How good can it get, really? - my stereo sounds amazing!

Paulgardner, curious question, and concern.  Could you be someone who no longer is a music listener, but rather, an equipment listener?  I think there is hope for the music listener.  The music listener can eventually arrive at a point where the goal of best (to the listener) sound reproduction, reasonably available, is achieved.  The equipment listener will never know peace, and will continue down the upgrade rabbit hole until one's hearing is gone.  Nothing wrong with this approach, it is an aspect of our hobby, it is just that there does not seem to be much happiness in the process.  No satisfaction, just the continuous tweak show.  Oh well.

zerobias

I am all right with your remarks they are right on the spot...

I just want to add, that almost or at least, half of the audio system around here are already perfectly Hi-Fi potential good system...The necessity to upgrade is motivated by many reasons, but most of the times the vast majority of owners dont know what their audio system true potential are in the first place... The reasons are simple and had often NOTHING to do with the electronics components at all, except marginally...

They are linked to the necessity to remedy and treat the acoustical field of the audio room, to clean and decrease the electrical noise floor of the house and of the room and after that of the audio system itself, and also the controls of negative resonances through vibrations...I will not even speak of the necessary cheap and homemade tweaks that transform completely an audio system without buying anything costly...


Not knowing that and feeling the urge to upgrade tough is an illusion created by our own ignorance, entertained by strategic marketing on vulnerable customers... And also the results of science specialisation in a complex field like audio where they are too many complex variable to play with before gaining the best of an audio system without sometimes changing any electronical components ....


I own the same audio system for many years now and the difference between before and after these remedies application is not least than staggering... I does not entertain now the possibility of upgrading like before, it is only a fad for me now like my wife said, and no more the necessary step toward true Hi-Fi... My system, composed of vintage or used parts components, with low cost one, amount to under 1000 thousand dollars including headphones of high quality.... And if you look at "my virtual system" photos you will smile of my "poor audiophile" philosophy...But my audio system which does not compete for sure with higher, very higher costlier one, tough, is not so far behind than many of you will think...Music is here at last and the last smile is mine...

I think I’m still a music listener. My new music consumption has slowed over the years but I do sit down and actually listen to music or go for a walk with headphones almost every day. I have enjoyed building my hifi and I recognize the rabbit hole and am conscious of the law of diminishing returns, snake oil products, etc. I think I am very close to arriving at an endpoint in regards to upgrading equipment, at least for awhile. I love music. I have many musician clients - I design and print concert posters on the side as well for bands like Wilco, The National, Bon Iver, etc. 

paulgardner OP
Open to suggestions for sure. Thx.

>>>>>I’m not so sure about that. 😬

Are you still salty about the sub springs that I shot down?