Many seem to be talking about their last system .

inna
Maybe it's for us to educate the youngsters as they grow older. I've been doing that with my grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Maybe the place to start and get them really interested is through the music, rather than the equipment.   When they become accustomed to listening TO the music, and not to the Bass, The Lower Midrange, the Tweeter, the Coherence, etc.  Get them interested in good music, well-recorded and presented to our systems - - - without getting off track and boasting about the latest addition to the system.   Sooner or later, they'll want to hear good music on their own systems, whatever those may be, and they'll want to hear that good music played better.  

Just a thought

Mark, good post. Finding right balance in expenses is not easy but always important. I can't even remotely afford what I might want yet I spend on the equipment much less than I theoretically could.
We, audiophiles, value both music and sound. I listen to whatever I like regardless of the recording quality but of course try to make any recording sound as good as possible. I don't feel there is always a conflict here.

Brayeagle, you are absolutely right. I try when I have an opportunity, I seek the opportunity as well.

two other issues often, and correctly mentioned,  just can’t be completely overcome by even the best of equipment: 1) recording quality, and 2) room acoustics 

room acoustics can be modified to an extent but recording quality just can’t, and most music collections are compromised of recordings ranging from truly awful to excellent, but rarely all ‘excellent’ 

chasing nirvana, spending copious amounts of $$$, when the deck is stacked, after a while begins to feel like a ‘no win’, so an adjustment of priorities takes place, at least that’s what’s happening to me 

Mark, you are right of course. But people are both rational and irrational, and I like both sides, unless it gets out of control.