How Long Did It Take You To Build Your Dream Setup?

I don't know if this is odd or not but I never had a "dream system" in mind. I just wanted a good system, knowing nothing,  and started down the road first at a dealer then on Audiogon buying and selling and trying out gear, then back to a different dealer. All that being said I am very happy where I ended up, getting the best sound of my life. No plans to change anything and been pretty stable for a while now. So perhaps the non-dream has come true. :)

@ovinewar  +1 
Keep it simple and improve what you have. Don't chop and change for the sake of "upgrading." Save for longer and make substantial upgrades less frequently. Buy used if possible. Consider classic vintage equipment. 

So glupson... You peaked early in life? 

About 9 years of buying from the used audio sites, ordering from manufacturers, buying from friends, and straight swaps with others.  It was also a lifetime of learning and listening to get to know the sound and what was most important in various areas such as detail and dynamics, for example.  I'm still adding non-component things that make a significant difference in the illusion of live music.

Bob