Law Of Diminishing Returns?

acerbic, smart ass comments aside, i would remind everyone that value and ’returns’ is seen and held in the eye of the beholder

diminishing returns does not mean lack of positive returns, that last few percent improvement may well be worth it for those who choose to pay for it - this applies for many many fine things in life, not just hifi

is a wagyu ribeye 4x better than a choice ribeye, it is 4x the cost, and both fill your tummy, right? ... well if you can afford it, want and appreciate the difference in the pleasure of enjoying the wagyu, then it is well worth it

is an opus one red 10x better than your supermarket yellow tail cab?

is a first class transcontinental flight worth 20x the cost of an economy seat on the same plane?

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to answer the op’s query about where a sweet spot might be in putting together a very good sounding system in a typical listening room, i would say US$5-10 grand if one purchased used gear smartly

For me, diminishing returns has as much to do with my check book balance as anything.

absolutely... well said, and should never be forgotten

all things hi end hifi are luxuries in life... take care of all the basics and essentials first -- family, kids, home, education, personal and professional development, security, meet all obligations for those whom depend on us... happiness and success in life is about careful prioritization

https://youtu.be/_8wc25tnbH8

posted this in another thread as well, but this is also quite relevant to this discussion

pointed, on target, well articulated, imo

Another element of the audio journey which both OP and respondents have left out is the pleasure of the journey itself. As with travel, often the voyage is as important as the destination. With every equipment upgrade, and slow adoption of every new technology, I have found the process of adaptation and expansion just simply a Fun Activity. When upgrading components I focus on ONE at a time (including cables) so all other variables are kept constant. Is the $5k amp 2x better than the $2500 amp? Not even close. But is it noticeably better? Sure. I find the degree of improvement best tested by moving backward: once the ears have embraced the $5k amp, backshift to the $2500 amp now in your secondary system. The downgrade is more noticeable than the upgrade. And there is great enjoyment in Learning Experiences such as this one.

very well said @hickamore

this is a very nice articulation of my own journey over the many many years in this wonderful pursuit

to the other comments made, i would remind everyone that there are plenty of people in society with more money than sense, with more money than good taste, with more money than time, with more money than good values -- this is hardly news... maybe the news is that some hifi manufacturers are more overtly profiting from this age-old reality

the presumption in this thread, and in this forum, i think, is to have well meaning discussions and assistance provided to help people interested in doing the smart thing, make wise purchases, to maximize enjoyment for the effort and resources expended in this field of home hifi music production...