??? Where Does "High End" Start ???

When the music involvement becomes such that the system reproducing it dissolves.  You’ve arrived.

"Absolute? The point at which your significant other gets really p*ssed at your most recent purchase."

Hold on here. You're supposed to tell them????“

I don’t have anything to add on the definitions of HEA, mid-fi, etc, but today, the wife and I were discussing my most recent purchase (Backert Labs Rhumba Extreme).  She was objecting to how much I spent, and recognizing how she would react, I was initially hesitant to tell her about the purchase. “Don’t you think I’d notice a new piece of audio equipment?”, she says. Me: “Well, I’ve had it now for several months.” Crickets . . .

Later, while sitting in our family room with my audio gear, she said “Okay, which one is it?”  I pointed to it saying “Three silver knobs.”  She didn’t ask what it was or what it does. 

Did anyone get the right answer yet?

I've always thought of it more as in brands rather than price..... I am going to date myself pretty quickly with the brands, but none the less, everyone will get it.  

Denon, NAD, Yamaha,  entry level audiophile.  and occasionally, each brand would step into midfi.  

Adcom, Sumo, maybe a Hafler bridged into midfi.... 

Conrad Johnson, Threshold, Audio Research started High End....

Of course none of this is absolute Today, Brands like Schiit, go entry level and tip toe into mid as do others, but in general brands do target this way.  

As product improves,  there are some entry level priced products that are very good. There is more blurring and a ton of opinion, but when is that not the case in this hobby. 

If we disregard all this expansive language, the goal for many of us is to reproduce the recorded music in such a manner as to be as accurate as possible to the source. The best approach to this goal is to choose DACs and amps that have the maximum measureable SINAD, IMD, etc., and speakers combined with room impacts that provide an ideal, measureable reproduction accuracy.

That’s why it is best to rely on professional measurement resources like Erin’s Audio Corner, Stereophile measurements, and Audio Science Review as a first blush for finding extraordinary audio components. We can also rely on them for calling into question all the silliness about cables, power conditioning, cable lifters, and related audiofoolery.

Then we get to real hi-end stuff, equipment that performs optimally regardless of cost or heritage.