Here's a good question: just where does one draw the line on price on audio gear? At which point does the price tag on a piece of equipment soar so high into the stratosophere that few tangible benefits exist to justify its price tag?

It's certainly been a very, very long time since I set foot into an audio retailer - there aren't that many anywhere near me to even try! - but, when I look at the prices on certain pieces of gear, I simply raise my eyebrows and wonder, "Who in his right mind would ever spend that much?"

$30,000 for a set of two 12' speaker cables? $3,800 for a 1/2 meter coax interconnect? $15,000 for a phono cartridge? While these prices go far beyond what most people would spend, there is one area that manages to sit all by itself in terms mind-numbing prices, and that's in audiophile turntables, especially those under the ClearAudio brand. $150,000 for a turntable? And without a cartridge? Are you f.....ing kidding me?

Years ago, when I heard the B&W Nautilus speaker, driven by Mark Levinson tri-amp electronics, I thought I'd heard the best sounding system ever. When I heard that the speakers were $38,000, and the amplification was just under $100,000, my enthusiasm waned considerably. Just how many people can actually afford to pay so much money for equipment?

That was well over 10 years ago, and I'm sure the pricetag on those items has increased significantly. Still, the ClearAudio $150,000 turntable (sans cartridge) stands at the very top of the heap in terms of products priced well into the realm of sheer insanity. It may be the "best" turntable ever made, but I'd like to know who would actually pay $150,000 for something that takes up almost an entire room just to play records? I'd be curious to know...