Am I Getting Soft Here?

@edcyn It sounds like you've hit a really good equilibrium point. You've put time and money and intelligence into your setup and you're immersed in experience. That's how it should be.

That said, everyone knows that aesthetic appreciation is a stepwise process. First we learn to appreciate; then, upon further exposure and some helpful conversation, we learn what more we might discern and enjoy. Then, we try to step up to that next level, and we shift from critical listening back to immersion enjoyment.

In other words, there are at least two reasons people get dissatisfied.

Sometimes, they are just chasing what other people have. That's not good.

But other times they're trying to step up to the next level of aesthetic discrimination-and-then-immersion. That's how this is supposed to work. Perhaps you're doing this?

Congratulations.
 

You do not need astronomically expensive equipment to achieve outstanding sound or really satisfying sound. +@Millercarbon. Sounds like you have synergy between your components and room and the sound meets is of a character that satisfy your values. Just enjoy… forget all about equipment.

A word of caution. If the upgrade bug bites at some time in the future. Proceed with caution. It can be easy to upgrade one component and improve the level of details, good, but throw off the tonal balance… while it may sound better… it might not be as satisfying any more. Then change something else, and else and end up far from where you started.

If the bug bites, I’m not saying you should never upgrade, but well, choose wisely… take your time.

If you love what you have, then that's not "soft"... it's very good news.

The softness would come if you give in to upgrade-itis when there is no need to.  

You're not getting soft edcyn. You're just being real. My whole system cost about $7500 in 1990. Though I recently had everything refurbished, I'm still enjoying it. It's mine, it was the best I could afford at the time, it sounds great to me and I'm used to it. The only thing I've actually changed is the interconnects. They were all original until recently. I spent about $300 for a bunch of Mogami's and it sounds as good as new, if not better.

But what about the not subtle, night and day, gobsmacked and profound differences a better power cord will make?