What has been your costliest mistake in this hobby?

My biggest mistake?...I'll call it experience that led me to spending money.
Went to a local home / dealer to audition a Parasound Halo Integrated amp. It was right in my 'wheelhouse'.for price point and has excellent reviews. It sounded good.  We listened for a bit then he swapped in an Esoteric DAC / and I don't know what else and I was blown away.  I stated it sounds like a 'completely different pair of speakers'.  First I really learned about the quality and impact of the electronics..not just the speakers.  So there I went, not Esoteric, but down the road of several upgrades and trade ins  and now have arrived at music that mesmerizes  me and is my escape.
 
toug27: "I decide to install a secondary system in my basement to let my wife sleep better while I could listen to live music level downstairs thinking that I could be happy with a basic system...read limited budget...God how naive"

This was also for a basement 'second system'  It is now better than my main system upstairs!

Buying and selling some equipment did cost some, but it was the price of learning. 

Also blew out one channel of a nice Yamaha Receiver in the 80's.....disconnected the speaker to paint, the wires shorted and the unit was on.  Learned that lesson....

Maybe spending inordinate amounts of time on line trying to decipher what will catapult my system into nirvana. 
Champagne tastes on a beer budget is difficult. 
Democracy (read as spouse) can be a limiting factor. 

Maybe spending inordinate amounts of time on line trying to decipher what will catapult my system into nirvana.
Champagne tastes on a beer budget is difficult.
Democracy (read as spouse) can be a limiting factor.

Dont be discouraged.... All is possible, i made it, champagne taste on a glass of water soda budget.... :)

Maybe spending inordinate amounts of time on line trying to decipher what will catapult my system into nirvana.
Champagne tastes on a beer budget is difficult.
Democracy (read as spouse) can be a limiting factor.

Dont be discouraged my friend...

All is possible , champagne taste with a glass of soda budget, i made it for myself, it only need creativity and time, Dont be discouraged and read and think....

I wish you the best....