Has the cost of HiFi gotten a bit too much?

this is high end audio, discretionary elite spending...as mentioned by many, the cost of very good quality audio is less than ever...

It is simpler than all of these long winded posts. There is more money out there chasing the same goods. If demand even stays the same, the prices will go up. 

It's all very well saying that all prices are rising. That is broadly true. However the audio industry was merrily hiking prices when inflation wasn't a factor at all. So what you have now is a situation where prices are indeed ridiculous. The industry only has itself to blame if the momentum from Covid is completely lost.

@bdp24 Was it really Mark Levinson who started charging these ridiculous prices for Preamps, Amps and DACS ?
 

It’s too bad because all this nice equipment from Dan Dagostino, Boulder, and even some Pass Labs is only attainable if you take out a second Mortage. 

It’s too bad because all this nice equipment from Dan Dagostino, Boulder, and even some Pass Labs is only attainable if you take out a second Mortage.

not really -- at least for pass -- their first watt amps are relatively affordable and even a pass xa25 is a $3500 amp used, as is an int150 which is also just superb