Would you pay to listen?

Would there be pretty hostesses?

Don't have to. There's a dealer with a $150,000 system not 10 minutes from where I live. He operates out of his home and is most generous with his time and advice. Talk about luck.

Do the math. 5000 hours at $20/hr just to pay for the equipemnt. What about the cost of staffing, rent/mortgage for the location, electricity and other overhead. realistically, would would have to charge somewhere in the $60-$80 range. Assuming you're open 8 hours/day and you where totally booked solid, it would still take about three years to break even. More likely, it would take five plus years to break even and by that time you would need to update the equipemnt.

Most people regard music as a distraction; something to fill in the background while doing something else. Very few people these days actually sit down just to listen. Audiophiles make up a very, very small minority of the population. Also, there's a subset of "audiophiles" that just have equipment envy and couldn't hear the difference between a $1500 system and a $150,000 system. Remember it's takes a trained ear as well as a fat wallet.

No, I think you would have sell the equipment after a period of time to buy new and better equipment. Hold on, I think you just opened up a high end audio showroom and store.

I'm a classically trained Chef, with a trained palate, and I enjoy fine dining. However, it's very rare that I go out for a $125 Burger with Pomme Frites.

I would. It would be great to hear a kilobuck system properly set up at its best. Of course, it probably wouldn't sound that good, because I have preconcieved notions (hey, isn't that what it is all about)? I doubt a 100K stereo could sound that much "better" than a 20K system- Remember , we are listing to prerecorded music that has its limits, Lets say you get the best record from the best guitarist- that is as good as it will ever get- and yet the recording still has its limits. At some point you have to run up against the limits of the recording and a system can never sound better than that at any cost.

I must spend at least $50 for gas to get to the nearest dealer with any high end gear worthy of mention, and they have open houses all the time with the likes of Wilson, Ayre,Spectral etc. and I never go, even with an invationtion.
I could listen to any product by the above any time.

No, I'd rather put the money towards a live performance.