I've heard that what can drive up the cost is a good plug that can handle a lot of use. If you plan on connecting it to the TV and leaving it there for five years until you get a new TV the cheap cable is more than enough. On the other hand if you move the TV daily then either get a good cable or a lot of spares. One problem is that though good cables are expensive, there are many bad cables that are just as expensive and it is difficult to tell the difference without doing some destructive testing to see what really lasts.
—If you plan on connecting it to the TV and leaving it there for five years until you get a new TV the cheap cable is more than enough.—
You nailed it. I am also a musician and have learned (the hard way) why some cables are more expensive than others. However, I’m a do-it-yourselfer so I can repair bad cable ends pretty fast, and cheap.
But you are absolutely right about a legitimate reason why one cable can, and should be more expensive than another. Low oxygen and other similar claims are hype.
Oh, another legitimate reason is cable thickness, especially when dealing with speaker cables. But if I go where I want to with this I’ll drag us into the weeds. :-D