What improvements did you hear in going from entry level to high end Audio?

Pipebro is that what the tapping sound is ? I always thought it was Stills tapping time on the body of his guitar. Not sure I would use that as a reference for a high end system, I can hear it on my samsung tablet and I'm over 60 with high freq hearing loss. 

I am glad that you enjoy your system Calvin.  That’s all that matters.  
I am in a good place as well.  I have had more expensive demo stuff in my system, and it didn’t work.  Not in it for “my stuff costs more than yours” factor.
And I truly believe that I am at the asymptotic part of the curve, where shelling out a lot of extra cash will only marginally improve things.
  For a long time my base system was my College dorm system—Advent 3 bookshelf speakers, an entry level Pioneer receiver, entry level turntables, cassette recorders, and then a Sony 14 bit CDP.  When I finally started upgrading, each successive change was huge.  Now, not so much

Mahler I agree.  Now I am where I am if I spent more the system would only probably get small fractions better.  I’m going to pretty much keep what I got and be happy. I guess some people have approached my threads like I’m bragging on how much I spent.  I’m actually not and to be honest my system costs a fraction of the other guys I know.  Their systems cost 2,3,4 times what I paid.  I’m at a good spot in the hobby.  I think I have good enough stuff to pull a great sound that can surpass the way more expensive stuff 

For a quick answer:  Getting the bass correct.  I changed speakers over 10 times. Combinations with subwoofers didn't work. About 8 years ago I went with Evolution Acoustics MM2 which nailed it

For me its about the size of the soundstage, transparency (i.e. hearing the smallest details of the recording), and dimensionality.  I do think what type of music you are listening to is key.  I'm sure for heavy metal death rock there are other parameters one would search for, but for the classic folk rock I listen to, those are my goals.  All tube system with 45 SET monoblocks playing Dylan on vinyl, I can close my eyes and feel his presence in the room.  The better the system the more aware I become of how the source was recorder and mixed.  But I don't think $$ always equates with better.  My Cary equipment is marginally better than my bottlehead setup, but really it's mostly about aesthetics.  I've never heard an over $100,000 setup, maybe they would blow me away, but I can't help feeling that with the vibrancy of the under $5000 used market some people just have money to burn.  It's all good.  :-)