Is there a ceiling limit on what you are willing to pay for an audio component?

Again, money has nothing to do with sound quality.

So I guess we are now down to wanting to find out who are rich, super rich, less rich, somehow rich, poorer than rich and making ends meet. Too weird for me.

When I first started reading the OP, I thought the right answer is “whatever your budget allows”. But then I read this, and was confused:

For me, I cannot see myself paying over $5K on speakers and likely not more that $3K on any other component.... even if I had the kind of money Elon Musk has.

I thought for a bit, and it hit me: it makes sense. I would not pay even a few hundreds of dollars on a designer handbag, even if I had the Elon Musk money. Because handbags are not my thing. Maybe audio is not YOUR thing?

 

 

The limit is, can I hear a worthwhile change for the cash. Sure, I'll hear a different between $5K and $30K speakers, but is it worth 6 times the price? Maybe, maybe not - I have to hear a level of improvement to make it worth it. Also, I wouldn't match a $100K amp with $10K speakers. The system overall has to make sense. 

 

The simplest answer is that I pay what I can afford and what makes sense given the rest of my system.

Since retirement I buy almost 100% used. There is always someone selling last year's model at a discount and any well-reviewed component is still a quality component a year or two later.

 

So this is to see if your budget is somewhat in line with others?

 

I see the merit in knowing that. But the 8 people who respond will

be the Lamm owners. Except me. My terms:

 

I buy used. Except my Innuos Zen 3.

1-2 months old preferably with a transferable warranty. 

That should save 25-35%. 

I am patient. This results in some real bargains.

Even your well-to-do friends appreciate a great deal.

Anywhere in the USA. Get a Fed Ex Acct.

 

Today I would spend:

 Up to $6k on and Int amp

Up to $4k on Speakers

Streamer/ripper/storage $3k

Furniture and stands-$1k

Cables $1k

CD player $2k

Power transformer $500

 

Wow, got up there quickly! $17.5

That is $5k more than I spent but prices

have gone up.

 

Brands I like: Pass, Luxman, Innuos ,Lumin, ANK, Uptone Audio,

Oppo, Fritz, Tannoy, Magnepan, Paradigm, Audioquest.

Unless you can buy once and be satisfied for life-Not many in this crowd-then

just as important as price is brand. But what people know.  I am try to avoid

China made but...

Companies with good service availability count. 

Join the SFAF club.$35/year.  Members sell to others good gear cheap.

 

 

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!!

 

 

 

I know someone who had two pairs of amps that cost $250,000 per pair.  One pair was a “backup” amp—just a reserve amp in case the primary amp went down.  The thing is that, given his wealth/income, this was like me buying a mocha with an extra shot from Starbucks.

@recklesskelly  

🤣 🤣

 

My limit is about $10k per component. Yeah, I've seen his reviews, and for the most part I can appreciate them. Unfortunately,  my budget is on a different level than his.

 

@2psyop looking at your system pics, you went way over budget....

There’s definitely a limit....My audio budget has almost always been somewhere between limited to almost nothing. Much of my gear is used, modified, or built completely from the ground up. My current speakers cost close to $800 to build from scratch 32 years ago....that’s the single largest expenditure during my 42 years in audio. In the early days I often worked off my purchases working at local audio shops or manufacturers (ie: Lazarus tube pre, Merlin 4B speakers). Now I tend to buy the great bargains that I happen to stumble into (ie: Hagerman Bugle 3 phono stage, Definitive Powerfield 15 sub). If buying new, it’s usually a known great bang for the buck. (ie: Topping E-30, SAE 1000LT cart)

Where am I going with this question? It's really simple, I have imposed a budget amount myself and shared it in this post. I am interested in others here, what is your budget? Do you have one? Have you a self imposed ceiling amount of money you don't think you need or want to go above for a select piece of audio equipment?

best value, synergy, looks - I think my dream system is 10K  speakers, 3K amp integrated, 4K TT.

Maybe 50K on isolation and 80K on cables

What is you were introduced to an $8K speaker that you really liked or a $4K amp that made your $5K speakers really shine? I can see having a budget as important but some might save longer or work harder for something they like better. I guess I'm wondering the same thing as @vonhelmholtz 

Everyone has a budget.

You know what you are willing to pay.  Where are you going with this question?