Do Audio Hobbyists Commonly Fail to Fully Utilize Their Systems?

I assembled my most recent system, a tube preamp with SS amp, incorporating all-analog dual-mono Class A amplification, with an eye (ear) toward reproducing the midrange but not at the expense of the rest of the spectrum. When I felt I had the components right, I then worked to maximize their performance and applied tweaks that would be appropriate for any system, including room treatment, mechanical and electrical isolation, cables, speaker footers, speaker/listener position, linear power suppliers, dedicated electrical circuits, power conditioning, etc. I believe some folks miss out on significant music enhancements by ignoring these modifications, many of which are not necessarily expensive nor aesthetically challenging.

While at times I am wowed by the imaging, bass, coherence etc., I more often find myself just getting lost in the music. Is my system optimized? I don't know if I have achieved the best my system has to offer, but I am trying and it has been great fun, both building and listening, which is what this hobby is all about.

Yep.

My not using well thought out room treatments is not getting the best out of their rig. I had just a few treatments since I got back into the hobby, then added a few....and the results were embarrassing, this was a new level of SQ.

I tore out much of my system, and am building a proper listening room with room treatments from a clean slate.....costs of course are much more than I initially counted on, so on hold right now.

Yes due to inadequate speaker set up and room treatment 

@vthokie83 If you are building from scratch, you might want to specify good room dimensions. The research has been done, by the famous acoustician Cox. He found that about 2% or so of rooms are good, about a quarter are OK, and most were bad (published work on the basis of a large computer similation). Snake oil is out there - but so is the science. As Cox shows, inches count. Look it up.

I did it, and am I glad.