At what price is one considered an Audiophile.

Not how much, but how you spend. But it can get expensive.

I've spent a lot, and I have a friend who spent ten times a much, and you know what? His system sounds WAY better than mine, I mean, no comparison.

Let's not be foolish. 

Do what makes you happy.

You really don’t have to spend a lot.  Back in the seventies, I bought, swapped and sold equipment. I bought barely broken pieces and fixed them. Most of the time it was either a wire that came loose or  and resold . I made a friend at a local hifi store and for only a few percent, he sold my stuff. It wasn’t till the mid eighties that I ever had anything new and it was acquired by trading in other stuff.

jacobsdad2000 joined on 10/16/2023. You are not one of those guys that just keeps posting under different names ...are you?

Hey, $99 for Apple wireless headphones and some streamed music. 
min my office I have an older Sonos amp ($150 used), a pair of BestBuy Insignia speakers ($70 used), pair of Micca 6’ speaker cables $25 new) you would believe the sound. My main system gets up there. But individually all three make me an audiophile. The Sonos has an analog input for a turntable/ phono stage. I just stream in my office. I thought about hooking up my backup Linn Axis turntable and a Schitt Mani phono. I kept it simple.
One of my favorite starter integrated amps is the NAD 316bee $499. All you need is to add a WIIM streamer $99, pair of used speakers ($100), and a turntable if you want. Craigslist always has some used good deals. Micca speaker cable. $50 for 12’. The phono stage is built in to the NAD. I hope this helps. 

OP is way more polite than I am but I will play along.

It sure gets expensive like hell after a certain level. Every tube, every cone, every cable, not to mention active components. You can be anything in your imagination, try to build it in reality, that will require more effort and much more resources.