too much hype in audio

I have always loved the music. My problem is I'm always searching for something to get that "Little more" out of the system. As a consequence, I spend a lot of money I should have kept. In addition, you're right, it does distact from my listening pleasure sometimes.
I haven't lost sight, I just caught the disease. It's an addiction! Man at the stuff I have bought and sold playing around.

Joe:

It always has been about the music ... but time that I would devote to other hobbies (and even work) was spent differently prior to the Internet. Like magic, I could now shop both conveniently and less expensively anywhere in the country. Also, I now had access to both more information and people to chat with ... so, I was better educated ... I could now spend hours discussing cables, of all things. Even though I live in NYC, the number of choices available to me was still limited and simple (low end purchase at the Wiz; mid end purchase at Harveys; high end purchase at Sound by Singer and a few magazines each month). That has so changed now. Without the internet, this whole exchange wouldn't be possible.

Regards, Rich

I to have often reflected back on my JBL/Technics turntable days when the release of a new album from my favorite artist was the highlight of my day and I would spend hours on end playing the album over.
I have often threatned myself with the ultimatum that if this "one last upgrade" didn't get me were I want to be sonically, I was going to sell my rig and go home theater and simply play my music through my ht system.
The main problem,IMHO, was and still is the introduction of the cd as our primary source instead of vinyl.
CD has taken away the soul of music.
Maybe I keep buying and auditioning components to try to get that analog feeling back.
To answer your thread more directly, yes, I find myself critically listening vs. just listening and enjoying.
And yes, I'm wondering if it's that elusive carrot being dangled in front of me.
I'm becoming(or should I say I am) numb at this point with front cover claims of "new standard","unbelievable sound" and "performance that belies its price point".
I use these claims to add that praticular component to my audition list, nothing more, nothing less.

asked above >>what is it about this hobby that makes a lot of us this way?

I don't think it is Audio so much as human nature or something deeper. My camera was recently stolen and I have been looking to replace it. I have spent some hours researching options (digital or film ect...) and time on photo forums. Folks there remind me of folks here. Looking for perfect equipment and talking for hour about technical minutia when the owner's skill and eye (practice) is likely lots more important.

I golfed some time ago and golfers who can't swing a lick do the same thing with graphite/titanium clubs.

I still cycle a lot and guys who just do not put the miles in talk on for hours and worry about technical aspects of a bike frame that will never make a difference to their level of riding and spend absolutley stupid amounts of $$ for exotic frames which are nothing but things to show off to their friends for the most part. Often times the frames they buy are poorly suited for their skills (the frames are made for world class riders) and it works against them!

It is not just audio.

Same with the retail hype. It has been with us forever...I think you can expect salesman are always going push in that direction. I was reading a book on early Christianity last night and the author is setting up the context and the agrarian nature of the society. He quotes Cicero on Retail as follows:

"Vulgar we must consider those who buy from wholesale merchants to retail immediately; for they would get no profits without a great deal of downright lying; and verily, there is no action that is meaner than misrepresentation."

There you have it. Cicero on cables!(hehe)

Sincerely
I remain,