Retired audiophile?

Yes, I am retired.  Your original post rings true for me. I retired last May, yet I've been done with my main system for a few years.  These days it's maintenance and listening.  

A friend introduced me to Stereophile magazine some 25 years ago, partially to draw attention to the absurdities of expensive cables (he worked on electronic equipment for a living).  But of course this only INCREASED my interest in high-end audio, and soon afterwards i traded in my ADS speakers for B&W-801's.  Then came the inevitable upgrades costing more and more money.  But now this enthusiasm has mostly run its course.  A local audio store recently wanted me to give a new $20,000 digital preamp a try, along with extremely expensive "footers".  Also, my cables, already having been upgraded four or more times, have now been improved upon yet again.  Oddly enough is the fact that i listen to my Tivoli radio/subwoofer system in bed for more hours a week than my big stereo. Since i enjoy BOTH as much as i do indicates that the human ear "can" learn to be happy in either case.  
     Thus, while the Boulder 3000 series mono blocks are one good example of the current audio "end of the road" (1500W/ea.),
i just can't get excited about what they can do that my "miserable" 500W mono blocks aren't able.  So maybe you can see the point I'm making...

I have retired. Maybe too early, but my hearing isn't best by far. Often have to ask "can you repeat" when talking on the phone and often same music day by day isn't sounding same and it's getting kinda worse as well. Quit upgrading for good -- No point. Getting new music or some super-rare desirable titles on vinyl is my current passion.

I’m with jafant,dopoque and others who find retirement a time for even more appreciation of music and quality of reproduction. Ever since assembling front end kits and loudspeakers and evaluating speaker wires,in my late teens,I’ve appreciated the musicality,detail and dynamics obtained with improvements in reproduction. I also feel the thrill of live music and this exposure continues to feed my interest in enhancing what I hear at home. Naturally my measured hearing is far from perfect,however, my ears are trained and sensitive. I will change the phase on my Spectral preamp to suit what’s playing; whether Classical or Opera on FM,or any extended piece from any source. I find the improvements very satisfying.For those content with their main equipment,as I am,but who haven’t tried AC power isolation/conditioning,I feel confident suggesting experimenting with it as it will most likely take any enjoyable system to an entirely enhanced level. Cheers! Pete.

As our systems improve, our hearing declines. At some point the curves cross. Then, any enjoyment we derive from improving our systems is imaginary. Not that there's anything wrong with that..