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

@everyone.  I didn’t post this to shame anyone.  Spend where you can on what you want.  I’m 22 years in and I have been blessed to have what I have. It brings me joy.  Just posted this to discuss.  Keep it positive and informative 

When I met Calvinj at axpona this year. Listening to their system and the songs selection is one of the best I’ve heard at axpona. Iam not surprised at all Calvinj will put this thread.

My sweet spot is much higher than I can afford, so, I buy everything used.  I have an audiophile rack, and I also like all separate components including monoblocks and tubes.  I believe in "same manufacturer" component synergy & long term reliability (a must when buying used), so, I buy McIntosh.  Of course, this can be limiting to many people.  My "used component" sweet spot is approx. $5K and it takes me quite a few years to put the money together to build a system.  My Wilson W/P 8 speakers cost $7K "used", and they were approx. 15 years old.  I also buy my power cables and interconnects "used".  When I calculate the actual original retail price of my system, I am floored.  For me -  audiomart, audiogon, ebay are all my friends.  Of course, with a "used" strategy, you are mostly behind the lastest trends, but, it also allows you purchase components that have built the better reputations.  Research is obviously important. 

Of course, this strategy is not for everyone, but, for me, it works very well.  It also allows me to buy/try all the audiophile tricks like higher end - interconnects, power cords, footers, power conditioners, etc... 

In the hi-fi world, l don’t think anyone claiming to know the sweet spot carries any weight or factual relevance.

l know my sweet spots, white chocolate or buttery sugary shortcake biscuits. I know this is relevant for the fact that l can claim, l do now carry a bit more factual weight than l used to.

Because the sweet spot is, like the diminishing returns "point", not a point, but a surface made of three interacting factors :

Subjective abilities and knowledge and training,Technical evolutive progress of design, cost and price illogical distribution, there is no "point" here between these 3 interrelated set of factors...

Our redemption from marketing is basic knowledge of acoustics or unlimited budget coupled to acoustics ignorance or not ...