I am new to this hobby and often wonder if you can hear a difference in adding all of these expensive devices to a system. It would be fun to sneak into someone's house and install some of things into a system while they are gone then come back a week later and ask if they noticed a difference in sound quality. Sometimes, this reminds me of the story of the "Emperors New Cloths". I wonder if people spend more on their system if they automatically convince themselves their system sounds better. Would upgrading speakers make more of a difference or upgrading their amplifiers. Also, how attractive are some of these systems. Would they fit into a well-furnished living room or family room. I for one wouldn't want to sit in a room all by myself listening to music. To me, inviting neighbors over to enjoy a few glasses of wine to listen to music is more enjoyable. I think music is designed to be enjoyed by more than one person. There is also the "Wife Factor" to take into account. There is also the man cave factor. I think all is fair providing you provide a woman cave for her enjoyment. Most of these systems will never replace the sound and the experience for attending a live concert.
Audio nonsense
In this wonderful world of audio that we journey through folks selling stuff have sometimes been inventive in what they claim. In your trip down this road what sticks out as the most ludicrous thing you’ve seen someone try to sell?
I can point to 2 things. When I first saw a Tice clock in a store I thought it was a gag. Next- Peter Belt.