Satisfaction Guarenteed?

In the last year,in no particular order, I upgraded my power amp (same mfg, newer model); my cd transport (from digital out on multiplayer to dedicated transport); my speakers (from floorstanders to monitors, both english designs but diff mfgs) and my preamp (from mfg's best of budget line to older model at the top of the premier line). And after all this, *drum roll please* I've stopped combing the sites and looking at ads! Now all I do is listen. There's a rightness to it that I'm certain could be improved but I no longer feel the need to change it. Kinda like the whole system has gone from 'is that right?' to 'that's it!'. However there seems to be a downside: listening is no longer a casual passtime but more of a sacred experience. Anybody else experience this acute reverence phenomenon?

Jmora, interesting question. For me, at times, the hobby of putting together a system can be spiritually (whatever that is!) and/or intellectually satisfying. Mostly it's a means to some kind of an end (I hope). I only started into setting up a system about 2 years ago. I'm one of those musicians who lived with a boom box or a mishmash of friends stuff. I listened only rarely. And then, it was for the performance. It still is the predominant reason. Only now I realize that it is truly more enjoyable and involving when there is more fidelity (DUH!!) Sooo, when I find myself listening to gear for protracted periods of time, I put on something I love and just enjoy. I've asked my wife to shoot me if I spend big $$ on speaker cables. What the hell, whatever makes you happy (and doesn't hurt somebody else!) I'm out

Hats off to Garfish, the pusuit of musical enjoyment is truly one of the most intensely personal undertakings with which we could possibly involve our selves. This is so because no one of us experiences music in quite the same way. None of us can possibly be turned on by exactly the same musical qualities. It therefore follows that no two of us will approach our audio systems in the same manner. As long as we never lose sight of the fact that our goal is the manifestation of our own personal musical vision in our homes, we will ultimately reach musical satisfaction. The means of that satisfaction may change as our lives change, but it is the pursuit of musical and yes spirtual and even intellectual satisfaction that checks our restlessness. Onhwy61 stated the truth quite plainly, "Stop worrying about the sound, relax and listen to the music."

Hi Jmora; In my above post, I kind of reduced high end audio to just a fun hobby, but on thinking about it some more, I do occasionally have "magic musical moments"-- where EVERYTHING seems to come together musically, and then, yes, some sort of transcendance takes place. I think it's those times that make it all worthwhile. I strongly suspect that many others have these magic moments too; although they may be called something else? Interesting and thought provoking question. Cheers again. Craig