I'm not sure who that's all aimed at - is it me?
Not specifically no, it is aimed at the underlying culture of this forum as it became in more recent years after the endless subjectivist/objectivist debates that basically killed it off. This issue was very poorly managed imho and was precisely what inspired me to start our own forum with a clearly stated subjectivist flavour and where there is now more posting activity than on here (although viewing stats here are still higher.)
I don't wish to gloat on this as I joined this place right in the very beginning back in '03, as well as Groovehandle, its predecessor. It's a shame that the sneering negativity, scepticism founded on sheer ignorance, reductionism, obtuseness and argument for argument's sake devoid of constructive knowledge/experience whatsoever (this does not refer to either you or Rob Holt, btw) has turned this place into tumbleweed zone.
The thread may appear to have been hi-jacked but the point I was trying to make was that pidgeon-holing hi-fi into budget, mid-fi and high-end does not for maxumum sound-per-pound value make.
Casting prejudices and possibly brand allegiances aside, it is actually possible to obtain high-end performance from something modestly priced.
The Technics SL1200 and 1210 decks are just one example that I offered and from that point the sneering naysayers weighed in in all their oafish ignorance and forced the discussion to concentrate on these turntables only.
There are plenty of other examples including Glenn Croft's new range of preamps; Beresford DACS, bespoke equipment produced on a cottage industry/artisanal basis, modified Chinese valve amps; no-nonsense, inexpensive but high performance interconnects and cabling that does the job without the bling; restoring/modifying professionally older kit etc.
It is a case of open minds and ears and thinking outside of the proverbial box.
Unfortunately some folk will not leave their comfort zones and will defend not only their right to do so but justify it to everyone else ad nauseum in the most desperate, negative and sneering fashion.
"Setting Son" who is obviously too ashamed of his real self to even give us a first name, you need to understand that giving people stick, as you so elequently put it is, not the most productive use of bandwidth. Nor is it a sign of being the most socially adept.