Has this happened to you? How can it be stopped?

@2psyop I used to be in the same boat. Vintage audio looks sexy, and the patina of having retro / hip-looking equipment is fun. Sometimes, the gear is not too expensive, either.

But I became more interested in sound quality over time, and to answer your question, yes, parts do need to be replaced. I recapped and restored a number of amps my first decade in audio. I realized while each restore improved the unit, it became less and less worth the time to tinker for incremental improvements, and I realized vintage equipment would only get me so far. Even more so, it detracted me from enjoying the music because I then had more gear than I could play music, and I worried about what I should do with it.

I do still have the last vintage amp I restored, however, which is a Luxman L-85V. I've gifted that one to my 5 year old son, along with the Thorens TD-166MKII that I also fully restored and souped up. He probably has the best system for any kid his age.

Have you felt the urger to buy a vintage piece of audio gear when you really didn’t need it?

Not really. I don't buy vintage because its too old for me. . But I DO have a Harmon Kardon 730 twin powered receiver which I bought new in 1978 that I want to get restored. That is one fantastic receiver with a huge full  sound. I just would like to see how it stacks up to what I now have. Plus my wife & I both loved the sound.

@carlsbad I was pulling your chain. Been there got the T shirt.

LOL.  

Have you felt the urge to buy a vintage piece of audio gear when you really didn’t need it?

I bought an AR XB1 turntable because I wanted something to play my records on. After seeing a couple of YouTube videos I fell in love with the elegant simplicity of it.

Did I really need it?

No, I didn’t. There’s already far too much music available elsewhere that I could never get to hear even if I had nothing else to do.

Is this an addiction?

It is.

However, sometimes emotional needs are just as important as physical ones.

There’s not a lot worse than depression and if buying something that cheers you up, even if only for a while, helps to avoid feeling depressed, then why not?

How can it be stopped?

Well running out of time, money or space will all help.

As will the realisation that possessions can’t ever fully make up for emotional needs. Not in the long term.

Orson Welles once made a famous film on this very subject.