WHY IS THERE SO MUCH HATE FOR THE HIGH END GEAR ON AUDIO GEAR?

Hater love to hate ... You are right ...

But your explanation is simplistic ...

It is not necessary to spend big money to have a minimal acoustic satisfaction if we learn how to do it ... most people are lazy or lack the time to learn ( i am retired) ... Some hate high end for the reason you mention , some hate the price abuse because they dont know how to make any system at any price great and optimal for his potential specific level of S.Q. and needs ...

Some with high end systems hate also people like me happy and who knows why and how to be happy with acoustics knowledge and a low cost system because in their head the price tag only have a meaning and i claim too much and devalorize their costly gear by my claims ( it is not true because there exist for sure differences in S.Q, level qualities )...

hate have many roots as you see not only one ; and when you are creative as some are you dont loose your time in hating ...

But it is knowledge who rule audio minimal acoustical satisfaction not price tag ... This threshold is enough for most people .. And trust me  my system is not a frustrating stopgap... One can be proud of his very costly system as Mike Lavigne who worked hard to created it and i am not envious at all , i admire him; and i am as creative as he was but with a low cost system in a dedicated room ...

First low cost gear is not to be confused with cheap gear as you do ...

Second good low cost gear can give very great acoustic result even if for sure it is under the quality of high end system potential ...

Third if someone dont study, experiment and learn how to create S.Q. with acoustics, then anyway  with high end or low cost system he will be sensitive to critics and he will react with hate often or with very forceful dislike and scepticism ...

Psycho-acoustics and creativity  rule audio not price tag ....

Those who ignore the first and do not bother with the second are sentenced by their attitude to hate at worst and frustration at best ....It is the case with high end owners as wii5th low cost system owners ...

Haters just want to hate.

Seriously, I think the hate comes from people who don’t want to spend more money on better sound, so they justify and rationalize that by convincing themselves that cheap gear sounds as good as high dollar gear.

Hate is a strong word, I'd prefer to say frustrated. Some posters come here looking for wisdom from more experienced members, and instead get: recommendations that are way above their price point, suggestions to replace their entire systems, comments about their equipment being junk, condescending comments about knowledge, etc. etc.

I can see that after a while it can sour an attitude. 

Basic competent cables are audibly transparent as are basic competently designed and built amplification. Same for anything digital at red book or above. Power cords and numerous other after market tweaks don’t affect the sound. This is not based on jealousy, a lack of experience or hatred of high end audio. These are facts based on solid science. There is a mountain of evidence in support based on numerous controlled studies designed to objectively determine human thresholds of audibility of various forms of distortion. We also know through years of research that we can not reliably compare an aural memory to real time sound perception. Unless comparisons are done level matched, time synced, double blind with quick switching then the results are prone to be unreliable. Science doesn’t care how we feel about objective reality. One either accepts that or not. I care deeply about sound quality. I do not dismiss anything out of jealousy, anger or hatred. If these things really made a difference I would want to know it so I can make well informed choices as an audiophile. But if impressions about sound quality are made under uncontrolled conditions based on long term aural memory I want verification under proper conditions. I want to know objectively what does make a difference and what does not. 

Basic competent cables are audibly transparent as are basic competently designed and built amplification. Same for anything digital at red book or above. Power cords and numerous other after market tweaks don’t affect the sound. This is not based on jealousy, a lack of experience or hatred of high end audio. These are facts based on solid science. There is a mountain of evidence in support based on numerous controlled studies designed to objectively determine human thresholds of audibility of various forms of distortion. We also know through years of research that we can not reliably compare an aural memory to real time sound perception. Unless comparisons are done level matched, time synced, double blind with quick switching then the results are prone to be unreliable. Science doesn’t care how we feel about objective reality. One either accepts that or not. I care deeply about sound quality. I do not dismiss anything out of jealousy, anger or hatred. If these things really made a difference I would want to know it so I can make well informed choices as an audiophile. But if impressions about sound quality are made under uncontrolled conditions based on long term aural memory I want verification under proper conditions. I want to know objectively what does make a difference and what does not. 

bob70 I had that eight track player that you referred to which I lovingly installed in my 1969 Plymouth Fury. The sound quality was- loud- and glorious to my then acute ears. Felt like the Allman Brothers were in my backseat. 

has anyone defined "high end" for purposes of this discussion? Seems impossible, since the term is inherently relative. I enjoy my system, and have stretched financially to make upgrades from time to time. Yet, for some the cost of my system would be immaterial . Those folks can, if they choose, put together a system that would far exceed the quality of mine. I understand that you generally get what you pay for and it doesn't make me jealous that there are components I will never be able to afford. My system brings me joy actually listening to music which is a lot more important to me than what someone posts a on some forum. I think it's about taking your budget, whatever that may be, and putting together a well matched system, that makes you happy. This is not a competition 

those that make it so should take some time for quiet reflection