Quote Originally Posted by Groundbeef
I have neither the least expensive, nor the most expensive audio equipment. However, for my purposes and budget the sound/video experience I have at home is very nice.

I am wondering if at some point the "added value" of higher end equipment changes from an actual difference to a justification for the expense of the equipment.

For example, there is a thread on this board discussing a $24,000 CD player. Please, is there really , a need for a $24,000 CD player? What could they possibly cram into the box that would justify that expense?

And I have seen a TurnTable in a Playboy of mine that sold for OVER $120,000. Granted it's hand made, but what are you really buying? I would argue status. There has to be a line of diminishing returns, and I think at that point you are buying for status. Simply to say "I own a $120,000 TT, and YOU don't."

I would also like to say that I certainly do not begrudge anyone from spending any amount of $$ on gear. Would I spend $120,000 on a TT if I could afford it? Certainly not, but I'm not going to wag my finger at someone that can.

I am just wondering at what point do you feel that you are buying for status, and feel compelled to proclaim that your expense is in fact enhancing your muscial experience?
To be honest, I think it's hard to draw the line and determine when audiohiles have moved from "spending more to get more" (quality) to "spending for bragging rights".... The reason I say this is simply because: by default, when you buy a more expensive component it tends to have a more expensive finish (since as consumers spend more on a product, they generally expect a better finish as well, and the manufacturers makes sure to deliver it). So even if I move up from say a $1K floorstander from a Brand to a $2K one from the same brand because I'm looking for better sound, I will also tend to get much better fit and finish by default.

To know how much just improving finish can jack up the cost of an item, try this test:

Go to www.axiomaudio.com and try customizing their speakers with real wood Gloss Black finish... You can easily double the price of their speakers without in anyway improving sound quality, just by changing the finish from a vinyl print to a real wood veneer.

Another problem is that many audiophiles would never admit that they bought a more expensive product because it looked better than the cheaper one... They'd instead write an essay in the review section about how the soundstage was improved and those subtle cues that make "music sound like music" were so much more prevalent with the more expensive gear....

I almost always compare cheaper to more expensive lines from the same brand to see whether the jump in price is worth it... and though I've just about always heard a difference, I can't say that I was ever truly blown away by the difference... Whether I bought the more expensive model had more to do with what was in my wallet than anything else.