Can an “audiophile” ever be satisfied with a system?

I’ve realized for me it’s not really about being satisfied, as the urge to “try something new”

recently, I’ve learned cartridge swaps can accomplish that too.  I’ve been playing with some more budget carts like a retipped dl-103 and a sumiko blue point, and even if they aren’t as “good” as what they replaced, there’s enough different and interesting that it has scratched that certain itch to try something new. 

50 years on and a great sounding system (acc to others) and my answer is NO.

That particular joy of having arrived never lasts more than a few days/weeks.  My own personal record, from memory, is around 2 weeks.

some friends have average to lousy systems but man do they enjoy the music.  These are the blessed - they get it even if it's being filtered by an old sock. 

Thank goodness I'm not blessed!! Chasing excellence is the very essence of the human spirit.

@aubreybobb,

Those sounds like my experiences too. 

That bliss of getting some new component, especially a turntable or a cartridge, would brilliantly exciting for a week or two. Then the lustre would wear off and my mind began to crave that sensation again.

I have also seen people enjoying systems that were distorting like crazy - bass, treble, everything - and they didn't seem to notice.

Somehow they must have been able to filter out all that sonic garbage and concentrate on their drinking and dancing.

'Chasing excellence is the very essence of the human spirit.'

Now that what's also keeps me going!

According to my wife, a definite NO, despite my protests! She’s right. I’m happy now but there’s always the lure of the audio grail out there. Like, do I really need those synergistic PHTs? No. But I know they’ll do something to my system.

Once you know that there are things out there that are probably "better" than what you currently have, you want to try them.

Lots of "audiophiles" are not into doing research on their own and are at the mercy of their dealers. They don't even know about crazy new or old stuff out there, and they love their system as is. 

Reading these forums and getting creative is why I like my system better than their's, but ignorance is bliss.  Now that I know I'll eventually need a bespoke set of power cords, I'll be scheming until I can afford them. 

Lots of wisdom in this thread.