You all are setting a double standard for audio gear. What if I pay $100k for speakers, some pay it for a flipping rock to put on their finger or a gown. Value is not a must for anything. A Coke a be a buck out of a machine and you pay it, you are at the ball park and it's $10.00 you pay it. I don't think you have a point.

I think auto to audio is a valid analogy. You can't measure a 50 wpc amp and compare to a 200 wpc amp? You can't remove the top off a Kenwood and see the difference from a Krell? You guys just have different priorities and will never see my view nor will I yours. You try to puff yourselves up and claim superiority to justify your high end auto purchase. There's no difference between that and a high end audio system, you just like to think there is. It all depends on what gives you wood, a fast car, an incredible audio system or $5k Italian suits or a $10k watch. But the bottom line is not one purchase can be justified over another to the guy who buys the item.

You can claim you've heard this or that and if you've had a bad presentation of the gear or just didn't get it then fine but you can't make wild generalizations like no expensive audio gear is worth it's price tag. I don't think there's a product on the market that will give you dollar for dollar performance upgrade as you spend more. So why try to hold audio to that? If some one can hear a difference then it's up to them whether the expense is worth it. It's like the $10 Coke, yes, you might think you got screwed but if you were thirsty enough that 10 spot was a deal, wasn't it. Audio is like any other product as well that some manufacturers are better at the craft than others. So you may find a $5k amp that sounds as good as a $10k. As in buying any product you have to be a good consumer and do some home work. Just as Kia claims to be as good or better than Toyota, some autos compare themselves to BMW for half the price, are they? Maybe to some. those who fall for it. Or, maybe it's true. There's always going to be products who try to climb the ladder by claiming to be as good as the big dog for less. Just as Oppo or Emotiva. Are they Krell, or McIntosh? Those who buy it think so. And, if you all know as much as you seem to about autos then you realize that there is much more profit on a higher end car than an entry level. A salesman may not see much commission on a Corola but it is sizeable on the Lexus. Same for any auto line Focus to Lincoln or whatever. So keep your car on it's pedestal but don't expect me to swallow that Mercedes is worth every dollar you paid for it. I can pick up milk or take the kids to soccer just as well in a Volkwagen Beetle.