Law of Diminishing Returns; where does it kick in?

I'm a relatively newby to the more mid range Hi-fi equipment so what I'm about to say may stroke some of you out with my stupidity and inexperience. I have a yamaha rx-v3000 reciever with two front B&W cm4s and two bose speakers high on the wall for the backs just to let you know where I'm coming from. It appears that it is the quality of the recording that will make speakers sit up and sing after you get past a certain price level. I have had recordings that sound unbelievable and some that are poor. I don't think there is any equipment that will make some poorly engineered disc or vinyl sound good. The demo cd that was used at first to audition the speakers that I have would put the group in front of you. Therefore you must surmise that one recorded in a similar manner would produce the same.... No amp, no preamp, and just 100 watts going out to the speakers. I think that 2500.00 to 3000.00 dollars won't get you perfection but can make you satisfied...if you can be. Now correct me if I'm wrong. My E-mail is listed.

Many have rightly pointed out that diminishing returns can occur for different people at different levels of time or money. It also appears that, short of $250,000 retail, incremental sound quality improvements do continue. For me, returns on investments drop dramatically at the price point where my wife and friends think I've gone crazy! Fatparrot's doubling hypothesis works for me. At $10,000, things were good and I couldn't justify more -- I was happy. After a while, my wife began to accept my illness and I got more sophisticated (sicker?) and was able to move to $20,000. Now my wife knows I'm nuts and I'll have to wait a long time to get to $40,000. Of course, I can't justify that to myself right now. Maybe I should spend a few thou on some tweaks though ...

Whatever point of diminishing returns you establish now, it will always move up as you invest more time in audio.

If an audiophile can perceive a difference, he suddenly cannot live without it!

How many times do you think you've finally got *it*, only to feel the need to upgrade after some time?

you guys are way up the diminishing returns ladder

diminishing means - alot more dough a lot less refinement

admit you are willing to pay a lot more for little incremental sonic gain

even lower prices you must pick tonally accurate gear that synergizes well or buy bad schlock

prices (new/used) I buy well kept used pieces (see my system on right side)

cd tranpsort 2000/1200 teac(wadia) vs-10 $450
dac 1500/1000 EVS Millenium II $1050 new
solid state amp 3500/1400 Audio Research D200 $1400
preamp 4000/2500 Audio Research LS5 mkII $2000
speakers 5000/2500 Von Schweikert Vortex $1400 pr
interconnect 1200/600 Cardas Gold Cross $300pr
speaker wire 1400/800 Harmonic Tech Pro 11 shotgun

will upgrade speakers and interconnects
but I live on the low end of the diminishing returns curve

tube amps - big bucks and expensive tube upgrades
so I stay away

tom

In the real world it is the point you can't afford or are unwilling to pay for a subjectively minimal improvement. Of course this will vary from one individual to the next as noted. Hanging around this site ensures acceleration of this progressive disease. If someone could please save us the time and let us know if they have discovered "real" yet, I would be much obliged.