How does one get off the merry-go-round?

I don't want to get off the merry-go-round. I've got a bad case. I think Jmslaw's above post defined the disease well-- for me too, it is a "quest". Cheers and Beers. Craig

.......enjoyed your post G13. Good Luck in law school. Craig

Keep an old reference system to compare each new piec of equipment to;

If the upgrade that you are considering is not 10 times better (better tonal balance, better resolution, better sound stage, better depth, better bass, better high end, more nautral midrange, greater dynamics, ect., don't change or upgrade (this pertains especially to the silly prices for some of the latest audio gear).

I think it depends on why you feel something is "wrong" - are the bills mounting uncontrollably and, yet, expenditures continue unabated? Or is it just that it doesn't seem "normal" to spend so much time and money on the pursuit since you don't know anyone else who does and feel like you should do something different or "better".

For me, it comes down to how much are you enjoying music / audio - if you enjoy experimenting with wires or gear, more power to you even if it's at the expense of reading books, going to the theater or whatever other optional pursuit you might have. There's nothing about one optional past-time that makes it inherently better or worse than any other. On the other hand, if it's actually causing you more anxiety than enjoyment, stepping back for a breather and letting it re-establish itself as important could be a good thing. Personally, I don't have the time to experiment with all the possible enhancements I'd like to, but someday I may. If I could afford it and keep my wife thinking I was sane, I'd find time to experiment with lots of different speakers, at least for a while, but I don't want to spend that much money for the experience.

At the end of the day, nobody should apologize for enjoying something, even if nobody else understands why, as long as it's legal, etc. -Kirk

As a child, I listened to high-end audio in its infancy through my father's system (McIntosh, Marantz, JBL, Akai, you know the stuff). Later, I went to university and played music professionally. My system was the worst, cheapest junk imaginable: a $50 SS Onkyo integrated, a no-name 3 way speaker system with screws as binding posts, the cheapest direct-drive Technics TT with a screetchy AudioTechnica needle. The sound was terrible, but it did not matter. I was more interested in the music. I invested in instruments and records. This went on for about 15 years. Now, I maintain 3 stereo systems and have 8 upgrades under my belt in the last 4 weeks. Everyday, when I come home, even before I say hello to my wife, I immediately fire up the SET monoblocks for warm up. Then I listen for 2 to 3 hours, reading an audio magazine. Then I might move the speakers or clean records or adjust a cable for awhile. Then I will check what is happening on audiogon for another 1 or 2 hours. Then I go to bed and turn on a bedside headphone/CD system that I listen to before I fall asleep. The sum result is that I practice my musical instrument less and less and listen to other musicians more and more. Edifying conclusion: good musicians need bad stereos; high-end audio is the song of the sirens.