Has the cost of HiFi gotten a bit too much?

It's not just you. It really makes sense to buy used.

if you look around , what hasn’t gone up and it doesn’t have to be audio related.

what hasn’t gone up and it doesn’t have to be audio related.

Right. Housing cost is another item which has gone up quite a bit.

On the other hand, automobile price has more or less stay reasonably with respect to inflation.

LOL, Buckle up buttercup it is only going to get worse.

You are correct in some respects and some are just price gouging.

Materials shortages and cost, ie nickle, polymers, chips

Skyrocketing fuel, logistics costs.

Covid and the Russia Ukraine war combined have created a perfect storm.

I hope I am wrong but the worse is yet to come. Stereo gear will be the least of our worries.

On the other hand, automobile price has more or less stay reasonably with respect to inflation.

hardly.     have you checked used prices lately?