For a near-realistic arcade experience right at home, or for tournaments? Or using the stick to practice/training at home, get better and then play at the arcades to show off and have fun? Attempt to become a professional? All of the above? Depends?
My purposes of getting a gaming stick is to replicate and have the arcade feel sense at home, play arcade fighting games… My main fighting game is King of Fighters though, and eh, I’d rate myself pretty advanced at it. Ooooh yeah, advanced…! Heh… hahah 
But really though, I’m serious. I played KOF competitively for a long while with a lot of people at small shops that have a few arcade machines, but not going for tournies. Also my reasons for having a stick is to get better at fighting games, then maybe play online and ultimately, you know, just having a fun blast… So, not really not really going for tournaments or planning to go professional.
So I’m pretty much all of the above, except for tournaments and pro.
I want to hear yall thoughts on this. 
Peace.