High Performance Audio - The End?

I agree that it is difficult to assemble a great sounding $5K system using new components, especially if analog is included.  HOWEVER, my second system which is CD player based is outstanding using used equipment which cost me about $6.5K ($2K GroverHuffman Pharoah cabling, $1K modified Dynaco ST70 with $150 SR blue fuse/, $1K custom pre-amp, $300 modified Pioneer DVD DV5, <$2K Legacy Signature IIIs).

Another great sounding system is a Yamaha CR620 receiver ($300), Legacy Focus speakers ($2.5K), EAR Acute CD player ($2K) and GroverHuffman cabling (Pharoah $1.5K speaker/power cable).  That's $6.3K, or substitute Legacy Signature IIIs (<$2K).  

I've heard $500K to $1.5m systems which all sound inferior to my main system with an estimated cost of $75K (although the custom room was twice that cost).

My wife loves my system's improvements over the years because she listens to 70s and 80s rock, including heavy metal.  My ML Monolith III stats were awful sounding to her.  The Legacy speakers could handle the bass and dynamics of rock without brightning/hardening the sound.  Her Berlin and Foreigner CDs sound almost analog like.  I can listen to her Metallica and Prong "music."  I have sold 18,000 records over the past 40 years, mostly due to performance reasons and  due to poor mastering (compression-those 50s and 60s LPs that were made to play on cheap equipment or for radio broadcasts).  

My experience is that recordings which are compressed sounding, often classical and jazz cheap multi-disc CD compilations will be more annoying on high end gear. They sound like MP3s. I listen to a lot of 78s, including acoustical recordings. They have natural dynamics and keep sounding more colorful and detailed as my equipment became more resolving/revealing. Otherwise, any decently recorded/mastered recording sounds better on higher end equipment or great vintage tube gear (like a Mac 30, 225 or 240 amp). I suppose that Guttenberg was referring to music I generally don’t listen to, recordings from 1995 (retro, punk, rock, hip hop, rap, etc). E.g. Steely Dan and Yello recordings keep sounding better and better with higher end gear. They start out as meticulously well recorded albums.  @millercarbon-I am in complete agreement to your last comment.  Each recording is different (labels can have a "house" sound due to engineering, recording venue, miking, etc) and I am sorry I don't have sufficient time to listen more.

$$$$ Von Schweikerts are inferior to Moabs?  Sure, go believe that.  Not for me.  I've heard the best VSs in huge rooms sound exquisite on my types of music LP and CD, orchestral classical and jazz, from any seat in the house.   The Moabs are probably on par with my Legacy Signature IIIs and Focuses, different but very good.  Unfortunately, I'm looking for a speaker that has a wide listening area.  The Double Impacts were on par with most electrostats in that regard with one person speaker sitting centered only.  Resolution was on par with 30 year old, well designed speakers.  Good value for the money for a new speaker but not even close to VS speakers.  The Lumenwhite speakers are superior to the Tektons.  Sure the best speakers cost much more, but sometimes one gets what they pay for.

@millercarbon-I don't understand your comment concerning background music speakers.  I assume that you were not writing about Von Schweikerts, Lumenwhites or Legacy speakers.  My Signature IIIs in my second system kills the Elac Andante-no contest.  Sure, it's a $6,500 or $7,500 in its current iteration.  The Tekton I heard was not for me as it is too limiting in listening width, a one person speaker, which is fine if that is what you want it to do.  Same with Quad 57s-they can be upgraded to excellent quality but lack dynamics and bass no matter what one does to it.  

The other problem I find in many high end system is poor matching of components and bad cabling (which can cost as much as the equipment).  I can play electric 78s and mono LPs and derive great musicality despite sonic limitations.  No one comes to my home (pre-Covid) and said anything about my analog sound.  Usually, they couldn't tell it wasn't a digital format since record noise was absent just the music was heard.  The worst problem I have with poor recordings is compressed sound (don't get me started about phony stereo-95% of the time bad).  Weird balances, frequency anomalies, missing highs and/or bass are not always detrimental to musical enjoyment but the better the system, the better the communication of the music despite the recording faults.  

Purchasing high end sounding speakers used is generally a great idea.  There is competition for the Tekton brand at similar prices.  There are always trade-offs but I would rather own older VS speakers at the same price (or my current Legacy speakers) than Tektons as I desire a wide seating/listening area with big dynamics and near electrostat quality mids..