Am I Getting Soft Here?

@ghdprentice I've never been here prior, this over period of thirty years of serious system building. I'm like you in that I've had various lengths of time where I thought system just right, those didn't last more than a few months and never did the word revelatory come to me. We'll see if this is indeed the end of upgrades, the long run will tell.

However it turns out, it is small incremental improvements over the long run that  got me here. Based on my observations, it appears vast majority build satisfying systems in like manner.

I  ran into individual  some years ago that had sudden urge to spend well over $100K on system. Based on equipment purchased it appeared he based those purchases on Stereophile equipment ratings. Individual wanted me to come over and give my endorsement for his system, knowing I was long time audiophile. I ended up not going, wasn't really interested in hearing high value system put together with no thought or knowledge of putting together sympathetic equipment in a cohesive manner. I believe its the small incremental improvements one makes that leads to best sound quality, and one needn't spend multiples of $100k to get there.

This is an odd hobby because price points are all over the place. When I go to the supermarket, I don’t see a half gallon of ice cream for $12.00 and then another one for $86.00. But look at tone arms for example. I have a lot of money in my stereo but the money isn’t evenly distributed. Some things that have made the most satisfying improvements were tweaks ranging from $800.00 to $175.00. A while back I helped a friend put together a Rega system with Monitor Audio speakers and it sounds great and he didn’t have to break the bank. The audio business just isn’t black and white. So I wouldn’t get caught up in what ‘could be’ unless you hope to carry out a vision. I believe that you’ll eventually want to upgrade or tweak something but don’t rob yourself of the present.

what..??

dude, really? not that good?

 in best umbshitday voice " cmon, man"

 that's a great system, unless that's what you wanted to hear to reinforce your audio decisions??

that's a great system, we go with what we can afford, and no matter the cost, "its all ours" 

people who like bright speakers, would not like my stereo, do we give a sack, what others think..??  nope not me. 

@goofyfoot 

  same here, most my somewhat higher dollar stuff is in amps, pre, cd, some semi above average Audioquest cables. some Belden ones which did drown out the radio tower 1 mile from my home.

@arcticdeth my highest priced piece is my amp, which is technically an integrated but with separate power supplies. Then my electrostatic speakers, then DAC, then phono amp. And while it seems illogical to put a stereo together this way, I have exactly what I had envisioned but it took some work. If I were consulted on to put another high dollar stereo together, I'd probably need about two or three months to figure things out. Save money in one place but invest it in another.