How to answer this or respond to it. When I bought my second Mcintosh system with Bozak speakers a Thorens TD 121, and an Ampex F-4460, the system cost as much as my 63 Ford Galixie 500 did when new. about $3300 as I remember. The first system with a Scott 222C, 350 B tuner, TD, 111 without a tape machine and Altec Coronados Was about half as much. So that would be like spending 15,000 for the first system and $30,000 or more for the second or more today.
We we all know today you don't have to spend the price of a car new or one a year old used to get a really enjoyable sound system. But always remember that 50 % of a basic Stereo system value should be made on the speakers. All you really need is an integrated amp with 100 watts per channel with a built in DAC and maybe a Blue tooth series 5.3 or higher receiver and a pair of speakers. Of course you need an iPad or lap top etc etc. and I guess depending on how much you use the computer/iPad as to how much of its value should be included. That could add another $550.00 of shared value to the sound system. So $5000 to $6000 may seem like a lot today, but its much less of an investment compared to what I had to spend for the Scott/Altec system in comparison 60 years ago.
Covid has not been nice to most of us. Now, I did buy some big improvements when everything was shut down and HI-fi dealers were begging for customers. I saved a bunch of monies that way. You will learn to do this, too, in the future. But when opportunity like that happens you have to be prepared and you have to buy for the long term, when you do buy. Because you don't know when the next big opportunity is going to happen. I figure every 10 to 20 years. Thats when I normally up grade. I did skip a cycle in the very early 2000's because we were traveling and were never home. But what I would have spent was spent on throwing out the Bose system in the new RV and installing a NAD/ M&K HT system. I was still working for a dealer part time so I still got my discounts and special spiffs.
Today the dealership is gone. But if you find the right dealer and keep your ears to the ground and read read read, you will see opportunities open up to you. But in the mean time you have to save your monies and invest wisely. I spent close to 9 years traveling for fun and at the same time we were evaluating speakers. Why because I wanted to restore my Stereo system, that I had robbed the speakers from to make the HT system. It also helps tremendously if your mate loves your sound systems, too. Mine did!
She also contributed her monies over 38 years. Mostly increasing the size of our, LP, CD and DVD library significantly. . She helped refinish speakers, replace worn grill cloth material on pre-owned speakers we used to make our stereo system into a HT system, too. Her nick name was "paint it, or refinish it, or redesign it, when she was a very young lady running an apartment house for her mother.
