The Insane World of High End Audio! Is it All a Scam?

Generally, people are flawed in their thinking that if it costs more it must be better. This bias lives in the imagination of humans and makes it easy for scammers.

Years ago Starbucks coffee was doing poorly. They kept lowering the price to lure customers but it wasn't helping. New management came in and immediatly tripled the price on coffee to change the perception that the cheap price = cheap/crap product. Instead the new higher price gave a new image that this coffee is now improved, higher quality. "it must be better at that price!". Even though the coffee was unchanged, people with money were now lured in due to price.  A smart marketing tool that didn't cost them anything.

Certainly the people with money can see the Emporors new clothes. They also hear the sound improvement from a $2000 box of rocks. (they'd never buy the rocks if they were only $50 )

The difference of buying a Rolex vs. a Timex has NOTHING to do with telling time.

WAF... the dog that does bark!

Acoustic treatments are avoided because of room aesthetics. A hard wood floor with no carpet is the worst offense IMO. People who paid for wood floor will NEVER put carpet on it. It will remain acoustically untreatable. Just horrible imo.

Windows are the next problem and have more solutions but the look of the window is far more important and most are very reluctant to cover it.

I've also found people don't like the look any acoustic panels or bass traps on their walls. Most people don't think it makes that much of a difference if any.

They get used to the room acoustic the way it looks best and that's the way it will stay.