I bought a new Emotiva PT-100 preamp/dac with bluetooth and new Zu Libtec speaker cables, speaker jumpers and interconnects.
This year I'll break down and buy a new SoundSmith SMMC2 cartridge for my B&0 tx2 turntable for $800, but that's about it for new stuff.
Everything else is eBay or Craigs list stuff that I patiently fished for a low, low prices.
List price on my system around 12,500.
Actual money spent 2,200.
Does not include vinyl, or the headphones that i rarely use... just my stereo system including, for multiple rooms, a rotel rss900 speaker selector and a few pairs of speakers for different parts of the house. The maggies in the listening room get the direct connection and the other speakers in other rooms get the additional speaker connectors...I never run them all at once so I don't have to experience sound degradation due to impedence management being done by the switch.
Good deals await those who are patient. ( and cheap or on a budget, I guess )
Example, I got a pair of barely broken-in Magneplaner 1.7's with custom stands for $350 from a guy who was going through a divorce and needed to raise cash and reduce physical stuff so he could more more easily.
Def Tech BP-10s from a guy who had downsized his home...had them on Craigslist for weeks at 500..... waited a while, then offered him 275.
Same deal with a Def Tech ProSub 1000, guy had mountains of components and an angry wife...got the sub for 125.
Same guy sold me a mint Rotel RB-1070 for 175.
KEF Q100's from unclaimed freight...new, unopened 120.
Talked to a guy with a Yamaha rx596 stereo receiver (not an av receiver) and a yamaha sacd player with new 3way yamaha speakers. I was mostly interested in the sacd player but did not buy it. a month goes by, hes moving out of the country and currently lives out in the boonies...He sends me an email saying that if I'd drive way out to his place he'd give me the whole system just to get it to a good home, as it was time to leave. I was there in an hour. Sold it on CL 3 weeks later for 300, to help pay for more stuff.
The hobby is fulfilling and addictive, and I suppose the hunt for the bargains on jewels is also fulfilling and addictive.
