How serious are you?

I listen pretty much every day, I have 4 systems, three are vintage and one main. The vintage systems morphed during COVID, and are still going strong in terms of use. Ive restored and had restored components, soldering troubleshooting etc. Ive customized and restored a Thorens and AR turntable. I put in my own NAS and fiber network, digitizing all of my cds and SACDs. I no longer get sticker shock at the prices of high end audio. I just purchased an Esoteric N05 network streamer….so I’m maybe an 8 or 9 out of 10…..but that maybe conservative. Hey it’s a hobby!

I have too many hobbies.  I enjoy them all, but I don't obsess over any of them.  They can all cost a lot of money and require budgeting, but not airplane money.

I guess I'm a 3.  I'm serious enough to have a dedicated room, but I'm frugal enough to not play in the "Class A" pool very much.

I'm also older and my hearing is what it is.

Better headphone system will probably be a step in the future when we "downsize".

Let’s just say that anyone who spends time on an audiophile web site is pretty serious.  We have already estimated on a different thread that percentage of the general public that cares about audiophilia is under one percent, probably a few hundred thousand in the US.  And then only a small fraction of that group will care enough to discuss these issues regularly on line.  So folks by virtue of us being here we are all at least a 9 in my book

I have several systems in my house so you guess. Having said that, there is a price point I will not go over because I think the dealers sit back, look at their equipment, and come up with a number they think they can get those crazy people to pay. I made a decision long ago to not be one of those crazy people.