When has a piece of equipment paid for itself??

For most of us price is important. It determines how much we can participate in our hobby. I always look at the items that are easy to buy and sell and those things that hold their value and see if they can fit into my plans. Somethings, like Mac tuners, are no brainers. My rule is that only new technology justifies new equipment. Turntables, speakers, amplifiers, indeed all analog items are much better values used. Also, buying items that are in demand on the used market means less risk if they do not work out in my system.
I just bought a brand new computer for $250. I use it to listen to internet radio, and for audio analysis. But, consider that a 30 year old Mac tuner or tube amplifier will be worth about the same as it is now in a few years when the computer goes in the trash because no one will take it.

In my opinion, it paid for itself immediately, if it truly involves you in it's musical presentation. Resale value has nothing to do with it.

The wise will always be happy to buy at discount the assets of those who have no care for value and buy at full price.

Thanks for the responses.
My own answer was the price doesn't matter considering the pleasure I get.
All I just think about is, how did I get so lucky. Finally a have a truly fantasticrig. That though happens everytime I listen. I am not kidding .
It took me 6-7 years to piece it together. My other audio was well into the 29 year mark. I was introduced to the term High end.
I just couldn't find the right combination of gear. Some amps were more costly. I tried vintage amps from every era and spent thousands. I laughed at a cable being mportant.
Around the same time as I was getting the new amps. I "downgraded" to the little miracle preamp an AES-3.
Old pal Trelja nailed it when he says you must get tube power amps.
I really don't think well this cost xx dollars and what I could sell it for now.
Lets face it the crappy synergy I kept getting wasn't worth a penny. So it's value was nothing.
I never bought stuff just to sell it . Making money through buying and selling audio is not my idea of a good time.
All of this stuff I say is cheap but only comparitively so.
I happen to collect tubes almost as a different hobby. I will either give them away or get what they are worth I liked them enough to collect them so I don't find pleasure in the profit , if I make one at all a pleasure. Sometimes people ask me for something specific or I do a little advertising within our audio group. People break your stones for such trivial matters and always seem to assume you are out to rip them off. Please!.
One poster said it pays for itself immediatley if you really like it.
I don't care about resale value of these amps I have no plan to sell them. The amps were inexpensive, so if the thought crosses my mind at all.
I think is Wow. Nirvana for such a low price.
One problem is as I said. Is I hate selling but must sell some gear.
Even I think it is insane to have so much stuff doing nothing. I try to sell as quick as possible and take a beating. I just can't take all the nit picking people do .

I think Markphd puts the whole thing into very succinct and understandable terms.

I'm of the same opinion as The Doctor (Mechans) - you need a good tube amplifier to be happy in this hobby.

Over the past five or so years, I've continued to stumble over the products of a company that knock me out whenever I hear them, as they sound more like music than anything else on the market in my opinion. So, while it's taken me a while to get to this point, my current opinion is that I should simply stop fooling around and do what's required to buy it, and try to live happily ever after. Of course, I may get killed by the old audio adage of a product that immediately draws you in will just as quickly leave you hating it, but what the heck...

I have a few lifetime purchases that I'll hold on to, like my Jadis DA60 and my Atma Sphere M60 monos, but apart from them, and the new venture I'm entering in, which has been previously announced by my partner here in another Audiogon thread, I'm going to try a couple of products from the company I've described in the previous paragraph. Hopefully, at that point, as Cyclonicman says, they'll be paid for immediately.