Several years ago I purchased the original TORI and I think I paid about 1k for it, but I can't remember if that is the right amount.  A couple of friends came over to hear it and they were amazed by the sound and then they asked how much it was and I told them.  Then they preceded to tell me how over-priced it was and that I was crazy and that I could get something at Circuit City that was as good for much cheaper and yadda, yadda, yadda...   I disagreed.  Today I still have that TORI and it sounds just as good as ever.  I never thought twice about how much I paid for that amp.

Last night I had a date and I spent about $125 at a semi-upscale restaurant and about $150 for a couple of tickets to a show and this morning I am in a funk at the thought that I spent $275 while my date considers it to be money well spent.

It is interesting at what people value, isn't it?

Great story! Three big nights on the town and you have an original Torii that is compelling and enlivening every time you hear it!

Similarly, I wonder......when we spend a thousand or two or three... on a front end, amp or speakers, and worry about spending 20-100 every so often to build a synergistic collection of well researched tubes for system tuning. Or we might worry about a $150-200 cable that is returnable if it does not have that value to us after we try it. One semi-upscale dinner!

The relativity of value....great topic.