I've tried cables way more expensive than that and found that spending that much really doesn't really get you anything but a lighter wallet. While there may be slight differences in sound, that kind of outlay REALLY isn't justified for what you get. I use Bluejeans ICs and they sound just as good as anything else I've used and for $250 you could have bought 8 or more pairs of them.
Not trying to knock you, just saying that high dollar ICs are one of those things that just make money for the manufacturer without returning real results to the end user. Ultimately, it is one of those places where good is more than good enough and that money can be spend elsewhere where it will make more difference.
Not sure what the purpose of "locking" ICs would be either, since they are a compression fitting already. If one does come loose, it is defective.
