HOW DID YOU END UP WITH YOUR DREAM SYSTEM?

Sold my late mother's house.

Incremental steps. Appreciating each piece, upgrading it, seeing the design limitations, and making my own air bearing turntable, tonearm, phono/pre, main amplifiers. I am now making my own ESL's, buying everything off-the-shelf that I can.

I thought that if Mr. Carter can make his own furniture in retirement, then I can make my own audio system. 

@terry9 Serious stuff! I saw your air-gapped caps. Any more info on your components?

Well, best components that money can buy. For example, I put a dozen of the best reviewed resistors in a selector switch, and put it in place of the gain resistor. Then chose the best - it was nude Vishay, VAR series, hands down. So every resistor in the signal path is VAR, and that includes the volume control, which made the vc a bit pricey - about 1K - but it's way better than what you find in quarter million pres - IMO.

Air bearings in three dimensions from New Way - they call them thrust bushings. Couldn't buy the platter I wanted, so it was machined from a 13" cylinder of cast iron. Platter mat is 1" of charcoal; 45kg including the record weight.

I just decide on the maximum I can afford, and build to that. It's always been enough to buy the best components, even if I have to make them myself, like the caps.

I'm retired, so it's only time.

Through many years of purchases and upgrades. I don’t think you are ever really done, you just reach a level of satisfaction with what you have and the list of upgrades and wants is much less.