New level of ridiculousness

I know, I understand and, of course, I agree with you. I just thought, that much was implied in my original post.

Phaelon,
And the other point- I do get your statement about IWC Grande Complications showing exactly the same time as $20 Timex.
By analogy $150 000 MB S600 will get you from point A to point B the same, as 1998 Hyundai, but that's not the pont of owning one.
I drive $65000 BMW and I'm OK with splurging on it, but I'm certainly is not OK with spending $65K on say a pair of Wilson Maxx3.
I honestly think my $65 K get me much higher value, being spent on BMW.
Again, when I think about a stupid box with a few off the shelf drivers in it, compared to a technological tour de force, that my 2011 BMW 535 is, I'm having all kinds of seconds thoughts about our hobby.
It is all about a degree of a compromise, a person is willing to make with his/hers expenditures.

It might be comforting to think of audiophiles as having a single noble purpose; particularly when the vast majority of the world would call us all a bunch of nuts if, of course, the vast majority of the world even knew we existed. But we don’t all share a single motive. Some are seeking to maximize their enjoyment of music, others are obsessed with the science of duplicating the sound of a piano, still others are feeding their egos. These three motives probably exist in all of us to varying degrees. In this hobby, more than any other that I’m aware of, it’s important that we open our motives to examination and try to be honest with ourselves.

As one moves up a product line, it is not unusual for a company to focus its appeal towards the wealthy, who’s egos and sense of self esteem are typically more property driven - relatively speaking. IMO, there is nothing intrinsically stupid about the power strip. If a person feels they are getting value for their money - something that only they can determine - it’s a good purchase.

Then there's the cost of my cell phone bills that exceed the cost of leasing 2 brand new Honda Civics. OK, I have a 4 phone account, but still, really.
Sorry for getting off topic of audio, but cell phone costs really bug the sh*t out of me.

Modern cars and high end hi-fi, all pretty much depreciating assets. Very few are worth more money 5-10 years out. I still like hi-fi and cars. I've done my run of expensive modern sports cars, more interested in older cars at this point. As to watches, I been wearing the same Panerai for a long time. It's not too flashy, and I can see the dial.
You need to be selective about your bling. :):)