What is $5,000 worth today, and is it better than 1,600 in the 80's?

Given the advances in audio tech, I would be surprised if you had to spend much more than $2000 to equal the 1980 $1600 system. Not necessarily in size and number of components but for sound quality. The caveat is that if your into vinyl it’s another story as decent turntables have gotten a lot pricier. As far as the gold bug discussion, it’s conspiracy theory. The values of gold and silver have no relationship to their utility. If the world economies all collapsed a box of .22 shells or a can of soup would be worth more than an ounce of gold. It’s almost as arbitrary as paper currency and harder to carry around. Currencies don’t have intrinsic value and gold or silver don’t really have much either. They are a method of exchanging what I can do for what someone else or a group of people can do without having to negotiate a complex series of barters every time I need a screw, a banana, or a bag of beans.  Controlling the money supply with excavators is just as nonsensical as controlling it with server farms "mining" for make believe coins that only exist in computers.  I have heard just about every moral ill of the modern world blamed on fiat currency. MEGO.

“Based on how much we have deviated from discussion of audio, I must conclude that I am correct in all of the points below:

• Class D is the only high end audio amplifier topology left.
  
• Power cables don’t matter
• Speaker driver counts should be a prime number”.

Erik...hate to break it you but all of above can only be taken as your opinions not facts. How did you go from what is worth $5k today to above conclusions?

IME,

- All Class D amps I’ve listened and compared so far still sound dry and unmusical. The only exception would be GaN Tube Class D based amps. For you to conclude Class D as only high end amplifier topology is clearly driven by your methodology of price to performance ratio. A class D amp made from off the shelf parts is hardly qualifies as ‘high end topology’. Let’s give credit where it’s due, they are best suited for Home Theater applications only.
- Power cables as well as signal cables in any two channel audio system matters. I don’t want to start another war on this subject. So whatever floats your boat, a lamp cord from Home Depot or a DIY cable from parts connexion ...let’s leave it at that.
- Speaker driver counts, again there are no absolutes here. It all depends on speaker design. I have used speakers with multiple drivers as well as single driver. It just comes down to personal preferences and one’s budget.

Thank you rwortman. I could not have said it better.
millercarbon, the only reason wars last longer is because we have become more concerned about "innocent" bystanders. In WWII we just blew up everything.

You said it rwortman, tin foil hat fiat currency nonsense  is about as rational as putting magic mats in your breaker box for electric conservation or better sound stage or some such lunacy.

And yes, in general equipment is much better today than it was in 1980 and collecting music is way better including vinyl. I also think in general mastering has improved. So, overall we are in much better shape and I think get more value for what we spend until you get to the "luxury audio"
stuff. I don't even wish I had the money. Most of it I would not buy if I did.