Do You Tell Others How Much You Have Invested in Your System?

Hell no. If my wife found out, she'd kill me!

Most that ask how much you paid for your system aren't really interested in anything but to find some reason to feel that you are stupid and they aren't.

You paid that much for something?, well you are an idiot.  To them.

They have no clue about music, accurate reproduction, what real music sounds like, room dynamics, etc.  They are the "expert" and you aren't.  

So, no, I don't tell people.

Friends that are into music or accurate music reproduction, will ask my help in setting up systems.  But as you know, unless you know what you like first with regards to music and how music should sound to you specifically, you won't know where you budget should be in the first place.  

This is why, to me, the used market and high mid fi to low hi end is the place to start for people.  

But really, I don't advertise my system to people anyway.  it is for me and my enjoyment.  If someone wants to come and listen, that is great.  

most of us started at the mid fi level and got on the upgrade roller coaster because we weren't quite "there" yet.

enjoy

I don’t bring it up to avoid inviting criticism.

I get zero satisfaction from envy.  

Like souping-up Mercedes' AMG's in the past, no.  I would be thrown out or harrangued to death for reveling in such unecessary frivolity (better sound).  Many equiment improvements were called 'warranty exchanges', 'advantageous trades' or 'second-hand place holders.' Some pieces were just replaced without mention since they more or less looked the same to the uninitiated (i.e. same color, or unseen, like all cables).

If someone is sincere and shows interest in the hobby, I will tell them. Generally no though.

I do enjoy recounting how much it weighs though (1300 lbs).

I don’t drink or do drugs and never have…I tell myself that I’ve just put all that money I saved into audio. Yahhhh, that’s the ticket…