[si1entstill]

Ah, yeah, I'm with you. I think the distinction between taste-driven preference vs technical superiority is important (maybe a more interesting discussion would surround the juxtaposition of audio gear and organic/non-gmo food marketing).

But, I do think the same kind of "objectively irrelevant" upsell _does_ occur with the other non-taste-driven markets (electronic peripherals, sporting gear, etc).

I'm not trying to come across as combative - I'm just trying to figure out why the consumer side of the "audiophile" market gets such a bad wrap. As I commented elsewhere, I think a majority of people who are "into" sound gear don't buy into the snake-oil of special ethernet cables... just as I don't think most consumers opt for gold-plated display cables. However, there are distinctions between different monitors and TVs; people seem to agree that they are perceptible, and they don't bat an eye at someone spending a bit of their time figuring out the optimal display for their situation and price point. I think I'm just trying to understand why, when someone compares headphones to other headphones based on pricepoint, they are assumed to be ceramic-cable-buying elitists.