Erik, exactly.

About to become very close to the age of 80, I still find myself fighting the urge to upgrade or experiment. That's a battle I feel I've mostly won. Considering what I had and could afford throughout most of my life, I feel I've achieved a level now that makes me happy. The other important truth that I've come to learn is that (at least for me) the chase is where the thrill is. Once you have what you thought you should have, the itch starts up again.

So, yes. I'm extremely happy with what I have now and for a totally outlay of less than many here spend on a pair of speaker cables. Not to denigrate those that have high dollar audio systems, but we all have to set limits, find our comfort zone and enjoy the music. If you are happy with your system, ignore what others think and enjoy.

Not knowing the scope of your own ignorance is part of the human condition. The problem with it is we see it in other people, and we don't see it in ourselves. The first rule of the Dunning–Kruger club is you don't know you're a member of the Dunning–Kruger club.

David Dunning

I don’t think it’s my job to know everything possible between your ears and your brain.  It's certainly possible with proper training a neural network could pick out the difference in the number of strands of wire used between power cable X and Y.

However I do think it’s possible to be such a critic you lose the ability to enjoy fine equipment and fine music. I’d rather be some one who can have a great $12 bottle of wine and enjoy it than someone who endlessly critiques a $300 bottle. Worse yet, I’d hate to be someone who endlessly critiques a $5 bottle of wine either.

Along those lines, we seek out demanding speakers to pair them with excessive amplifier power for the sake of... well honestly I do not know.

We chase after a tiny difference and throw hundreds of dollars or more at the slightest difference without concern for whether it’s worth the asking price.

I have spent a great deal of my audiophile life listening for nuance and critiquing and now it’s time for me to listen to the musicians and I’m happy to do that with equipment far less expensive than whatever graces the cover of Stereophile.

+1, follow what @cleeds wrote,

It's clear to me that some people come here solely to disrupt and ridicule. They're trolls, although some are cleverly disguised. But in general, there is no shortage of people who want to tell others how to run their lives. Both groups are generally best ignored.

We all see the same people jump in and post over and over about how something is not good, and yet they cannot explain having ever tried it before themselves.   

Delusions of grandeur. My system and virtually every system is absolutely unique, how anyone believes they know what I hear with my system in my room requires super powers.

haha exactly! 

grislybutter

I will mention this at the 10AM troll huddle. We need to step up our game.

“When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." (Maya Angelou)

I will mention this at the 10AM troll huddle. We need to step up our game.

It's clear to me that some people come here solely to disrupt and ridicule. They're trolls, although some are cleverly disguised. But in general, there is no shortage of people who want to tell others how to run their lives. Both groups are generally best ignored.

Never listen to what others say and base everything on what you hear ..

Of course being a hobby and not knowing what you are going to hear until you put it in your own listing room . A Amp.speakers, Cables or DACs..ect..But we all have too start a baseline and that all starts with how much money we have for this hobby..6k tube amp vs 20k or 250 dollar vs 5k speaker cables..And when you build your base for a while you are happy but always chasing for better sound..But you have to experiment and that comes down to your dollars you have and willing to experiment ..And age and hearing quality play big part in all this and at older age how much hearing have I loss ..I am still blown away with my tube Amp and oldies songs and what I hear that I never did with solid sate and I have tinnitus and wonder my god what I missed years ago if I had this setup...I found out USB cables and 35 dollar Staple Cable vs Audio Quest Carbon 1600 and 2 other Audio Quest cheaper cables and what a change in sound..Had to experiment to find out with my own ears what I could or couldn't hear.. But I am not going to find out about 5k or more speaker cables for just do not have those funds for that .. So I have to be happy with what I have ..Enough is enough..

“My experience (belief or assumption), because it seems (IS) so correct, so right, (for me), MUST be the only possible experience, for others, too.”  (This is far different from the D-K Effect.)

As in “cables (fuses, etc.) don’t (can’t possibly) make a difference in sound.”  And the negative judgements are frequently not based on personal experience.  Remember the cartoon strip “There Oughta Be a Law?” 🙃

Dunning–Kruger Effect

The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which people with limited competence in a particular domain overestimate their abilities.

Here's the Simple description

I hear voices in my head. 🥸

@thecarpathian exactly ! My thoughts exactly! Low self confidence. lol 😂 

Lack of affection as a child?