What is the current retail cost of your reference system?

I have read this thread and thought carefully about my answer. 

Here it is. Not Enough. I do buy the occasional lottery ticket. 

hysteve,

My history tracks somewhat the same as yours

both in the original and the new. Funny how these things work

sometimes.

The more interesting thing is comparing where people did and did not allocate money. Few mentioned the room. Everyone must have at least some absorbing panels. Many have dedicated power lines. Those are audiophile costs.

If you have $10k or more in a system and nothing in the room you have erred.

Nobody is counting the offset costs. What are those? You spend $5k on some audio item and that means the spouse spends $5k on something they want. Now that can jump things up in a hurry.

Music acquisition. About $27/month for Roon + Qobuz.  I do not have vinyl.

so not buying any pricey LPs. 

What other hidden costs of audio?  Travel to shows.  Extra ear exams? 

Custom ear protection?  Better car system?  Office system?

What's your time worth? Watching youtubes, reading reviews, tweaking a system?

Zoom meetings. 

I think I will quit now.

Too much, but not enough.

"What is the current retail cost of your reference system?"

Reference system = only system.

Retail cost would be around $30K, but my actual cost was much less.

The only components I bought new are my dac and ethernet switch. I look at it the same as buying golf putters. There are so many people that try to buy their way out of problems, instead of looking to where the real problems lie.

About half of what my car collection is worth.