Any other lone audiophiles here?

I used to be a lone audiophile, then I found my local audio club. Not only have I made a few dozen new audiophile friends, but I have heard all sorts of gear and speakers in their homes, audio stores and even at manufacturers’ facilities. And my musical horizons have been greatly expanded, too. All this for $60 a year dues. IMHO, it’s the best bargain in audio by a huge margin.

And then, you get people who think they know what you are all about. Occasionally, they will come over and offer some free crap to you as if it is some kind of gift. Not to be ugly, but just last week a good friend of mine came over with a Sound Design receiver. Try to think one step below JC Penny audio gear and that will get you in the ballpark. Now, I know that he is into Harleys, so I just have to find the junkiest bike ever made and return the favor. 

My only audio buddy lives 2 hrs away, so we don’t get to hang out much. We were friends in high school, lost touch until a few yrs ago, but it would seem the audio bug bit us both around the same time. I’d already been collecting records since around 13 or so though, but didn’t know their awesome power until years later.
We have sent each things like cartridges to check out and records through the mail though. We also email each other at least once a week to talk about our audio endeavors.

I am lucky to have a very close friend who is an ‘audio nut’ just like me. And our wives get along! My most fun thing to do is let my other friends hear what my system is capable of to try and get them interested in home audio for themselves. Some are impressed, most are not. As Elizabeth says - the music is it’s own reward. Access to Dylan, Coltrane, Miles Davis, etc. is what makes this ‘hobby’ so rewarding!! Happy Listening!! 

As others have said, there are two sides to this - the "quest for sound" (the experimental hobby) and the music. You are apparently not positioned well for the experimental quest - so it all comes down to "do you enjoy the music?". If so, do so and let the sleeping dog lie.  Maybe scratch it behind the ears.
I'll relate a story.  I design high end electronics on the side and have for 30 years; so i get the equipment bug and sometimes lived a life of critical listening and swapping as a business... required not optional. First, its hard work and sometimes gets in the way of enjoying the music. But also, you forget that its easy to be happy with something that's truly "good enough" - not harsh, not boring, not opaque - but maybe also not the ultimate.
Since i am refurbishing my house. i moved out to a much smaller apartment. I was loathe to move my huge, fragile speakers. So i didn't; I took my older pair (smaller, cheaper, but very very good).  I decided then, just for fun to only move a balanced system - - my "B" team - my 2nd DAC, 2nd best prototype preamp, old prototype amp, 3rd string Turntable/arm/cartridge, etc.
Guess what?  Its great fun and sounds like music.  I'm pulling out and enjoying lots of music i have not heard in years because, when i moved, i found those old LPs!
By the way this has always been my metric of how much better something is.  Not if it sounds better when i hear it, but whether i miss it when its taken away.  Was my "big" system better and will i relish it when i move back? Absolutely. Do i miss it and wish it were here? Almost never. Now off to listen to 7 different performances of Chopin's "heroic" on Amazon Prime (which folks, in high quality, through a bitperfect chain, with low jitter, sounds better than most give it credit for). and its free to prime members which is most of us.
I guess you are in the countryside?
G