What’s the Sweet Spot price point wise in your audio journey?

I am with those who say there is no real linkage between price and system enjoyment. We all do this for a variety of reasons centered on music enjoyment. I submit to you that enjoying music, which is a function primarily of the ears and brain, can be done with the most modest of sound reproduction equipment. It is a sad artifact of our consumer society that we so easily slip into equating a dollar value of equipment with our enjoyment.  An iphone and earbuds can be your sweet spot.

Learning how to build your own equipment is a lot of fun and I guarantee that whatever you make is going to sound pretty damn good when it first gets playing. Funny thing.

Many of us like fiddling with the equipment. Some like building it. Yard sale treasures can be your sweet spot. I have put together systems for $500 out of pocket and a bit of work that have met my sweet spot. Oh yeah, it helps to know that your sweet spot is a moving target. Here today and gone tomorrow.

@parkergetdean +1

These threads pop up every now and then, apparently hoping to reinforce the naive belief that the more expensive gear is, the better it must sound.

Unfortunately, while that belief is convenient it is largely false. Here is one example

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/what-does-80-grand-get-you-nowadays

In the real world, first you have to determine what sound you like / want. Then, see how much you’re willing to spend. Maybe you’ll find that you can afford your dream system brand new from a high-end boutique dealer and hire consultants to set it up in your home.

Or not.

If not, then you have to get creative, so that your tastes and budget may be reconciled, because settling for an end sound that does not please you just because it’s within budget should not be an option.

In any event, whether you have $2,000 or $2,000,000 to spend on a system, you need to do extensive research, educate yourself, and crucially that starts with figuring out what sound you love and want. 

Pompously uttered rules of thumb like "you need to budget 25% of your total on cables", or "I feel comfortable spending x dollars on my system / on each of my components" are nonsense.

One example: Some folks here are into single-ended triode amps. Others lust for mammoth SS monoblocks. Do you really think there’s a pat rule of thumb that applies to how much each ought to spend on their speakers, respectively?

@kerrybh  my system has been a slow progression upwards. I started 22 years ago with a 2k system and eventually ended up where I am now. It depends on how important the music is to you and rewarding yourself with what you enjoy. Some guys are happy where they are and I’m happy for them.  Some guys are happy spending 3 or 4 times what I spend. But either way for some of us it’s cars and watches for me it’s audio. As long as the person enjoys it then go for it. 

I just wanted to know what other people thought about this particular subject. I have also heard 5 to 10k systems that do an excellent job for their owners. Just wanted to know what people thought.