I am so happy.....

You reduce reality to black and white... Those who are obsessed by sound and those who listen to music...Reality is not black and white only....

Your frustrating experience in the past come from a lack of acoustic knowledge and from the conditioning marketing ploy who convinced us consumers that only the gear price level and the money can give us satisfaction...I know because i was thinking like that 10 years ago....

The truth is we can create audiophile experience at peanuts cost but NOT without acoustic and psycho-acoustic basic knowledge...

It is my experience with a 500 bucks system, in an acoustically controlled room for sure, this system would be sell normally 2000 bucks today...it is not big money...

Upgraditis come from lack of money to buy a good or satisfying  component and /or from basic acoustic ignorance in most of the cases... This could be transformed in a neurosis in some case yes...

Acoustic science can treat this neurosis....

Listening music dont need good sound to be an ecstasy anyway, i remember listening Bach in ecstay in horrible sound condition, but it is very simple to double the ecstasy modulo acoustic experiments...

I fell so far into the rabbit hole of audio, I had to dig myself to the other side. Thousands of dollars and countless tedium-addled hours later, I MIGHT finally be at where I used to be. I can’t say my quality of life improved choosing to indulge in such minutiae. It’s been interesting and at times extremely rewarding, but I can’t say with full conviction it was worth it.
I’m happy when I hear about people enjoying the wonders of music neurosis-free

Upgraditis is thought of as a sickness because when someone engages in it, they are actively removing themselves from enjoying music and enjoying life.

Been there, done that.  I even did it the other day, messing with minute toe-in tweaks of speaker placement, pulling out all the gadgets, tools, hunching over the turntable to check alignments and calibrations for the 2000th time, etc.

I used to enjoy music. Bad car stereo, mid-level home system, Walkman, high end system, paint-covered-portable-radio/cassette player-with-bent-antennae-perched-on-a-garage-windowsill, didn’t matter.  Music was good, end of story.

I fell so far into the rabbit hole of audio, I had to dig myself to the other side.  Thousands of dollars and countless tedium-addled hours later, I MIGHT finally be at where I used to be.  I can’t say my quality of life improved choosing to indulge in such minutiae. It’s been interesting and at times extremely rewarding, but I can’t say with full conviction it was worth it.  
I’m happy when I hear about people enjoying the wonders of music neurosis-free.

@hilde45 +1

Good for you.
Even better for what hilde45 and the way he put it.

All the best,
Nonoise

We have differing goals for our systems. Still, how can you really know when your upgradis is done. How much time without a single change needs to go by to prove you're really over this journey?

By the way, why is upgrading one's audio system thought of by some as a sickness? I assume this journey is exciting and interesting for many.

What about the economy?

Big ticket items

Enjoy my friend. Music can really work magic on the soul.

@cakyol 
Very cheap system: B & W speakers, $1200 server…In some parts of the world, this would be considered extravagant luxury. But as long as you are happy, life’s short 😀 

Call me ignorant if you want. Does not bother me even an iota. I will go the grave happier than everyone who is condescending.

So glad you found happiness and that you don’t expect to hear any areas of the sound that might make you keep trying for better sound. Interesting the way you're posting it here in a spirit of triumph over those who (it seems) have spoken negatively to you. I guess you showed them!

Just speaking personally, I don’t have upgrade-itis either, but I also have not stopped looking for improvements. This is a joyful and fun process for me because I enjoy experimentation, conversation with other hobbyists, and pushing the limits of what I can notice. I do this also with the books I read, the places I travel, and the things I write. For me -- again, just personally -- posting a statement that I was "done" (i.e., not striving, happily, for new experiences) would be a statement of resignation. But that’s just me.

Congrats! Most people in this hobby will never allow themselves to be happy with their system. If it sounds good to you then that is all that matters. 

You did something 90% of audiophiles can't do. Be happy with what they have. Most are a bunch of nutters looking for another change, when what they have is 99% better than most who even have a sound system. :-)

Good for you. I have to take a mood elevator to the get there. :-)

Good for you, and I am glad you are enjoying it. Without being condescending I am going to point out that, except for casual listening, bluetooth has no place in even a modest system.  If digital is going to be your main source, you owe it to yourself to get that part right and you can do it without spending big bucks.

I have that same phone as well as the Audioengine.  Are you just using Bluetooth?  With a mini cable you ought to be able to connect directly to the pre amp.  I don’t want to bust your Feng Shui but I usually use the Audioengine for podcasts.  Just last night I was using the LG to stream  the Beatles Savoy Truffle with Qobuz with the Audioengine and I was disappointed in how muffled it sounds.  I then turned on my Cambridge streamer and used Chromecast for the same song—much better.

  The newest Bluetooth codec is supposed to be a big improvement but our phones and Audioengine probably won’t be able to handle it.

Well done @cakyol

Great news! And absolutely true...

We can be happy with any well chosen system anyway...

And i listen smooth jazz too, among classical of any period , and indian and persian music or choral music or percussions...

All this styles ask for a great sound system anyway...

Why?

Because most natural instruments ask for a good timbre reproduction and without good bass cello will sound horrible and some piano notes unclean... Then i dont understand why someone listening smooth jazz will not need a great sound system ?

In fact relating specific musical styles to acoustic experience or specific gear made sense ONLY to a certain extent... All styles and all instruments need a good acoustical translation in your room/system or in your headphones...

For sure an electrostatic speakers will not do the same in big band than a good big box speakers, or a magneplanar, but passed these specific basic characteristics related to each speakers type, we need good bass and high and good mid range in the coupling of the systems/ speakers with the room, nevermind the gear or the musical type we listen to...

The more important factor in audio is our happiness through the greatest S.Q. /price ratio possible... The key for me was acoustic but nevermind if someone is happy with his system/room , he is happy.... Who will deny other happiness or mock it?

The rest is ignorance or/and snobbery...

Congratulations to the OP !

 But if i did not want to upgrade anything now me too ,  i am a bit envious NOW of your «1000 VA medical grade toroidal, 160 amp rectifier (very little fwvd hence virtually no heat generated) and 200,000uF filter capacitors producing approx 220 watts rms/channel.»😁😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

I am so happy with the system I have, I want to share with everyone the fact that that even a very modest and cheap system can produce great sound for me and makes me happy to the point where I no longer have to search for improvements.

Call me ignorant if you want. Does not bother me even an iota. I will go the grave happier than everyone who is condescending.

Good for you...but that smooth jazz, yuk. I guess you don't need an amazing system for that