Retired audiophile?


Maybe it comes with age. Fatigue with upgrades. Wisdom and satisfaction with the material world - acceptance of the audio system and a return to enjoyment of music without audio analysis - acceptance of deteriorating hearing and the resultant judgement that "what's the use" in the pursuit better fidelity - more restricted finances of retirement.. a feeling of "done for now" or forever. (Unless something brakes down) After improving and "investing" in my rig for over 30 years, I've come to the realization that I have little interest in the latest/greatest. "Tweaking" has little or no monetarily corresponding reward.
I'll still peruse the web, but the magazine subscriptions have elapsed and I don't miss the self-congratulatory reviews and commentary.
I suspect I'm not alone on this although the Audiogon community by it's very nature, is active in the hobby. Other retired audiophiles out there?
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I would like to test the high efficiency speaker/tube amp waters still someday prior to retirement maybe just to see if that polar opposite approach to what I do today might win me over. Then when I retire hopefully in a few years, assuming I move into smaller quarters, I will feel educated enough to decide where to go from there.
B_limo
Double entendre.
As I composed this forum subject, I realized that I was speaking on parallel levels of audio and "life". Unintentional at first, but clearly my dual path might also be shared by other members. Professional retirement, honestly, is a few years away, but audio retirement seems to have arrived. My audio buddies tell me I'm going through a phase which ultimately will have me rejoin the "madness". We shall see. But yes, the rig I have assembled continues to serve my music enjoyment with really no yearning to correct or enhance the sound - for two years! Acceptance is quite rewarding.
Ptm.
Agreed.
Mapman.
Your audio journey continues !
I also went the inefficient, high power route for many years. The ultimate attraction for me of efficient horn hybrid, 300b has been the utter ease, organic and musical presentation of music. I'm not very good at discussing audiophile terminologies so I won't attempt. Suffice to say, the hobby has been all those things that we all have experienced. Frustration, Consternation. Excitement. Anticipation. Joy. And now satisfaction.
Happy listening !
dopogue- I have a Calypso also and going to buy a OPPO 105, what IC did you find that worked the best in your system.  Thanks  Chris
I too have been retired for a few years now. I have to budget my money carefully but that was a given  so it is not a problem. I started in audio in the early 70's and have run the gambit as to equipment. I have kept a list of items purchased for the hobby and it is crazy to see the amount of money spent over the years. I have experienced some hearing loss and being a stubborn geezer have not tried hearing aids as yet. This loss has changed my way of listening however. I acknowledge the fact that some frequencies are lost or diminished. I also realize that things have to be a little louder than in the past. What this has done speaker-wise is I now have a very open and dynamic speaker that projects a wide soundstage that compensates for the loss of frequencies. I sold my Sonus Fabers because they were too polite and not open enough. I am thoroughly spoiled by my computer set-up and recently adding Hi-Rez Tidal has complimented it. The only thing I will spend money on in the near future are speaker cables (I need a better match) and a better USB cable. I have hunkered down for the long haul. Now I just want to "Enjoy the music".   
Another reason music gains even more ground on sound-for-sounds-sake as one reaches retirement age, is the growing awareness of one's mortality, and the finite number of hours left in one's life in which to listen to music. Those remaining hours are now too precious to fritter way on purely audiophile concerns and matters. Speaking for myself, of course.