Have you reached your end point with this addictive hobby?

The question on whether you have reached your endpoint has been asked and the observation that the hobby is an addictive journey of continual improvement without satisfaction has been stated in this forum many times using different words and phrases to mean the same.  I have responded in general the same way each time.  Yes, I have reached my endpoint.  No, I do not believe I have been subject to the addiction of the desire for continual improvement.  Over the past four years I undertook a project to update my complete system for retirement.  The length of time was  dictated by budgeting the spend.  The system that was updated was a 1997 vintage system where I only updated the digital front end twice due to technology changes.  I attribute my long term satisfaction with my systems to how I approach system upgrades.  As a retired medical device regulatory affairs, quality assurance, and quality engineering executive, I view everything as a process.  In approaching upgrades, I set a goal for the improvement in sound quality I wish to make using my perception of live acoustic music I developed from attending concerts.  I then research trade journals to identify equipment that potentially will meet the goal.  I then audition the equipment to validate the goal is reached.  The process of setting goals and achieving those goals helps lead to long term satisfaction.  This process is consistent with the psychology of satisfaction and dissatisfaction.  Two of the many causes of dissatisfaction are rumination, and hedonic adaptation.  Rumination is the passive comparison of one’s current situation with some unachieved standard which can manifest in self-critical thoughts … there must be something better; fear of missing out (FOMO); I need the next best thing.   Hedonistic adaptation is the the tendency to quickly return to a baseline level of satisfaction.  The joy after making an upgrade fades and you return to dissatisfaction.  By setting well defined goals for improvement and achieving those goals, I have not been subject to rumination and hedonistic adaptation.  I am lucky that I feel I have established a system that is natural, and true to the music, that lets me focus on the musical composition and performance, not the system.  I recommend developing your impression of how recorded music should sound by listening to as many live acoustic performances that you can and then approaching improvements by setting goals that will get you closer to the real thing.  

@jimmyblues1959 Totally agree.  Based upon an assumption about your user name we could be of similar age.  I went with the angularity of Gryphon amplifications visual lines to contrast the open curvy design of my Origin Live Sovereign turntable so I certainly do not separate the design intrigue from performance (I also agree about Dan’s designs).

The music that has been with me my whole life (still have the first LP I bought with my lawn cutting job) still thrills me as I replay it and most of my outlay today is to continue expanding my collection.  Digitally I have 7TB of selections on my NAS but my vinyl still has more draw for me when its time to really relax with my system. 

I agree that synergy is a key part of an end point setup.  I've been close for quite a while, and thought I was there more than once, but seem to keep finding some minor refinement to pursue.  Perhaps we're not truly done until we just stop working on it.  

At this point in my life I can say that yes, I’m done upgrading and refining my rigs.  Final addition was summer of 24.  I’m in a happy place with both my stereo analog and digital surround set ups. Of course that does not mean there will not be occasional tweaks and adjustments of the existing pieces. 

Enjoy the music. 

I am definitely done (cooked to crackly crunch) having completed an upgrade in '24.  No need to go any farther down this road, the system sounds fabulous.

Any "upgrade" could easily be a downgrade.  It is really nice and warm and cuddly to be comfortable in your own shoes.

Getting to old for the motorcycles so more time will be spent driving the vettes for pleasure.

One of the posts posits that if you're still reading this forum you ain't done yet. Let me say that I enjoy this forum and who here hasn't read a Playboy mag, maybe still do.  Did you expect to find a piece that you just had to have, money be damned or was it just for reading pleasure?

Regards,

barts