Are you Guys Rich or What!?

I set goals for myself and chip away at it as I go. I picked a certain level of equipment and saved up for one piece at a time. I worked all the overtime I could and went to a shop that allowed record long layaways. It took a year to pay off my speakers and five years after I started I almost have completed my intial goal. When Im done Ill start to upgrade. I think its fun and although my priorities arent always the greatest I could have spent my money on worst things.

Everthing about the high end is totally insane as far as the prices go. Markups are ridiculous and nothing ever sounds the best but be careful because once you enter the zone you will be hooked in the fantasy of trying to recreate musical instruments costing a few hundred bucks into your living room with this equipment that can cost thousands. If you break down the lists of parts to make any of this stuff it will drive you crazy on what you are charged - just remember to not forget about the music because we all started at Radio Shack and seemed to enjoy the software no matter what woofers and cones it was coming out from. Good luck and happy spending!

It is always relative. Anyone who thinks any amount is "too much" is only putting their own bias into their opinion. I have one rich friend who has not one, but two "cost is no object" dream systems, (one for the city and one for the country). They sounds incredible. He also happens to be extremely big hearted and generous with his time and money toward many charities, so why should he deny himself the pleasure of the "best" sound reproduction? Axomoxa, you couldn't be more wrong.

Ours is a hobby of diminishing returns past a certain point. While you could spend tens of thousands in the pursuit of audio perfection, the wise application of but a thousand dollars can create a very musical system capable of much that audiophila is all about. It's really all a question of degree. Spend what you wish or can afford and enjoy the music.

To Pls1 and Mikem referencing Axomoxa comments on moral issues. Morality is in the eyes of the beholder. I would have a quite difficult time justifying spending 75K-100K on an audio system just because I am a consenting adult that could afford it. I would feel quite unconfortable in the knowledge that there are better things to be done with such wealth. And not only that but such strastospherically (long green fittingly deserves long words) priced gear can't be rationalized to me as better so much as conspicuous consumption, read status motivated. Such products are geared at the irrational non-sensibilities of those that can afford it. To each his own. Now if we were talking about a one of a kind work of art.......hmmm