Blimo, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Those with simple tastes can be ecstatic with a boom box. Assuming you are on the other end (never satisfied 100%), I'd offer you two paradigms that may help you weigh your investments in audio
(1) you can't hear what never gets to the speaker; conversely most of what goes wrong is in your source. So work hard at getting your source(s) right or else all else is a waste with amplified listening fatigue cutting listening sessions short.
(2) audio gear past the source is like ice cream, it has flavors and all of us have unique flavor preferences. Sample all the gear you can and home in on your favorite "flavor" first, then try to figure out in that manufacturers line what you can afford. Pay particular attention to the technology of that flavor, hopefully theres more than 1 manufacturer so that you have a range of price options other than stratospheric.
(1) you can't hear what never gets to the speaker; conversely most of what goes wrong is in your source. So work hard at getting your source(s) right or else all else is a waste with amplified listening fatigue cutting listening sessions short.
(2) audio gear past the source is like ice cream, it has flavors and all of us have unique flavor preferences. Sample all the gear you can and home in on your favorite "flavor" first, then try to figure out in that manufacturers line what you can afford. Pay particular attention to the technology of that flavor, hopefully theres more than 1 manufacturer so that you have a range of price options other than stratospheric.