Been at this for about 65 years so have built a system with the best Conrad-Johnson class A amps, Wilson speakers, dCS digital, Shunyata, etc. With the cables about $140K.
My primary dealer(s) setups with the best Wilsons, D'Agostino amps, dCS stack, the big MBLs, MSB DAC stacks, Constellation amps, big Magico's, Nordost best cables... all systems over $1Million. And they sound really terrific. But no real desire for them. The biggest difference is the scale of the sound, it's really big and everywhere around you. Those systems are great to visit but too invasive for everyday living. I don't want to be cut off from the world in an Audio Cave someplace. When I turn on my relatively modest system it still thrills me every time with its realism. That hair raising feeling draws me into the music for hours. And, I can look out over the beautiful little lake we live on and enjoy nature. So, all good here.
Happy New Year to all...