami. Going wired cheap I see the only way to avoid being scammed... Another way is to get new fake for a-lot less from China from the respected seller that accepts credit cards and issues refunds if your product isn't satisfying you.
To my beliefs wires should never be reaching high hundreds and should be at or bellow $100 per stereo pair at most.
No matter how you calculate labor, design etc etc, It never comes up for such large amount just per wire or cable which brings me to thinking: Who's fake after all?
And finally, I see things OK with fakes that are 10 times cheaper the authentic and look and perform the same because the authentic ones will become closer and closer to the actual reasonable price because there's no other way to fight this grey wire market.
