What do you do when you live hours from nowhere

mesch, indeed it is!

In OPs case the Internet and sites like this are the solution.

There are many well intending members here that will give straight unbiased answers to specific questions.   Figure out who you trust and consider what they say.  Ask specific questions and once you get to a point where things appear to make sense perhaps give something new a try.

I recommend focusing on tweaking and optimizing whatever you have this way first before changing a thing.    Many have gear capable of really good results already but perhaps have not been able to get things set up optimally to-date.

Once you know what what you have can do, then you are in a good position to make changes as needed.

Only you can hear your system and determine whether it floats your boat or not.  In the end that's all that matters.   There is no other way. 

If interested try to attend live concerts and performances and use that info to help learn what things really sound like in different venues, amplified versus acoustic, listening from different locations/seats, etc., if that matters to you.   It may not to many and that is fine.  Only you know what matters to you.   Don't let extremist audiophiles take you somewhere that perhaps you are not interested in being.

@mapman , that's brilliant advice.  I understand some of the OP's frustration in this forum.  I've experienced the broad gamut of inciteful brilliant advice to some really rude and nasty characters.  But I urge the OP to hang in there and enjoy the ride.  It can be remarkably rewarding.

I live in a rural area and celebrate the beauty and total silence. I have gotten know people on Audiogon and once mutual respect and rapport is established, often first through Private Message and then by phone, one person has flown 1,000 miles to hear my system and I have traveled 6 hours by car hear another's. Also when I travel to a city, I often stop by stores of good reputation to hear systems. But most rewarding are the personal contacts which bring lively discussion and often exposure to music that I have never heard that at times becomes an essential part of my collection

nab2-

I totally relate! Where are you- state, city?