Quick System Building Pop Quiz:

@ghdprentice , thanks for your response.

I do notice you list multiple systems? Is it correct to speculate that one system alone, no matter how good, can do it all for you?

Personally, that is how I tend to think about it. I have many different ways of listening via multiple systems, different rooms, different headphones, etc., each very enjoyable in unique ways and with different levels of financial investment, that makes it more challenging to state definitively which is the "best", and I also find I learn a lot that helps me with all when I do not put all my eggs in a single basket, per-se.

For a few decades focus was on improving main system, though did play with  fun vintage systems (when vintage gear was quite reasonably priced). A surgery made clear I needed a better bedroom system and remote operation.  Since then, I have had a great time mixing up secondary system combinations and new types of gear.

I’d go for option 2.  I’m happy with my main system right now and I’d love to try some different gear.  I’d really like to try tubes and some horn loaded speakers or some other high efficiency speaker.

For me it's 1 simply because I only have the space for 1 system. I'd love to have a 2nd system to tinker with. I own two streamers, two Dacs and two amps at the moment so I am most of the way there but no place to put it!

@jond the good news is in cases like yours there are lots of very fine and affordable options out there to explore with headphones, earbuds, portable DACs and amps, etc.