What's your biggest surprise in hifi?


After being in this hobby since the 70's, my own 2 biggest surprises are: [1] records sound better than cds. [2] More expensive isn't necessarily better. [for example, I once paid well over $10,000 for a set of separate components which were bettered by a $1500 integrated amp....What were your biggest surprises?
boofer
That as I have upgraded my system, while the really well recorded/mastered stuff sounds fantastic, so much music that was enjoyable on the cheaper gear is now hard to listen to because all the faults are revealed. It makes me wish I'd stayed happy with what I had. 
Start with a room that is treated otherwise all the upgrades in the world
will not get you far.

Biggest surprise? How many new players enter the market every year.

After all, this is a "dying hobby" right? So why so many new entries?

1. Never expected analog to be sooooo good.                                                         2. Tubes...really?  Ohhhh yeah!