WHY IS THERE SO MUCH HATE FOR THE HIGH END GEAR ON AUDIO GEAR?

I've learned a lot from this forum and have received some helpful advice, and for that I am grateful. I've also noticed that there are those who post here that seem to have a lot of misplaced emotion and are self appointed authorities on everything. It takes a rare talent to have a firm opinion on almost any component that is mentioned on this forum. Some folks can offer very confident reviews of components which they've clearly never had a chance to experience 
 

Everyone has a certain budget for an audio system either because of financial limitations or priorities. I think it's all about trying to maximize the quality within a particular budget. Finding equipment that offers a good value for the price. I'm reasonably happy with my system. I understand however, that if someone has the ability to spend twice what my system cost in all likelihood, they are going to get a better result. That doesn't make me resentful or require me to engage in the fiction that it's easy to buy components that will outperform gear that cost three times as much. I think this forum would be a better place if everyone actually answered, the question  posed based on real experience and without personal invective 

that said, some of the overheated arguments are pretty amusing

Pardon me for not taking out a 2nd on a home I don't own....😏

I don't hate mega$ audio items at all; 'pushing the envelope' is pretty much expected in any serious ventures.  Look at SpaceX, they just lost not only a booster (I think the 'hot' option in stage separation is not a great concept...imho, but I'm not a rocket scientist, and will applaud if it can be made to work....but would likely say 'no' to a free ride for the foreseeable....) but the spacecraft itself.

But that's how Musk & Co. go....

As for personal audio, I'm essentially pleased and OK with my 'junk'.

It makes pleasant noises to my ears, as f'd up as they are.

You're more than welcome to come on down for a sess, given that any rudeness will be tolerated for as long as you might expect.

"I don't like it." will be enough, but will require some detailed observations.

Meanwhile...'run what you brung'....

While I am impressed with the myriad of gear available and it's advancements in audio sound I can't bring myself to pay these abhorrent prices for so little gain. I'm in my middle 60's with substantial hearing loss due to listening for years at high volumes. I have dabbled for decades in audiophile equipment, but honestly, can't hear the difference between a $2000 AVR and $10000 in separates and I've owned both. The difference between $1500 bookshelves with a good sub and $5-10 thousand towers is so minute it doesn't justify the cost. I'll stick to my Marantz Cinema AVR with Kef and B&W speakers and be extremely happy with the result. The rest of you keep posting and I'll keep reading. Thanks for the hours of enjoyment

I believe the 'hate' is more to being uninformed or worse...  I am not wiling to pay stratospheric prices (e.g. $10K network streamers, $10K speakers etc) but I have no issue with people willing to pay that. It's their own monies.   This is called the FREE MARKET at work.  No different that cars that cost $40K vs $400K and up...  

I'm a aerospace engineer working with a bunch of electrical engineers. I trust them that they know what they are doing. When it comes to audio gear, I asked them why two things (tubes or say capacitors) with exactly the same measured electrical values sound different.  They smiled at me and said, "We are engineers. We can only measure what we can measure, but sometimes that isn't the whole story". 

If the people at ASR measure something they think that is the Bible, but not really. It is only the beginning. 

People generally are jealous of those who can afford high end gear at whatever price point they consider that to be.  Then they want to rationalize that their gear sounds at least as good or 95% as good at 1/2 the price.  In a few cases they might be right. But we all know that *sometimes* you do get more for your money. 

My system is about $15K now (soon to be $20K next year) and that is the limit I can comfortably spend, but would I love to have a $100K system.  Hell yeah!  I simply say, more power to you and enjoy. Life is short. Jealousy is a waste of time.