Hi-Fi - How much would you spend if you could?

[Macca]

Barry posted this link to this £300K system on another thread

http://www.reghardware.com/2012/07/1...bonkers_hi_fi/

and it got me thinking - what if some unknown distant relative dies and leaves you millions or you win the lottery or something and you have, in effect, unlimited money.

How much of it would go on your new hi-fi (to go in your new mansion, obviously)?

Would you draw the line at 300K or 500K? Or even higher? - would you just keep your exisiting set up because you are happy with it? Do you think it would be immoral to spend that sort of cash on sound equipment?

What say you?

[Puffin]

I would keep what I have. I have heard very expensive systems at shows (perhaps not the best environment) and often feel that what I have is just as good. Others who hear it may disagree of course.

[RobbieGong]

I would keep what I have. I have heard very expensive systems at shows (perhaps not the best environment) and often feel that what I have is just as good. Others who hear it may disagree of course.

Me too - It is my pride and joy built over years out of small funds and in my opinion it is a humble but great sounding system. If I was fortunate enough to come into some extra money I'd finish modding the Techie (£2k max) and maybe audition different speakers for curiosity at maybe another £2.5k max - If only eh !

[Mika K]

I would most likely continue from what I have with "modest" equipment budget like 50-100k. If you know what you want that should be plenty enough to get very good system. In addition I'd put significant figure to have a competent listening room including some acoustical design and treatment (=perhaps new house). Then it would be more and more just buying vinyl and listening music..

[Ammonite Audio]

I have on occasions been exposed to some very pricey Audio Note gear and as a result maintain an open mind on what constitutes "value for money". In other words, given the hypothetical massive budget, I would certainly entertain spending in excess of £100k. The moot point is at what point does extra cash merely buy bling, rather than more musical performance? The Vox Olympian speaker springs to mind as something that might be on the wrong side of that value for money line:

[Joe]

I'd focus firstly on getting the right house(s) in the right place(s), get the listening room(s) right, then have a long home trial of as many different types of system as possible.

[DSJR]

It ain't going to happen to me and I no longer lust after piles of blingy cr@p set up as a shrine by most audiophools and worshipped accordingly.

As with cars in this position, I'd experiment with vintage top end stuff and gradually work my way up the time-lines again I reckon..

[Blackmass]

Well......First I'd build my own house,across between a Bond villian's gaff(Sharks included) and a Frank Lloyd Wright house.Have a dedicated power plant in the woods.It would be on an island to with a no fly zone.

I would have a number of systems.I would like to experiment with valve gear for starters.As for keeping your existing set-up.I would keep it.I've worked to hard and too long to just discard it.

I would squander the rest on fast women and fast cars.

[Macca]

Well......First I'd build my own house,across between a Bond villian's gaff(Sharks included) and a Frank Lloyd Wright house.Have a dedicated power plant in the woods.It would be on an island to with a no fly zone.

I would have a number of systems.I would like to experiment with valve gear for starters.As for keeping your existing set-up.I would keep it.I've worked to hard and too long to just discard it.

I would squander the rest on fast women and fast cars.

This is pretty close to my answer Only I think I would buy a castle or an old manor house and trick it up inside to look like a Space-1999 set. Then I would tour the US and the far east going to lots of demos, buying anything and everything I fancied and shipping it back home. Probably do in a million or so on kit. Then when I got back I would experiment with all the permutations of kit I had bought until I got something that worked for me. Then sell the spare stuff off for charity (have to otherwise I would feel a bit guilty I think).

[RichB]

Yes, I'd have a lovely pad (or several) with a number of different systems in each, vintage, ultra modern and probably a fairly fancy home cinema and a studio filled with posh amps and guitars. I'd enjoy these when i wasnt cavorting with loose women, doing drugs and boozing... the rest of the money I'd probably just waste