WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUR CHEAPEST SYSTEM VS. MOST EXPENSIVE SYSTEM?

I had Tannoy speakers Dual Gold concentric...For 40 years...

One of the top speakers with a mythical  reputation design....

In a room without any acoustic control...And no mechanical nor any electrical noise floor control...

I now listen a 100 bucks  small 4 inches speakers self amplified, modified and in their acoustic room very tuned for them...

Believe me or not i prefer the second speakers because my speakers/room is mechanically/electrically/acoustically under control...

In a well controlled room my Tannoy will crush my actual speakers and many very costlier one...

Conclusion :  What matter is acoustics  not the speakers as such...

I regret my Tannoy but they are too big for my new room which is smaller ...

But i am not sad at all because my smaller speakers are so well optimized that i prefer them  to any non controlled speakers/room ...

Knowledge matter not money...

The biggest difference I see between my first real system and what I have now is overall better clarity, refinement, and coherency, with a much bigger and better defined soundstage. There are simply fewer things contributing to the smearing and grunge many of my earlier components were riddled with. Power supplies are better, parts quality is better, isolation is better, the synergy between components is better, and there are fewer weak links. Many of those weak links are unseen, but are usually what hold a system back.

When I started, I thought lower THD and more watts is what made a system better. For me that wasn’t the case . Better basics across the board, and a better understanding of what it should sound like help me plug away at refining what I have.

I started with Raven Audio Blackhawk 2019 for 5o days and purchased the Osprey and had it for 5 years and 2019 purchased Raven Audio Corvus 7" speakers and had their 5" speakers for a month and wanted to hear more than 5" could produce.5 years later I now have their Reflection Amp and I did not want to spend this kind of money but I am so happy I did..What I hear coming from this Amp vs the smaller amps and to hear songs I have listened for years and the detail and headroom that comes from this unit is unbelievable...The first 2 years going from CD playing to streaming and testing 16 foot USB cables again unbelievable th sound detail and I ended up with Audioquest Carbon ... And I did have 2 SVS SB 10 Subs and now now one SVS SB16 and now the bass just sounds more natural than ever...I have Tinnitus pretty bad but all these suits have supplied my hearing music like never before with the SS of past ownership... But all depends what you are trying to hear from your music.. I ask my wife do you hear this or that and looks at me like I am crazy...And have had people come in and listen and think I am nut also.. But a few people that have heard it gets it...So each to their own and what you want to hear... Dollar for Dollar the Osprey and what it produced was the Best Buy for sure..

Money?

My high-end audio system was a bucket list item, so instead of progression over time I eventually tried to begin my journey with near end-game components to cut time. I also started a second system for flea watt exploration. 

About the same difference from my first second hand '65 MGB and a newer Mercedes.  They both have 4 wheels but the comparison ends there.  I wouldn't even know where to begin.  Throw in age 17 to 70, musical tastes, environment and what the hell, lets include drug usage.  There is no comparison using the parameters stated, cheapest to best.  But thanks for the question.  I haven't thought about the old MGB in many years.  Good times.