I completely rebuilt my main system… it is now completely musical and enthralling. I listen three hours a day and have to be dragged away each day.
Sounds like for you it was a change in attitude, for me it was a change in the sound of my system.
I lived through the exact same experience as you but with a low cost well embedded synergetical system..
I listen now as yourself music in ectasy and the negative aspects of sound are no more evident...
I can upgrade at a cost which will be 10 times the cost of my actual system ... I will not do it... It is unnecessary because i miss nothing so much as to feel a lack on any acoustic factors..
When you cannot stop listening the SOUND for the first time in your life this is a clear sign that all is synergetically well chosen and rightfully embedded.. ...
But the OP has a very important point : listening albums for their sound instead of their musical content and interpretation may be the starting point toward a dead end road, upgraditis ...
It is useless to upgrade BEFORE learning how to embed any system...
Articles about acoustics and electrical and mechanical embeddings are more valuable than any upgrade in general, except the necessary upgrade when there is no synergy...