Has it all been worth it?

@retiredaudioguy, +1

At the end of a particularly powerful work by Salonen (who also conducted) at the CSO last month someone's phone went off during the extended decay of the last notes of the performance. You could see Salonen's head drop in disappointment because the moment was ruined for everybody in the auditorium. Turn off your ****** phone!!

I grew up wanting to get a job as soon as possible, getting a Marantz receiver in my room, getting an affordable car, and installing a nice car stereo.   Through the decades that has not changed much for me.   However, after a lot of research, once I decide on a home stereo system, I usually keep it for decades.   My journey has mostly been going from receivers, to amp/preamp separates, to tube amps/preamps.  It has been fun, but, hobby money has always been an issue for me, so, I almost always buy my equipment used.  I have also found that most people do not understand the logic for this hobby. 

I think it's "worth it".

I also think what you've been feeling is what I refer to as "Hobbyist Maturity"; that point where the enthusiast feels like what I have is good enough; I'm not seeing massive improvements in either quality or enjoyment anymore, like I did when I had lesser equipment - and the gains from upgrading were immediate, very noticeable, and very satisfying to see the results. Now I feel like I'm spending increasing amounts of time, effort and money... while getting decreasing amounts of pleasure out of the results...

Happens to most of us at some point. And there is a little bit of sadness / remorse because something that once brought excitement and pleasure no longer does. And you miss that. So you question the entire "metamorphosis" and wonder if where you are at the (perceived) end of the journey was worth all that effort.

I'd bet if you thought more about all the memories of chasing down some of those things that you thought were either unachievable or impossible to find and how it felt when you actually had it in your hands, the first time you hooked it up and the joy and anticipation you felt at that time, those times when you brought home a piece of (almost) junk and brought it back to life and the satisfaction of a job well done... you'll feel a little better about the whole ordeal. And always remember it's perfectly OK to enjoy what you have - and just enjoy the here and now...

@hjdca 

Logic? 

@carlso63 

Well put