Does "state of the art" matter?

[Feanor]

Only if that individual can appreciate and enjoy that moment of hearing what a truly spectacular system can do. Hearing details with your favorite music that you've never heard before. Just like enjoying the rich experience of a live, unamplified concert.
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I feel very privileged to have had that opportunity with two reviewer/mentors who I've known for over thirty years. I now realize that when I was in my teens and twenties, I could not fully appreciate what I was hearing. ... My sense of what an audio system can do has been recalibrated on several occasions over the years. If anyone tells you that you can achieve the same level of phenomenal transparency and dimensionality of a well matched half a million dollar system for $30,000, just smile since they don't have the long term exposure to the very best systems to really understand.
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I never get to hear truly spectacular systems around here. And since I will never afford a $30k system much less a $500k system, perhaps my ignorance is bliss.


But "recalibaration" has happened for me a few times. E.g. when I replace my Phase Linear 400 amp, and my B&W DM7 speakers with Magneplanars.

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Back to your question, does such knowledge help in choosing a $2,000 system? Not really, since there will be so many compromises involved. The joy will continue to be in enjoying listening to your favorite music, regardless of system investment. While I enjoy my main system immensely, I spend more time listening to the decidedly more modest vintage system in the garage.

rw

Now this is acknowledgement that (a) SOTA isn't very helpful when building a quite modest system, (b) that you can enjoy music with much less that SOTA. I agree with both.

[E-Stat]

And since I will never afford a $30k system much less a $500k system, perhaps my ignorance is bliss.

Nah. We'll never be able to afford buying a symphony hall complete with orchestra either. That doesn't mean we can't enjoy hearing and appreciating them from time to time.

rw