Law Of Diminishing Returns?

The law of diminishing returns was practically CREATED for the audio folks.

acerbic, smart ass comments aside, i would remind everyone that value and ’returns’ is seen and held in the eye of the beholder

diminishing returns does not mean lack of positive returns, that last few percent improvement may well be worth it for those who choose to pay for it - this applies for many many fine things in life, not just hifi

is a wagyu ribeye 4x better than a choice ribeye, it is 4x the cost, and both fill your tummy, right? ... well if you can afford it, want and appreciate the difference in the pleasure of enjoying the wagyu, then it is well worth it

is an opus one red 10x better than your supermarket yellow tail cab?

is a first class transcontinental flight worth 20x the cost of an economy seat on the same plane?

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to answer the op’s query about where a sweet spot might be in putting together a very good sounding system in a typical listening room, i would say US$5-10 grand if one purchased used gear smartly

The "value" curve may not be linear, but neither is our perception of pleasure. Many try to approach 2ch system building like they’re choosing car insurance. Not me. I get too excited by the nuances of different gear, and what unique sonic perspectives they provide, compounded by their complex interactions with other components.

A few of my most expensive purchases have busted the "pleasure" curve, thereby rendering arbitrary percentages and diminishing returns meaningless. They also tend to stick around a lot longer here than most budget "giant killer" components.