It is entirely individual dependent. By definition an audiophile has an incredibly steep reward curve. Like I had a friend that was a marathon runner… endorphins would flood his system after running about five minutes… me, a tiny squirt after four hours of heavy exercise long after I wanted to collapse and die. An audiophile gets tremendous happiness from listening to well reproduced music.
It also depends on your income level. An audiophile will always choose a very high percentage of disposable income to audio… typically levels most people consider crazy. “Audio Dollars” (as my partner calls it)… $1,000 is equivalent to $10 normal dollars. I balk at spending on Charmin TP… but. $2,000 interconnect… a screaming deal… no hesitation.
To an audiophile the value of experiencing exquisite sound quality is of incredible value.
Old audiophiles like myself and many here have developed listening skill far beyond your average listener. When we listen, we hear so much more than just punch and details. This comes with experience and passion over long periods of time.