Would you pay to listen?

On another note, just ponying up the money would put a damper on things, at least for me. That $150K system I mentioned might not sound so good had I paid $20 every time I've heard it. I'd be in for a C note by now and that alone would eat at me.
Having said that, it is one damn fine system that I've not heard bettered at any audio show (not that I've been to many) or at anyone's home (same caveat as before). It simply sounds so good that trying to analyze it would be a waste of one's time.
After hearing his system, mine comes down that ladder of abstraction a few rungs, comparatively, but after a song or two, all is well.
Is it worth the extra $145K?
No.
Could I get closer but at a saner price?
Maybe.

I would pay to spend time with a MBL 101E system.

.
In addition to my dream system posted above, I'd pay to hear all of the following:

The Magnepan 20.1

The Infinity IRS V

All of the Apogees

The flagship Wilson speakers

The Krell Master Reference Monoblocs

The Carver Silver Seven tube monoblocs

The VTL Wotan monoblocs

Any high end reel-to-reel at 15 ips playing a master tape

The Velodyne DD 1812 subwoofer

The Krell Master Reference subwoofer
.

I would sure feel bad for the guy who spent that kind of dough to end up making $20/hr. You have to assume that these would be "private" sessions, as I wouldn't want to pay to sit in on your choice of music (nothing personal), so the proprietor would be capping out at $20/hr.

There's a sort of creep factor to it as well. I see images of the old Times Square venues. You know-- disheveled musical deviants feeding 20 dollar bills to the machine; the steel door slides up; the music begins to play.