My High End Audio Gear As A Long Term Investment!!!

Audio gear is not a good investment financially. It depreciates. Rapidly in many cases. No matter how much I love a piece (I'm an ARC fanboy) the used ones go down in value each year- and why shouldn't they? Caps wear out. tubes fail, pots get worn, scratches and bruises show up- it's that dang 2nd law of thermodynamics. Moreover new and better gear hit the market all the time. Add to that the digital revolution- a body slam to residual values!  

Now if we classify investment as something that causes appreciation in ourselves that's a different story. My rig replays recordings that make me happy. What a joy to have a nice bottle of wine, turn down the lights and enjoy the music! It's often the best part of my day. 

I have learned to be happy with "really good but could be better"  and I do love chasing the gear- bit that's a luxury and not a necessity. Nor is it a good use of the time value of money. But I like it!

I have a friend that uses the word "investment" for things she just wants to own. 

It's such a transparent act of self delusion it's hard to keep a straight face when she says it.

Why not call your gear a "gift" to yourself? My guess is, you're a good person and you probably deserve it. YOLO.

As I read through this I’ve kind of gone in the direction that @hilde45 makes above. I look at the “investment” in audio equipment as being nothing more than investing in my own enjoyment (or myself). 
Knowing that there is always something better out there is a struggle that some deal with better than others but I think once you get to a certain level of experience you’re more able to appreciate what you have and make better decisions about what’s important rather than placing that importance on having the next best thing.

I don’t know if I would say that I’m finished when it comes to acquiring gear but when I sit down to listen the last thing I’m thinking about is “would be better had I spent more money?”. Be happy and enjoy your system for the experience it offers you and if you feel that experience should be heightened go for it- there’s nothing wrong with that either!

"Both of my Kenwood KD turntables, KD 500 and a KD550"

@puptent I had a KD550, bought it new back in the late 1970s or early 1980s, from the Electronic Workshop in Greenwich Village. Always liked it, I think at some point I sold it for a Basis. 

Audio gear may be "an investment" in rare instances, but it's mostly an expensive hobby.

You think audio is bad, get yourself an airplane.