More than any other hobby I can think of, audiophiles seem to associate quality with seemingly outlandish prices. I don't deny there is a general relationship between price and quality, but it is inconsistent and certainly way out of proportion at times.
I also truly believe many (but certainly not all) vendors take advantage of this fact and as a result make the hobby very confusing. I know Ohm has been mentioned by several in this thread and I absolutely put them in the category of providing good value and not taking advantage of this trend, so good on them as well as other vendors who provide tremendous value.