Is your now then?

Technology, the foundation that hifi is built on, has advanced a lot as one would expect  over the last 50 years or so. So that’s that.

Newfound best friend had Dynaco quad system setup with Linn LP12. No other system I'd heard prior had that sense of realism. I tried to replicate that sound for years with various systems, no dice. Finally figured out I was trying to recreate that initial sense of wonderment. Took me a long time to understand at least some of those systems were objectively better.
Nowadays, my system objectively leagues better and emotionally far more involving than that Dynaco setup. You can choose to live in delusion and nostalgia or you can move on.

My experience is quite similar to @ghdprentice.  Incremental changes have slowly upgraded my system & the sound. I research my purchases and make sure they help in a weak area. One step at a time until I believe I could happily demonstrate my system for anyone. Can it be better? There is aalways better. But I have worked within my budgetto make a very good system but it took time. 

About 20 years ago for 10 years prior I adored my Quad 57s! My overall system did not compare to my current but I will always love the ESLs. I only turned away to get the dynamics of cones. Using my system every night for HT, can’t imagine the Quads for theater.

My dad was an audio nut. And my first encounter with high end sound was the Heathkit mono system he soldered together on the kitchen table in the late 1950’s. He took me to a couple audio shows at the Ambassador Hotel in downtown L.A., where I heard my first stereo. I was truly impressed by the bass that came from a rig’s 36" woofer-ed Bozaks. At any rate, I always had a system, mostly hand-me-downs from my father. The only time I didn’t have a system was when I went away to college. And lemme’ tell ya, my biggest pleasure whenever I went home was switching on my tubed Kenwood stereo receiver.

But to get to the subject at hand, there’s no question that my current system -- SOTA Sapphire, Sony SACD, Mytek, PrimaLuna, NOLA, all strategically set up in a dedicated room -- is by far my most enjoyable.