The good news for audiophiles is that a lifelong system can be made from not a lot of scratch.
Www.parttimeaudiophile.com among others reviews less expensive gear. If I was on a tight budget, I'd get used equipment, electrostatics, a decent used technics turntable, and a NAD amp. Super cheap computers and dacs abound so I wouldn't kill you with detail. Just know that the $800 Takamine may actually sound better than the 5k Martin.
