Gaining listening experience without spending money

I'd put my $12,000 vinyl system up against many more expensive rigs. The trick is knowing about gear and taking your time. Understanding what makes things tick. Recognizing well-engineered classics. A poor choice in support platform and cheap tubes can compromise sound quality beyong belief. So many things can influence the end result. I've heard the good and the bad. Oftentimes, the bad had cost a lot more than the less-expensive good. Last note, imagine what you could buy if you weren't paying a $700+ car payment?

@millercarbon:
"You’re wrong because you don’t need any money at all. Because you don’t need to buy anything to be able to say why you like one amp over another. Because all you need is to be able to first hear, and then describe, the differences"
Says the man with a six-figure system...

It is all about referencing the sound from your music/system to something else. 

• Listen to systems at audio shows
• Listen to systems at your dealer
• Buy equipment from the second hand market. Sell them if you don't like the sound. 
• Read the magazines and the forums for tips and info. 
• Learn from other audiophiles, but avoid mister/misses know it all. They are just insecure and want to be admired. There are personal  tastes and opinions in audio. Everyone focusses on other parameters (tonal accuracy, spatiality, dynamics, lack of distortions, prat, etc...)
• Move your speakers around and play with the room acoustics.
• Produce music. Know how to record, mix and master yourself.
• Tweak, tweak tweak....little things matter. 
• 1 step back, 2 steps forward is normal for an audiophile.
• Have reference recordings.
• Most important: enjoy your system & listen to a lot of good music. 
• Keep reasonable. Don't get audio nervosa. 
• Get old

Audio Shows are where many of us hear the most high end equipment out there.  Some are shopping there but most just want to see / hear the Bugatti Chiron and Koenigseggs of the 2 channel Audio world.

Whats most fun about these shows though is zero’ing in on the exceptionally good sounding affordable equipment.  It’s refreshing to hear things that you love in a price range that you can afford with a little planning.

I’ve gotten most of my experience at Audio Shows and also by buying and selling at an unhealthy rate, lol.  I’m starting to slow down though now because I’ve heard a bunch, know what I like, and am over the hassle of buying, setting up, and then reselling.  

Mentioned above only once that I see,it is MANDATORY that you start with live music.If you don’t know what real instruments,in real space sound like you can never get where you want to be..
Also don’t drink the PRICE = performance coolaid,we live in a time were really excellent gear is available at working mans prices.Seek out budget kings that benefit from trickle down technology coming from award winning manufacturers.Sort out your room acoustics,especially echo..
Explore the differences between Solid State & Tube driven amplification after you know what to listen for & be ready for an epiphany when you discover tubes..Most of all be patient & research the possibilities in each link of the audio chain via the internet,gaining from others experience...At some point though you will have to put together a system & sort it out..By then you should know what kind of sound/tone you want & finding appropriate equipment is fairly easy then..