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Only reviewing the really really high end stuff doesn't seem practical since many of us can't afford it. There's bound to be lots of equipment out there that is just as good as the overpriced stuff but for a lot less. Let's hear about that stuff as well. We're not all rich. . .

Expensive is a very subjective term. A $5k individual component cost would be expensive for me, because of my own budget constraints. I have an exceptionally musical high-end system costing about $15k, which includes Apogee Duetta Signature speakers, Proceed CDP, Forte (Threshold design) Amps and Preamp, Paradigm sub, cables, and accessories. Most of the consumer electronics buying public would consider this system "expensive." Most audiophiles would not. I will add, however, that if I had unlimited funds, price would not be a consideration, only performance. I believe Stereophile readers are interested in learning about expensive products for a variety of reasons, including using those reviews as reference for a similar product that might be considered a value, ie, how close in performance is a $750 table/arm/cartridge combo on my system compared with a $5000 one?

When it costs more than 5% of my gross income.

Obviously their is some variation between components. My number would be $1000. for cables.

Very expensive audio equipment is more about name recognition and hype from magazines that review it and less about the sonic characteristics that made it sound close to a live performance. Additionally, on a live performance, you don't hear the same musical detail as you do in a recorded CD/SACD format. On a live performance, everything is just "there" without reference to any "soundstage" and "depth of imaging". Moreover, regardless of how good the music composition is and how great the performers are, if the acoustics of the concert hall aren't very good, the music will not be perceived as pleasant to listen to. I don't buy into the idea that an audio equipment has to be expensive to sound good. Has Stereophile ever done a bad review of a $50,000.00+ audio component?

expensive is a relative word. to a millionaire, nothing is expensive. to someone like me (retired on a fixed income) $1500 seeme expensive.

I checked over 30.000 usd just to get your attention. In fact it depends on the kind of equipment. Personally I woyld consider a tuner at above 1.000 expensive, but the same amount only lets you get a clue of what a really good - and "expensive" - speaker can sound.

I think anything more than $5000 is probably beyond the actual cost to mass manufacture almost any electronic product. At this point, it's simply lining the pockets and seriously harms the credibility of the manufacturer's intent to do anythoing other than to make an obscene profit. Stereophile is guilty by association in that it never rates products based on return on value. Fault Consumer Report for its tendency for parochial views on audio equipment, but at least they had stringint value ratings that ensured that companies with marketing wizards wouldn't dupe us on equipment costs that didn't meet common sense value criteria.

At $5,000 or more, the point of diminishing returns REALLY kicks in.

I mainly have problems with cables. I doubt I'll ever be able to talk myself into buying any cables over $200.

Even though I think that a price of $1500 or more make an audio product "expensive", I also believe that a lot of the so called high-end products deserve to cost more (or even a lot more) than common hi-fi products since the latter are basically mass-produced and are made with cheap components, which is not the case for the former. But I also have a problem when I find high-end products costing so rediculusly much just because they sound very good, but don't really cary enough work or components that justify their cost.

I do have speakers more expensive than that but in general I feel that is about IT!

I think expensive is a mix between your disposible income and the rate at which equipment becomes obselete. Let's say that a $10,000 purchase once every 10 years is a lot, but a $1000 upgrade every six months is worse.

The term "expensive," as it relates to home audio equipment, is relative. Depending on one's wealth and the amount of "utility" gained from the purchase would dictate whether the product is expensive (to that person) or not.

It really depends on the component. 3k for cable in my book crazy but 3k for speakers or a good amp is reasonable.

As my system continues to expand "Expensive" becomes a more and more relitive term.

I think the item is either affordable or expensive. Depends on your priorities

I selected $5,000 but I think it depends to some degree on the piece of equipment. I would set a lower threshold for interconnects.

You can buy a car for that.

Levinson,Zengali and Audionote(japan)are my definition of expensive, but i do believe you get what you pay for

This is a highly subjective area in audio. It reminds me of the old saying "One man's trash is another man's treasure."

I am making decent money but???

when im purchasing equipment, i try to allow 30%of my annual income for a high-end purchase

I think there are two criteria for expense. The first, of course, relates to one's income. The second one relates to how much it costs to bring high end gear to market. Frankly, I am quite amazed at how inexpensive the state of the art gear is. As a scientist, I am quite familiar with the cost of scientific equipment and let me tell you, it takes $20-$40K just to get in the door. And we are not talking high end here, just basic, older technology.

more tban a months income

As I get more involved in this hobby, I seem to notice a big difference in the price/value mix of products. After the $2000 mark, value starts dropping, and after $4-5k, it starts dropping fast. From my personal observations, it seems that you spend X dollars to reach a certain threshhold, and then improvements are vastly more expensive for smaller and smaller returns. Long live Magnepan.

It hits the pocket book good. Unless you have several thousands laying around.

Unfortunately, this is a subjective question that depends on so many factors. Your income, the type of product, and, finally, the fit and finish of the product itself. A $1,000 speaker could be considered a bargain (NHT, Paradigm, or a host of others) or a rip-off (Bose). Interconnects at $1,000 are expensive; $1,000 power amps probably are not. It all depends.

For an equipment to be deemed expensive is what I can't afford or doesn't fulfill my expectations for the price paid.

5000 clams is the cut off point. Period. How can any component really be worth this kind of cash/credit? I understand that high end companies try to pay the bills, too, but it does not cost them half of that amount to manufacture the product. That said, let me go listen to my 300W monoblocks. Click here to sign off.