How important is it for you to attain a holographic image?

I would give up imaging first of the three.  Or make it fourth after dynamics, or fifth after harmonic/tonality, or sixth after rhythm/pacing.  Imaging is good to have but not essential.  I have good imaging because I have more expensive than $4K speakers which someone mentioned doesn't sound much better than $4K speakers.  

The good news is that good used components allow one to build a great system on the cheap.  Used components at $4K can get you 90% of a new $20K+ system not based on analog (sorry, analog just costs more).  Instead of a new Rotel amp, why not a used plder Luxman amp? or some other great older amp that used to border on Class A.  My speakers and tonearm are still in production (slightly modified) after 26 years and 30+ years at more than double the original prices.  One can buy them used for 1/3 of the original price or 1/6 of the new price,

There are real holographic soundstages but most are more of a “projected soundstage” - the real soundstage’s phoney sibling - that is not the same thing as a transparent, well-organized and realistic soundstage. I would rate holographic soundstage right up there with speed, warmth, dynamics and air. Ah, air. Maybe the hardest to obtain of them all.

When I first posted on this thread, I didn't even have holography, now that I got it, I'll be doing more listening and less posting.

Once you get holography, it's easy to make it "Mo-better", all you need is "Mo-money"; a lot more.

Let me explain; audio holography is quite similar to visual holography, and the better the lens and camera, the better the photograph.

I'm a casual photographer who has always used middle of the line Pentax; however, if I used Leica, my photographs would be much sharper. A Pentax costs a few hundred while a Leica costs several thousand; that explains why I have Pentax.

For my ears, the huge price differences between class A+ and Class A are worth it, if you can swing it.

Now that I have holography, "everything" is better. We are at the end of the line on this thread and apparently there are a few people who don't even know what holography is; that's quite apparent by their comments, but as long as their happy, I revel in their happiness.

There are real holographic soundstages but most are more of a “projected soundstage” - the real soundstage’s phoney sibling - that is not the same thing as a transparent, well-organized and realistic soundstage.

+1 @geoffkait 

Orpheus10,

What you really meant to say is that you “revel in their ignorance” from your point of view.