I lately wonder why I’m an Audiophile.

I spend the price of a house on books...

I spend the price of a car on albums...

I spend 1000 bucks on my actual sound system/room...

I like as much being an audiophile as listening music as reading books..

But there is an order of priority even between my three equal passions...

 Anyway without book on acoustic and music , i could not have been able to understand Bruckner or Scriabin music , nor solve my system/room acoustics...

And  as said Chesky  the audiophile quoted in another thread "everything is a bell" then  acoustics is for me not just science and technology but philosophy...

Without books i would have never understood this simple fact by myself alone...

 Then thanks to the OP for another interesting thread...

I have a system akin to what @ghdprentice has moved away from, discussed in his post. I listen about 1 hour a day, as I think to myself, "who do I want to listen to, today?". Peaks in the +100 db range. My colorations are the speakers, the room, and my preamp. As I listen to Medeski Martin & Wood, I am transported to a close fascimile of the real thing, listening to what matters to me, the musicianship, and the composition. My system conveys the EMOTION of both. Dynamics, as I like them. Details, as I like them. Transients, as I like them. Sharp / leading edges, as I like them. Instrument and vocal presentation....realistic. Very little compression (superb dynamics). Very little note overhang / bloating. Dead silent noise floor. A true to the recording experience. Spatial characteristics are too, in full bloom. All of this, available to me, 24/7; everything stays "broken in". As these are recordings, I do not fool myself, as it is not like hearing them live (twice), but still very involving. Very different systems....different flavors, wants and desires, for different listeners. To each his / her own. Enjoy! MrD. 

@dayglow “…does not prove anything.”

l am not an audiophile, that is probably why it is as clear as day to me dayglow.

@rvpiano “98 responses and still counting”

Yes that is an achievement for someone who posts every other week.

Very few discussions on here get to even 100. Most never get high up in the two digits.

It is comical to see people coming regularly on an audio forum and participate refusing to say they are "audiophile" like an alcoolic refusing to admit his sin...

I drink alcool without abusing it...

I am an audiophile who succeeded in taming the beast with basic acoustics and tweaking knowledge ..

Simple.