Oh, to be a high end dealer for a year.

Thank you all for the very enlightening discussion.

David12, as to this super rich always being with us, I wonder if startups thinking of taking the risky plunge go for the very high end, thinking it less risky than swimming with the masses, for that very reason. If you are a good promoter and get a hundred customers lined up in that price range maybe that spells survival. Maybe that's why there are so many ultra-expensive components these days.

For what it's worth, vintage audio prices are climbing again (been checking them for my gear). I think the economy is on its way back. And the advent of $1000 iPhone DACs would seem to bode well :-).

I'd say you or I will never now if the ultra systems are worth their cost in the SQ that is achieved. You can probably gain a a bit of insight at the audio shows, or traveling to a quality dealer and hearing their ultra setups. And from what I read online, you would not want to be a dealer in order to find out, unless you want to end up with an empty bank account.

Is a $10,000 Rolex purchased to get a precise indication of time? (it is routinely 3-4 seconds off on a DAILY basis while a $ 100 quartz-powered watch is precise to a second a month).

Is Bugatti the fastest, best-handling car? Or is a "mundane" Porche 911 is all and above-all of what would get you there?

Is a $ 2,000 bottle of wine better than one at $ 200.00 ? Can you really taste the difference? (some can, and they make their living at it).

Will you take better photos using a $ 25,000 Leica S2 instead of a $ 1,000 D7000 ? Could you see the difference?

Will you catch more fish with a $ 4,000 Orvis fishing rod than with one that cost $ 300.00 ?

Now relate those examples to high-end audio. It is no different - only the snobby aspect remains.

If course high-end does get better as we pay more - but not always of course.

But past a certain point and dollar amount, it just depends on the gear-lust factor amd how buyers are motivated by it.

My son makes his living selling automobiles. He is sales manager for two of the largest Audi dealers in the Pacific Northwest. His salary is largely based on comissiions. The last two years, he has made more in salary than he has ever made, with last year being the highest. Audi's are not inexpensive, yet sales records continue to be broken. It makes you wonder, what recession?

Large expenditures of cash can result in extraordinary music listening systems. But not always. There are other ways of acheiving it. DIY vintage speaker systems and components with premium parts and enclosures can sound as good as those in the mega-buck range.

I think it's great that some can afford such expensive systems. I just wish the economy would improve so more of us little guys can afford modest, yet good-sounding systems, and more old-style brick-and-mortar hi-fi dealers could thrive. I miss those days.

Regards,
Dan

Does a 59' Les Paul Standard sound better than a Jimmy Page Signature model...... OH YEAH!! Did Eric Clapton's 58' Explorer sound better after he tweaked it by cutting a big chunk off?
Sorry, getting off topic...