I am glad you did not use the word 'investment' in your analysis, some audiophiles do. The only investment it is in relates to person's joy and happiness. Hey, its only 'stuff'.
Hi-Fi can be less expensive than anything
My modest by audiophile and outrageous by other standards set-up cost me about $7000, would've cost $15000 had everything been bought new. Not counting records, blank tapes and cds of which I don't have too many. Spread it over 15 years and it is less than $40 per month. That's nothing. Even if you triple this figure it will still be almost nothing.