Is it all worth it?

I'm wondering how many others have found using good quality speakers from the past in good working order with their current system yields results on par if not necessarily equivalent with newer speakers but for so much less.

I suspect many here have systems that are are miles ahead of what they may have had years ago and that is something many older speakers can benefit from.

I also have my original OHM Ls I bought in 1978 that I refurbed myself and still have running.  Those too sound far and beyond what they ever did in the past.   If I really put more attention into the fine tuning, I'd say these speakers that tareted the clasic Advent sound but in a smaller package sold for $400 a pair in 1978 and is OHMs all time best seller could compete with modern designs like Harbeth of comparable dimensions that must cost thousands of dollars.   You can get those fully and professionally refurbed via OHM still.   I am still using original high end drivers and crossover in mine but did a major upgrade to the bass driver using a high quality Morell 8" woofer that cost as much as the whole speaker originally.

Years ago when first getting interested in hifi, I heard certain ssytems from time to time that let me know for sure there were things in the music to hear that I was not hearing because my players were not that good.  

Then for several years after some improvements  I was satisfied, but not pre-occupied with having "it-all".   So I got by for many years that way.

Then about 2008 or so, I realized my old Maggies could no longer cut it for me in the different room I needed them in, and decided to fix it an not stop until completely satisfied I am doing things "right" and not feeling shorted in any way.

So after many gradual upgrades and thousands of dollars later, that is where I have been for most of the last few years.   Don't regret any of it.  Now I just wonder how much must I really invest down the road to stay satisfied.  Like most things, the answer is still it depends but I become better educated about what does and does not work all the time along the journey.