[medium jim]

I guess the real question is when does it get cost prohibitive or such to get that last percent or two? 

Seriously, when does it become a game of spending thousands and thousands to get your system just a little bit better?  I've heard some million dollar systems and they all were amazing in just about every detail, but then you hear a system that costs under 20K and it is damn near as good as the million dollar one. 

How much different is the amp that costs 1/4 million to the one that costs 10K?  Same for speakers and so on.  Is a phono cartridge that costs 50K that much better than the one for 5K? 

This is not meant to be a slam on those who own or can afford to own these uber high-end systems or to those who make them, but rather a discussion on them in general and how much better are they than what you or I can afford?


Jim

[roscoeiii]

Questions like this are part of why I go to shows (in addition to keeping an eye out for gear I might want to buy).

[jtwrace]

Room

[brooklyn]

Milage will vary from 1 audiophile to another.

[SoCalWJS]

Opinions will vary all over the place. Room size will change the number slightly, but I'll bite.

Right around $10k

For that price you can get 3-4 VERY good subs and space them around your room optimally to avoid bass nulls. You can go to a Thigpen Rotary if you really want the subterrainian stuff for another, what, $25k (including everything you need [potentially room mods]), but I would say that 3-4 Seaton Submersives, or JL f113's or a few others should satisfy anybody for high quality and high output - you just need a way to control it all.

If you want to go DIY and are a fan of IB (and have the ability to install it in/around your room0, you can do it for less.

Obviously you can spend more, but that would be enough for me. 

[Bob in St. Louis]

If you want to go DIY and are a fan of IB (and have the ability to install it in/around your room0, you can do it for less.

What he said.

[Big Red Machine]

With bass I can be satisfied with a single sub but have had 4 Submersives move my skull cap back and forth during demoes in a $150k theater.  Depends on what floats your boat and the limitations of your pocketbook.