What is the crossover point ?

By dividing one into the other(Net Worth/Money Spent); you will, sometimes, find ones Love-for-Music quotient. More often; others Love-for-Equipment, or I-Have-it/You Don't constants must be factored in. There are too many variables(diverse degrees of those constants) to offer a firm answer to your question, however.

It would be the same as for any hobby. What percentage of your disposable income are you willing to spend on your pleasure rather than your needs or savings. Once you exceed that amount, you are certifiable

Most adults have hobbies. Just ask them what thier crossover is. I think there is no crossover point, as long as you can afford it and hear the differance then it is worth it.

Different formula:

When Cost of System>Cost of Car, a line has been crossed. When Cost of System approaches/exceeds Cost of House, intervention is required.

I agree with Martykl....Once I crossed the line and went beyond the price of my car many years back, I had to re-evaluate the sanity of my hobby and downsized at that point. Maybe when the kids graduate from college and I retire, I will cross the "car" line again.

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Why would a car price be a line? Some people have no interest in cars other than to get them from here to there and buy cheap ones. Some very wealthy people in large cities don't even own cars.

This is one of those questions that seems interesting on the surface but when you really think about it has no answer. To me the line is if you are going into debt and/or spending money that should going towards basic needs and/or retirement then you are spending too much on it.

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Assuming you only use disposable income and you never buy on credit, there is no line. Spend away....

Dont you ever feel guilty about what you spend on this stuff? I do sometimes even though I can afford what I buy. I think compared to other 'hobbies' this is far more addictive, and the spending to improve increases exponentially.

Second order Linkwitz-Riley at 2000 Hz.

Ah, grasshopper, I fear that the urge to torture ones self with this question -- to permit the natterings of the ignorant masses to cloud the purity of your noble purpose with doubt -- reflects only a self-defeating lapse in commitment on the path to enlightenment.

Or, if that nagging voice in the back of your head -- arguing that a pursuit of tweaky audio trinkets and baubles is causing a mission-critical neglect of the necessities -- is actually your own, then perhaps you should listen.

BS-light(er) version? If it's others trying to convince you to not be happy doing what makes you happy, screw'em. But, no, don't think any of this junk is worth going into debt over....

I know audiophiles with basically a few $100 in there systems. I know gear nuts with $10000s who do not understand how to get good sound or really care more into buying brands than performance. While some guys are setting up with care working on there systems to improve them. Many guys just write out a check. To be a audiophile is to be interest in getting the best sound out of your system. It doesn't mater how much you spend. Just like bikers you can not buy your way into being a true biker its a lifestyle no mater how much you spend on M/C leathers ink. Your not a biker unless you are...If your a audiophile you will know. And if your not other audiophiles will know.