Would you move to a bigger house if you could just to have a better listening room ?

to sum up: audiophiles prefer not only to isolate their listening rooms but also themselves from the rest of the World by moving as far away from people as possible

Not necessarily, most just want to be able to escape the world when they feel like it and then come back.

gryslibutter, I used to live in Concord NH, so, yes, I was in Littleton at least once. I took scenic drives in White Mountains from time to time.

I just have to be near NYC for now but I want to return to Northern New England, that's why I look at what is available in Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire.

I go to Littleton (Lyman, to be exact) once a year; it had gone through vast changes. The fact that they have several record stores is a big deal and a symptom of the "hipsteria". But Vermont and Maine offer great choices too, if I could I would be as close to Montreal as possible, as the best way of being and not having to be in Europe, at the same time

@noromance  - thank you but it was also a bit selfish. We were fortunate enough to be in a position to make it happen. I had planned to retire but will now have to work a little longer - fortunately I love my job. 

Yeah, Burlington VT and surroundings, two hours from Montreal, I think. Montreal is certainly thought of as the most European city outside Europe.

Two record stores in Littleton ? Maybe it is a "hipsteria" but still a good sign overall, I suppose.

Speaking of Europe and real estate prices, you can buy small house in French countryside for not too much, and you can buy small apartment in Finnish North countryside for $25k. Average income there is lower but the prices are often lower too. American income in Europe, that's what some expatriates from the US enjoy.