It's still expensive to get the very best sound, but recent advancements (last ten years or so) sure have raised the minimum bar. After practising what I preach and going to listen to a few pairs of speakers at a localish pro audio shop, today I've purchased a pair of Alesis Elevate 5 mkII studio monitors for my sons' bedroom for £109. My sons will be using them with a Neet Airstream that I've ordered off Amazon.
The boys are 15 years old, and for less than £140 they've got a sound quality WAY ahead of anything I was destined to possess as my first or even second system, both of which cost several times more that £140 back in the 1980s, and that's even discounting inflation.
The boys are 15 years old, and for less than £140 they've got a sound quality WAY ahead of anything I was destined to possess as my first or even second system, both of which cost several times more that £140 back in the 1980s, and that's even discounting inflation.