Number of yrs. to reach the finished line?

69,

You are of that mind set but unlike you I have reached my destination and will no longer do the buy and try and sell game to find the perfect sound. Continue the journey my friend and enjoy the ride.

If I run into a big $$$ gain and a new room I might think different but new goals of travel and much skiing @ the best resorts is a new mind set. As a matter of fact audio is second to skiing all day long.

Is there really an end? It seems like we hear about lots of people who bought systems in the past and they kept these same systems for years. Yes, the occasional upgrade or experimemnt here and there, much like today, or at least with me. I can't really see making an absolute statement in this hobby as to being done, their are too many variables. For example, I still like to tinker and have experimented with megabuck cables, from IC's to power cords, and learned that some work better, while others suck the life out of your system. Looking for a tube upgrade, jump on the latest flavor of the month tube and try it, because many others are claiming this new tube of the month to be the shiznit (Adam Sandler movie). There are a few who are plug in and forget, but I believe there are many more who will not be satisified with same old same old. I just experiemented with 4 amps, two bridged mono amps, and my two tube amps. I do not think I like it as much as the tubes driving my speakers alone. It is an experiment and I did not lose anything, except a few minutes time.

Again, way to many variables to make an absolute claim that one is finished. Sure, perhaps with the big electronics spending, but, cleaning cables, changing tubes, cleaning records, using absorbers under equipment, using equipment stands, isolating equipment, doing anything to the electricity, all count as being part of the hobby. We are way to curious to settle on one absolute in this hobby. Years, well, until you are forced not to do anything or lose interest entirely.

Those are my thoughts at least.
Ciao,
Audioquest4life

Audioquest -- good points. Experimentation and trying are integral parts of the hobby.

I understand the fun in experimentation, I've done it for 40+ years.

The finish line, since there really isn't one for most of us, is the self made line in the sand that an individual may choose to draw. After all of this time, I've drawn my line because of my age and my time and money are needed for other things.

We all know that I can still erase and redraw my line anytime and as many times as I want. But in my case, the conscious effort to hold to my finish line is to upgrade my equipment knowing that I'm plowing money into the upgrades that I'll never recoupe.

Little tweaks aside because they're relatively inexpensive in the whole system's cost, it makes me think really hard before making another component change.

Chuck

After 40 years now you tell me there is a finish line?!?!?!?!?
I must have missed it. Do you have directions?