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

I do enjoy reading about audio but I think the best info is people who own it and why.most of my stuff is used at < 50% off to stretch the budget. Enjoy what you have. All used and I enjoyed talking to audiophiles I have meet picking it up in person. Stay healthy

+1 @mark200mph 

I find it odd that posters correlate spending with audio quality, and that the question of a "sweet spot" is about the cost of an item.  Of course, I get it that if one wants to "quantify" their audio hobby there are few ways to do it other than spend, but after many years in this hobby I don't believe that spend directly correlates to positive aural experience with a system.

I agree with the posters that say that synergy and engineering a system to taste, which generally takes knowledge, not spend, has a greater influence.

That said, note that I said "aural" experience above.  I would tend to agree that spend does correlate to positive visual experience. In other words, expensive pieces tend to look pretty, or very cool, or very something else. Like those mono-blocks that look like droids. And with these pristine sci-fi looking setups, I am sure people love to just look at their systems.

My personal sweet spot is hunting used gear with the best synergies. My system is set up for easy swapping of component combinations.  It ain't pretty, but it conveys a lot of knowledge and experience. 

Always just slightly more than I can afford! 

Probably like many of you, I have upgraded my system over the years, buying used, buying new, and selling or trading-in old units. How much have I spent over my fairly long lifetime? Okay, so I guess we can all sweep that under the rug because I have no idea.

With a new VPI turntable, used Pass Labs phono preamp, used Pass Labs preamp, a free Hovland Radia Amp, new Sonus Faber speakers, and new Moon streamer, my system as it stands is kind of around $50K. And it sounds very, very good. 

Would I put more money into it if I had the money (and no wife/accountant)? I would upgrade the Sonus Faber speakers to more expensive ones. The Hoveland Radia Amp (Hoveland has been out of business for about 20 years) I think I would keep. It's such a good amp, and I've never heard another that can do what it does, i.e. make solid state have the softness of tubes, with a great soundstage. I might try a high-priced cartridge ($3K +).  Otherwise, I'm pretty damned satisfied. 

Of course, how many times have I said that in the past?