We are all free to make the decisions we make and to buy what we want to buy. All of our senses are seduced by audio products and what we see and read and hear all has an effect on our buying choices.
Just as an example, the finish of a pair of speakers has little, or no, effect on the sonic performance of the speakers, yet how many of us would like a raw finish on a piece of gear in our living rooms? Similarly, a D'Agostino amplifier has significant investment in a casework that looks the part (if you like that look) but sonic benefit? Cables is the big one, of course, and I know someone who works in branding. The absolute fact is that there are a tiny number of cable manufacturers, and the hifi cables we buy are from a very small group of suppliers, and a small range of products. Rebranding with a hifi company's name has no effect on the sound quality, but it will convince some to invest huge sums of money with no tangible benefit. The belief that there is one is a complex, sensory mix.
Fundamentally, none of this really matters. If my senses are satisfied in any way, and I am happy with my decisions, then that is everything. The only person listening will be me, in my own home, so my spending is, fundamentally, nobody else's call.
