Cost break down of hifi system

navyachts,

 I used a bit of psychology on my wife when we first got married. I made sure to have the most unacceptable hi-fi system imaginable in the living room. Unfinished speakers, system set up in one corner of the room diagonally, etc. It WAS ugly. Soon after the first reaction, I told her that Better looking speakers might help, and I built solid wood speakers that represented my best woodworking skills. Anyway, it went on like this, and now after years of training, my wife accepts the system as it is now, on the long wall, with beautiful speakers and even a rack that she helped pick out. Decide the battle that you need to win to be happy, and then plan it like it were the most important thing you do. Manipulation, Yes I suppose it is. Tried the other methods in years past and lost every time.

Some things are a given, room size and speaker treatment, and both are usually encumbered by a number of unchangeable factors, to state the obvious.  Let’s just say do the best you can following some basic principles you can study up on elsewhere.

That said, pretty much like others have said where order is +/- individual experience.

1) speakers

2) amplification in terms of enough power for #1 to suit your needs 

3) quality of source regardless of type, disc player, streamer, TT, etc.

4) cables/ICs. Refuse to get sucked into this dialogue but suffice it to say it ain’t lamp cord or cheap ICs.  I’ve had a blast in the new old stock department with MIT and won’t ever bother changing those.  
5) Lastly, rigging a separate electric source and inexpensive Furman condition took the noise floor to zero (my ears weighted 😎)

The cost of all this depends on your ammo magazine.  If I was earning Bryce Harper/Juan Soto coinage, It would be a blast but again for my ear, not really necessary for hifi enjoyment. 

Millions of children are starving in Somalia….perhaps you could help?

Never have seen such poor advice.  Take some time off and study the science.