Anyone Totally Content With Their System?

For the first time ever I am completely content with my system and until recently I thuoght such a level of content would be unattainable for me.
Two things I have learned.
An audiophile probably won't ever be satisfied untill he discovers exactly what type of sound he personally prefers.This might seem easy and obvious,but I think that it is not, really.And,at least for me,I think it takes a good bit of trial and error.
Secondly,and this is crucial,what will make you happy must be defined by one's self.No one else can do it for you.Not some magazine guru (or internet) or some illussory notion of "neutrality" or "accurracy" posited by others.
I think you have to live with different equipment and your mistakes and then be fortunate enough to find what clicks for you.
One other point.I disagree about minimal return on investment in expensive equipment.Some designs are fundamentally different and better in an exponential way.Some can really capture the magic and essence of music like others can't.And when you finally hear it,you know it.
If a piece of equipment or system is truly different or special it will reveal that pretty quickly,and it won't require intellectual effort for that realization.It will grab hold of your senses emotionally,the way the real thing does.

Pretty much what Clfcarney says... But to add to that, I think realistically the only way to totally satsify you everytime you flip those switches on, it must be 99% of what you expect to hear in your mind for that specific recording coming out of that system.. Bass too lite, To heavy, too forward, too thin, too blended, all add up to you not being totally content. Its cause your brain is expecting one thing, and that is normally correct, so don't second guess yourself, if its wrong sounding, its just wrong, and not what you expected, and if its not what you expected then in your mind always something will be a miss. If your an audiophile than admit it or not your a perfectionist.

It might be impossible for many to gain that balance in every single type recording, but some systems (very few anyway) seem to somehow magically make even those recordings your tired of mainly because they just never came out how you wanted them to sound, and brings them back to life.

When you can finally say it is not making me think about it you have achieved something. Thats when you get to hear the music again, and stop trying to pinpoint tone your electronics, cause they don't matter, the media your trying to play is all that matters.

This hobby is fueled by discontent. If we were all satisfied the high-end audio industry would dry up and blow away. As it is, it relies on a very small customer base to maintain its faint pulse.
I believe that the people who are content with their systems don't visit Audiogon and certainly don't read these threads. They are playing their Bose Wave systems in the background while they do other things to amuse themselves. Some may even read words on paper.
If any of us were truly content, we would vote ourselves off the island and turn our attention to matters of consequence.

I am content with my system. It allows me to fully appreciate the artist. When all is unmasked, every voice inflection, and turn of the bow is heard.

SoGood,

You said it best!!! I could not have said it better!!
Do you mind...I will copy & paste that on all of
my for sale ads from here on out. :o)