Everyone's looking for that esoteric piece that's made in some garage with the attendant secret sauce to shake things up and lay bare to the audio world the absolute truth.
Get off the merry-go-round. Reorient yourself to recognize what it is you hear and what appeals to you.
Technology has matured enough to the point where it's just what floats your boat. All makes and manufacturers know this and spend their time guesstimating what it is you want to hear.
Go out and listen to as many things as you can. In short order you'll know what you like and then factor in your budget and needs. Also, keep in mind this is a racket.
So true!
Based on my experience, the only system component(s) of which I remain convinced that one generally gets what they pay for is loudspeakers. Though of course there are plenty of overpriced duds out there, as well as some high value models.
Ironically, many, it not most audiophiles have electronics that far outclass the capabilities of their speakers. I would even go so far as to say that these days, even $15K/pair speakers can fail to reveal the full capabilities of a $300 modern DAC.
I’d wager that regardless of the current state of their system, 90% of audiophiles should be looking at a speaker or room upgrade as their next move in terms of bang for buck.