Good comment. A very valid approach.
This is not the approach I take, because I am in search of the best possible sound and when I do lots of intermediate steps and it always ending up costing me more. But that is my personality and values.
I got into streaming early on and streamed using a Mac, PC heavily modified to be quiet, cheap streamers, then finally the enormous gap between my CD player and vinyl disappeared. I climbed from $3K to $5… auditioned $10, $13, and finally bought $22K. I research the heck out of stuff and carefully choose components at a given price level. I could have cut out a couple levels and jumped up to a cost at my average component level and saved time and money. But, as I said, this is me.
The sneak up slowly, dip your toe in as a very valid approach for many people.