I have a mini system for background mostly using a pair of little YU-6 powered speakers by Kanto with hi-test Synergistic in and AQ A/C cables out from a used MIT power conditioner that originally sold for circa $900. The sound is extremely clean with very low noise. So . . . try putting a big cable on your whatever and live with it long enough to find out if it really sounds the same. The value is for you to decide.
How good does my system have to be to realize an improvement with cables?
I've heard the difference power cables and interconnect cables in a highly resolving system so that's not the question. $200 for cables on a $500 DAC doesn't make sense to me. Wouldn't that $200 be better spent on a better component? At what point is an expensive cable the best choice? Spending $500 on a $15,000 DAC does make sense as the transparency and resolution of the component could be better realized with a better signal / power source.
My question is what's the percentage of the overall component's cost should be the cabling and at what point should it even be considered?
Or put a different way How would you know if your cables are your weakest link?