Growing up, my parents owned a small, indie record store in Denver back in the late 70s and early 80s. It's where I not only was exposed to my parents' taste in music that ran the gamut from the delta blues, R&B, soul, jazz, rock, zydeco, swamp pop, rockabilly, and classical but also allowed me to discover my musical taste for punk, ska, reggae, dub, early hip hop, new wave, industrial, Americana, early ambient and electronic music as well. My mid-fi setup has always been about the music and upgrading over time has been a way to enjoy my collection even more. Graduating from the early Montgomery Ward all-in-one stereo I had as a kid to the hand-me-down separates my father gave me was a gateway to finally hearing the music in a way that was just not possible via the radio.
Now I'm in my early 50s and there isn't a day that doesn't go by where I'm not listening to music. Whether it's casual background music or later at night after the kids are in bed and I can put my headphones on and enjoy a few hours of purposeful listening - revisiting old favorites or discovering new artists or new-to-me albums/artists I ignored in my early years. It's not about getting the absolute perfect sound, just the best sound for enjoying music.