Older And Wiser or just Tighter and Deafer?

     On our deathbeds, I doubt any of us are going to look back and wish we spent LESS on our music or audio/video gear.  I also doubt there’s much music or other enjoyable stuff once we all eventually begin our dirt naps. Enjoy it while you can and ymmv depending on your faith

God bless,
    Tim

The good news  jgmcall56 is you can get some pretty good gear for not a lot of money, at least for this hobby, nowadays.  

     I agree with jl35. In the O.T., Ecclesiastes says: “All human work is for the mouth, but the soul is never satisfied.”  That was the theme of the Orson Welles’ movie “Citizen Kane”. He had everything in life, but on his deathbed, he could not remember the last time he was happy.
      To my mind at age 72, the issue is one of contentment. In the N.T. someone once said, “ I have learned to be content.”  It has been and still is a hard lesson for me. I have a system made up of a Marantz PM 14s1 integrated amplifier and Triangle Celsius speakers with a VPI turntable, which gives me a mostly satisfying window into the hi-end, though most on this forum would say my system is mid-fi. I love music more than the gear, and maybe I am not and audiophile at all. However, I look daily on Audiogon wondering if a better amp would improve everything, but knowing that what I would be willing to spend would be a lateral move. Though affording is not the issue, very expensive gear would not be good for WAF or for my pursuit of contentment. I am sure I would have buyer’s remorse. YMMV.
     Epicurus once said, “Nothing is enough for the person to whom enough is too little.”  I believe we all have to decide how much is enough for us in all facets of life, including audio, because perfection is unattainable in this life. Contentment is attainable. I am sure that faith plays a role. I am still trying to “learn to be content.” Back to Epicurus, “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not, remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” (I too may be banned, but it has been a fun forum.)
John

jndean

Beautiful post, but I am not so wise; just enough tough to admire your composure….
For my audio journey, it is simple, whatever I has in the past, this was always not so good S. Q. not because of the electronic component brands, but because I learned to embed them correctly only in the last 2 years.... Result: I enjoy Hi-Fi for the first time in my life....I realize also most people dont know what it is.....
And almost nobody explain systematically how to embed an audio system anywhere, only hints mostly from sellers of tweaks... Then people thinks that a tweak or two will suffice for embellishment....Tweaks are costly and most think about that like snake oil.... I never bought tweaks I replicate them homemade.... Then dont buy anything, thinks, experiment and have fun: this is audio....I will have 69 in few months, and my ears are old but healthy and i hears any subtle change easily not because my age dont work but because I had learn to listen....

Thanks God for my luck....

My best to you...

when I'm considering a purchase, I almost always look at resale, both how easy it will be, and how much the value is likely to change. To me that determines if I can buy;  not simply the cost of purchase, but the cost to own it, say 2-5 years...