I think the bigger problem is people living in "La, La, Land" and I am not just talking about L.A. although that does have a lot to do with the ideological problems today, and likely why people were shocked Trump just got elected.
People talk about how everything is "Relative" when it comes to cost... Sure when both sides of the equation are in fact calculated! Problem is we have analysts that go around using the half they like, or serves their purpose such as on this board.
Why? Because most of them are in the 55 to 70 year old range which took over companies in the 80's where they could get paid 30,000 a year in a management job or way overpaid union job which now would be equal to more like 120,000 per year which is very rare to make.
For example a guy making 12,000 a year in 1970 was not exactly making a lot of money correct? But a coke was 50 cents, a cheeseburger maybe 75 cents, a house was about 15 to 20,000 for an average 1200 square foot or larger, in many parts of the country including the bigger suburbs, and cities... Cars I believe a luxury car would cost you 2500 to 5000!
You know what that means the average guy making 5.76 per hour or 12,000 could buy with his take home pay 2 entire brand new cars in a year cash, or more if they wanted too! And still have walking around money. And yes 6 bucks an hour was not that far from average.
Or in 2 years pay off an entire house!
Now this same guy today making 25 bucks an hour... Forget it... That house will be paid off in 20 years if lucky and that is pushing a very difficult accelerated mortgage.
And go buy a 5000 dollar Cadillac good luck they don't exist new.. Now they are 50,000.
So now this guy making 25 per hour or 52,000 a year barely makes GROSS income enough to cover that Cadillac let alone 2!
Nor does he make enough even NET to cover it.
What use to be purchased in a year, takes people 5 to 15 years now including audio.
Audio is a pure luxury no question, but the way it was done with the kid working all summer to buy that first Mcintosh receiver for $350 back in the day, is very different from pulling the trigger today on that same Mcintosh gear that costs $3500.00 regardless if you say the average guy making 12,000 than is equivalent to the guy making 50,000 now.
So we have some seriously jaded people in audio, and on this board if you think these theory's mean much vs. reality in practice.