A true believer

No criticism regarding total cost, just a discussion about what would sound better.

Speaker(A)+wire(W) that cost more than speaker. (A) + (W) = C for total cost.

or

Speaker (B) that equals (C) + zip-cord (Z).

Would that make the question:
is (B+Z )> (A+W), is (B+Z)< (A+W), or is (B+Z)=(A+W). My head is spinning.

Why does it have to be a criticism or argument. This is a hobby. My biggest hobby is surfing and when surfers discuss best equipment or surf spots I never here the kind of defensive nonsense audiophiles seem to throw out. Someone having different thoughts than you shouldn't raise your hackles.

I love music reproduction, and I admit to loving the equipment as much as the music it makes. When I lived in California I tried to go to as many of the Orange County/Los Angeles audio club functions as possible. But, like it or not, there is a very high nerd factor in this hobby that you don't find in things like car hobbiest, or surfing, or marshal arts, the only other hobbies I participate in. I openly admit that I am fascinated by observing the apoplectic fits that can be solicited in some audiophiles if you even suggest that you have a difference of opinion.

If this guy has his house paid off, a solid retirement fund, money set aside for his kid's college fund etc, who am I to criticize the way his spends his money on audio. Just because one disagrees with how he allocated his resources doesn’t make him wrong…just a difference of opinion.

Agaffer, you're talking about a $93,000 stereo system. It's inherently ridiculous to the overwhelming majority of music lovers worldwide just because it costs $93,000. It doesn't matter how the money was allocated. You seem to think there's a more rational, better value oriented way to spend $93,000 on a 2 channel stereo? Explain how that works to the average working/middle class family.

Elizabeth, totally irrelevant. He wasn't driving on the highway -- he was driving on the shoulder of the highway!

I just don't get the point of these discussions. I, personally, would not spend that kind of money on tweaks, and wire; I am too cheap for that, and that is no indication of wether I feel they are worth the money or not. But, can I envision a scenario where someone has put together a well chosen set of components whose basic sound he/she really likes AND HAS GOTTEN TO REALLY KNOW/UNDERSTAND (!!!), and then proceeds to spend (over time) as much or more on wire and tweaks, to eek out as much performance as possible from them? You bet! Is that a valid approach? You bet!

Example: I own (among others) a pair of Stax F-81 electrostatic speakers. To my ears (and I have listened to a whole lot of speakers over the years) there is no other speaker that has a midrange like the Stax. Some may disagree, but to these ears, that midrange comes closer to the sound that I want, than any other speaker. I want that sound, and am willing (most of the time, which is why I own other speakers) to put up with the Stax's problems, and limitations. So, I have built a system around those speakers. In spite of my frugality, the cables/tweaks in my system cost much more than the Stax's do. Am I nuts for doing that? I don't think so. I have been able to elevate the sound of that fabulous midrange to even higher levels by judicious (I think) choices in cabling and tweaks. End result is a sound that I don't think I could have gotten by allocating that money for any other, more expensive speakers.

I know of so many cases where the audiophile churns equipment constantly, the whole while kidding himself about wether he is getting TRULY better sound by tieng it all together with this and that cable/tweak. End result: mediocre sound.

Agaffer, let's make this conversation really interesting: why don't you name the member who's system you referred to in your OP? Maybe he is following this thread. If so, whoever you are, chime in, and share with us the reasoning behind your choices.

I literally worked all over the world including many 3rd world countries. To the vast majority of the world's population spending $93.00 on a stereo would be extravagant. But, you keep missing the point. We aren't giving our thoughts on total cost of our hobby we are discussing what gives the better improvement for the same cost. Using better components or keeping said components and improving them with wires or other tweaks.

One of my friends owns Vee Jay records and one of the largest hotel chains in the world and recently purchased a new system from the ground up. I would never remark to him on the total cost, days wages at best for him, none of my business and I love to stop in and hear it. But, if I saw it for the first time and found out that his audio dealer talked him into a Sony Disc-man, Sherwood RD7502 receiver,Polk Audio TSI300 loudspeakers and then added in $100,000 worth of stands, conditioners, and wire telling him he now had the best $100,000 plus system that the dealer could put together...... Damn right I would say something, as soon as I got up from the floor from laughing.

But, that's me. If someone can recommend how to make a $1000 speaker sound as good or better than something like the Wilson Sasha, or Vandersteen 5A or any speaker like them I am all ears and willing to announce my ignorance.