A local acoustic researcher did a test between two cables years ago. The high end one was ridiculously expensive, thick silver cable. The other was some cheap basic copper wire. The difference was measured, and it was there: the much cheaper had 0.05 dB less ultra highs. Of course the signal would deteriorate in long runs, like 100 m or more.
There are other details that interest me, when I choose cables: robustness, materials, thickness, flexibility, Neutrik connectors... I am prepared to pay something, but jokes do not interest me at all.
One reason for those high price cables is that if the stereo set costs an arm and a leg, the cables have to be something else than £2 from a local store. Someone just saw a possibility, and now we have funny priced cables.