I appreciate your thoughtful observations. This is by far the most I've ever spent on a component--- even though its open box status lowered my cost. There is a lot of discussion here about fairly pricey gear. This can lead to a feeling of alienation for those of us who might come to believe we are merely beggars camped outside the castle walls who'll likely never have the means to acquire the "keys to the kingdom". It's easy to forget that the real "key" is, as you assert, focusing on enjoyment of the music, not on shiny metal boxes or depth of sound-stage. At the same time, it's not productive to dismiss those who have the resources to chase the nth degree of resolution as merely gear-whores who are deaf to the music. Looking back, I see now that I fell into this as a sort of coping mechanism.
It's becoming increasingly evident to me that this hobby (such a benign word for something that can so easily get so out of hand) requires a fairly delicate mental balancing act, if one is to remain sane.
And of course, the degree of sonic revelation I'm now experiencing is very much relative to my own experience. I have little doubt that many here, were they to hear my system, would be a good deal less impressed, simply because they've heard better, which leads nicely to your final point about your ears being the only ones you need to impress.
I've found your comments helpful-- thanks!