New level of ridiculousness

I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

Maybe it came across as if I care how people spend their money.
Just let me be clear- I could have cared less.
What I do care about, is how the industry takes advantage of the psychology of the wealthy consumers at the expense of people with more realistic approach.
Some time ago I posted here, comparing a technology, R&D, materials, etc., involved in making two different products- a pair of speakers (Wilson Audio Alexandria, Magico Q7, insert other models here) and a Mercedes Benz S600- both priced at approximately $150,000.00
When you think about it, it becomes abundantly clear, how insanely overpriced our hobby is, and that includes the very components, that are in my own system. We all have gotten kind of desensitized to this fact, but an example of $8,995 power strip just seemed a little extreme even to me.
That was my point.

Must have ounces and ounces of that gold speckle.

it looks a bit like coffin, but I think it may work....who knows? We need someone who buys it to let us know.....

We are all suscebtible to the siren song of accessories I am afraid. I rember seeing a review for the first £1000 interconnect I had seen and thinking " What sort of idiot would buy that?". Well me evidently, my only defence being I buy them cheaper second hand and yes, they do work, more's the pity.

We live in an economic climate where manufacturers have abandoned the intro and middle of the road buyer, for the ultra high end, because there is'nt a mass market anymore, it's dead, we are a dying interest group, misunderstood and ridiculed. None of this is new to you, I know and it does'nt worry me. My kids love music and I am sure, will use bits of my system, when I've gone to the great demo room in the sky. Would they spend the sort of money I have in the past? absolutely not and mine is a middle of the road system, by most peoples standards.

A fascinating fact, if it's true, from Ken Kestler, I read recently. The market for Ferrari memorabilia, tea shirts , mugs, model cars etc, is bigger than all the sales of Hifi from Us manufacturers, in the US. That is just astonishing. Most manufacturers are a cottage industry in the US and Europe, building individual units, on demand, in the 10's at best, rarely the hundreds. That sort of business community needs high prices and margins to survive. They are chasing each other up the price ladder.

There are only a few worthy holdouts, still making kit and selling at reasonable prices, in small numbers, Odyssey Audio, some of the cable makers, Vapor Audio. I think the owners probably scratch a living at best.