I drive an older car. My system is under 10K. I don't change it that often, in fact I'm finally getting my second CD player in ten years. I take some of the money other people waste on cars and buy vinyl and cd's, and a new component every 18 months or so. It's cheaper than cars and more enjoyable, in my opinion. Also, good stereo components last years. I find music rewarding and a great way to unwind. I buy equipment to enjoy the music, not for the love of new gadgets. I think a person can easily buy a good stereo system on the money saved by putting off buying that new car an extra year.
Are you Guys Rich or What!?
I have an old system, nothing special, Adcom, Vandersteens etc and I recently set foot for the first time in a "high end" shop, hoping to get to the next level of audio nirvana. When I saw some of the prices for monoblock amplifiers, cables, the latest speakers etc, I practically fell off my chair when I realized that I could blow $50-100K pretty easily on this stuff. I am not rich. Do you big budget system guys all work on Wall Street or something or do you eat macaroni and cheese most nights to put a few bucks away for CDs and your next upgrade?