Law Of Diminishing Returns?

Around $50k for a full range single source system - source, amplification, speakers and cables. For these purposes full range covers dynamics and bandwidth capable of generating adequate spl's in a medium/large room.

It's true in any category of goods & services.   The 80/20 rule definitely applies here.   80% of the improvement comes with the first 20% spent.

@audioguy85 

That was @magister who said that. I miss his posts a lot. 

I used to own a Porsche and a 1936 Ford (at the same time).  Drove them on nice weekends.  Not daily drivers.

I have no right to criticize what someone spends on audio.  An old Chevette would have been as useful.

My diminishing returns are about there for me.  My audio gear is a joke to most folks here, but that's OK.  I spent my career around a lot of loud, spinning, machinery.  I choose to not spend more than I can hear.

I consider myself a stereo enthusiast vs being an audiophile. The main difference? Budget. I've been in this hobby since the early 70's and have had many different components over the years. I had to sell my prized stereo during a contentious divorce (in the 90's) and never bought to that level again. 

I now find that I like used and carefully researched mid-fi equipment. My personal rule of thumb is never to pay over $1K for any single piece of equipment. Cable prices are based on no more than 10% of the price of the equipment being hooked to them. These are arbitrary numbers based on what I am willing to invest in audio at this point in my life, the quality of my 68 year old hearing and my audio compromised listening space. 

I did manage to buy one Stereophile Class B rated component, for my humble system.