I lately wonder why I’m an Audiophile.

I was exactly as the OP  but with no budget devoted to audiophilia save very low cost...

I learned acoustics and many "tweaks"...

i am lucky in a way, if i had money i will had bought a very costlier system, i would had learn nothing  and i will waiting with  my 50,000 bucks system to be upgraded by a 100,000 bucks one...

Now after learning i am in heaven with a low cost system (1,000 bucks) ...

 Acoustics knowledge rule audio  not prices...

Don’t overthink it. Just do it! 

With the endless music availability through streaming, there’s no shortage of well recorded music. Good stuff. 

Allow me to use Zen Buddhist notion to describe three stages of perception or understanding.

At first, seeing a mountain is just seeing a mountain; seeing water is just seeing water.
Later, seeing a mountain is no longer seeing a mountain; seeing water is no longer seeing water.
In the end, seeing a mountain is once again a mountain; seeing water is once again water

I think you are in the second stage and, depending on the individual, it may take you another year, three years, or even ten years to reach the final stage - or perhaps never. 

Climb every mountain……