@akg_ca
The OP's goal might well be unrealistic but I've read your "...you get what you [pay] for......full stop" comment once too often. I disagree. Value doesn't follow price in lockstep. There are exceptional, high value to price audio products out there. There isn't a single price to value curve that applies to all components of a given type. While I absolutely believe you can pay too little and regret it, it is also possible to overpay for what you get. Would that pricing were always based on R&D, high quality materials, labor and a reasonable profit margin. Advertising adds little value for me as the end user, but these do have to be recovered in the price. Some manufacturers build brand equity into their pricing formulas. Let's not even discuss the cynical (few) that use high price as a product differentiator and marketing tool.
The OP's goal might well be unrealistic but I've read your "...you get what you [pay] for......full stop" comment once too often. I disagree. Value doesn't follow price in lockstep. There are exceptional, high value to price audio products out there. There isn't a single price to value curve that applies to all components of a given type. While I absolutely believe you can pay too little and regret it, it is also possible to overpay for what you get. Would that pricing were always based on R&D, high quality materials, labor and a reasonable profit margin. Advertising adds little value for me as the end user, but these do have to be recovered in the price. Some manufacturers build brand equity into their pricing formulas. Let's not even discuss the cynical (few) that use high price as a product differentiator and marketing tool.