Do You Tell Others How Much You Have Invested in Your System?

Very true. I have seen $20K+ speakers a foot from a wall in a maybe 10'X15' room with all expensive tube electronics and it sounded like all bass, overwhelming all the instruments. Fed by over a $20K multi-arm turntable. What a waste of $$. Who knows how much the cables cost, but I am sure they aren't cheap. They looked very thin, so maybe silver? Who knows.

I guess if you have a mid 6 figure system, $10K cables are par for the course, and you can hear a difference.

I keep it on a spreadsheet so I remember what I paid (and the current list price) in case I didn't get a receipt. and so I know it if I end up selling it or trading it in. I don't keep track of stuff I've gotten rid of and how that "investment" performed. It holds its value better than clothes or furniture, unlike records which sometimes go up, so in my mind it almost justifies it. I don't keep what I paid for the records on a spreadsheet though I have a pretty good idea. All in all, it is WAY less than what people waste on golf, and time more enjoyably spent.

If anyone asks, I will tell them. Usually it's about a specific component or accessory. They rarely do.