Questions about Resolving Systems

Headphones for 1 is fine for a alternative, but at least $Teens on up Loudspeakers 

to give resolution needs , dac no less then around $5k minimum

a perfect example which is am saving for T+A 200 dac $7k great dac 

amp,preamp or integrated $10kk.  Cables minimum of $6-8k if you count all digital 

I have $2500 alone just in 3- best in class under $1200 $750 each                   Linear Tube Audio Linear Power Supply., 2 high quality Ethernet cables such as Jcat ref , and usb , over $4k , synergistic fuses another $800, plus power cords,

a $2600 Puritan line conditioner , $50k  is roughly minimum for a truly uppermidfi Audiophile Audio System , my brother spent over $150k and is still always looking for ways to better his Audio system ,his latest DCS Rossini was $36k alone .

it’s all about Your budget.I owned a Audio store for 10 years  and nothing is set in stone . I recently sold a $8k integrated and the buyer was just using the stock $15 powercord , some people don’t get it and this same guy spent $20 k on speakers. 
synergy and balance done right you can save roughly 1/3rd in $$ saved.

I am just giving you a average , for myself you need to spend over $10 k minimum

such as say a Pass labs 200 integrated amp o4 separates. High quality does count , myself upgrading the Xovers in Loudspeakers for years  that is very lacking even in many speakers in well known Loudspeakers , I am just speaking on my many years of experiences  and opinion ,nothing more, at the end of the day it’s your money 💰.

$7K DACs and $6K min on cables...

If you got it, spend it - but I'm sorry but this is not good advice.

You can achieve system synergy that works for you in your environment for a lot less but more importantly, just throwing big bucks at it won't guarantee a good outcome.  

@tubeguy76 

Actually, it was three but I combined the Technics SU-G700M2 and SL-G700 SACD player. The clincher was the Revival Audio Atalante 3 speakers. I have absolutely no need to fiddle with my system anymore but would upgrade to the larger Atalante 5 if I ever get a bigger space to put them in. 

All the best,
Nonoise

Of course the sound quality of a stereo system is proportional to the cost of the components.  But is is much more complicated than that.  Factors outside of the speakers, the amp, preamp and source have as much or more impact on the sound than the components.  The room, the floor, and the ambient noise level affect how we perceive the sound.  Electrical noise, EMI and RFI affect the performance of the stereo gear.  Just moving my bass traps around in the room affects the mid bass clarity.

The economics of stereo gear, just like about all products mass produced, is that for every $1 of material cost the selling price will be about $3.50- $4,00.  Once labor, overhead, taxes, insurance, R&D, admin, etc and then the distributor and final sales outlets get their cut that is roughly the cost to purchase.  So you see, we beat up a speaker manufacturer for using cheap capacitors but the reality is if they were to use say $400 worth of caps in their cross overs vs. $50 in caps, the selling price would end up being some $1400 higher which might price their speaker out of the market.  So the savvy audiophile can buy the $400 set of caps and upgrade their speakers saving $1000. 

Like it or not you pay $60k or more for a new car knowing that it has about $15k worth of parts in it.  Thing is, most of us would not know what to do with a pile of auto-parts, sheet metal and 7 gallons of paint.  And while the automaker pays $50 for a fuel pump module (they buy millions of units per year) the dealer will charge you over $500 for the same part.  Maybe you can get a similar unit at the discount parts store for $250.  Point is, you cannot cost effectively build your own car.  The same goes for a stereo system.  

Do everything you can to your room- seek professional help if need be (for the acoustics, I mean) and then do what you can to enhance the performance of your stereo components by using better power cords, power conditioners, cables, isolation and dampening devices.  And then the hard core audiophiles go into their speakers, amps, preamps and sources and replace internal components such as caps, wiring and resistors for even more enhancements.  This hobby really has no end and infinite permutations.  

Still, it’s cool to see these million dollars systems and admire the art of it.  They may or may not sound like a million dollars but I’ll never know.

excellent thread and some excellent observations and comments

if this board had a 'stickies' function, this is one that would deserve it, so noobs can learn what it is we are shooting for with all this crazy stuff