I have over two thousand CDs, and an equal number of LPs.
Ok, you win! 
Particularly considering the stereo shares space with drums, P.A., guitar amps, and recording equipment.
I see that. Who are your favourite drummers?
I was vaguely aware that things called switches and filters existed. What the hell are they? Do I need them? Can I afford them? I’m curious.
A few years ago I thought the same thing. I read about this Etherregen, huge thread over on Audiophilestyle. Is this thing going to make a $700 difference in my system? I bought it and it did, at the time it was slight. There was a 30 day guarantee, but although I wasn’t sure that was the best $700 I could have spent, I kept it in my system.
As my system evolved, and the resolution improved with each component upgrade I decided to take it out of the system a while back. Holy cow, I sure noticed the difference now. The funny thing about digital, you think it sounds great, there is no grain or etched sound, until some of it is removed and then you realize well damn, I did have some grain! And then once you hear it with its new smoothness, blacker backgrounds and openness after some filtering there is no way you can go back.
Etherregen version I is now sold out, Last I heard Alex had 7 returns from the first 3,200 sold, so most people felt the same way I did. I will probably end up going like many others and upgrade from this etherregen to a Tempus. Not a small purchase. I also own the smoothlan, and with a 30 day guarantee I kept it too. You don’t know until you try.
I jumped down the "specialty audio" rabbit hole about 40 years ago, and all I know for sure is that it has no bottom.
You got that right.
If someone is in the mood for some technical read: