What's your profession? Age?

I'm 49 yrs.old, used to work in Radio (disc jockey at Jazz and rock n' roll stations, and also a news producer at a news/talk radio station for about 10 years). Got tired of spinning my wheels in the dirt, making shit money, working shit hours. Quit the broadcasting industry in 1990, went to work for U.P.S. as a package car driver. Better health benefits, WAY better money, paid vacations, and a pension plan. Never regreted leaving radio/tv. Almost retired now.
Been into music, and had audio systems since I was 10 or 11 yrs. old. Very passionate about music. So is the lovely wife. Got systems in EVERY SINGLE ROOM of my house. Including my garage and backyard to. Got a kickass home theater set up too. My dedicated 2 channel high end system (which is in it's own dedicated listening room in another part of my house), is kickass too. Got somewhere in the range of $150,000 to $200,000 between the gear, and all the room treatments and customizations.

I am a 55 year old executive with a heavy equipment company, and my 2 channel system is worth around $40,000 retail not including home theatre. Thanks to the internet, and a trip to Taiwan, I paid much less.

Im 40 yrs old, IT manager. I used to work for a computers store when i was younger.

Physician, age 56. have a diploma in Studio Technology and Practice from the Institute of Audio Research. Have a few systems. Ah yes, the law of diminishing returns applies so well to audio.

First stereo was Rectilinear speakers, Sony integrated, Empire Troubador turntable back in 1973.

In the living room now -NHT-xd with Audible Illusions preamp and Opp. Computer room has NHT-VT3s, Rogue M150s, Cary preamp - direct line from the iMac into the preamp. Still have held on to #2 N.E.W. A 20 amps- still sound great.
Lots of stuff in storage.

Eugene81, with the exception of my Radio Shack electro-static tweeter speakers, which cost $180, I use Health or Dyna kits and a AR turntable with a Stanton cartridge after I moved from cities with good fm stations.
By your age, I had moved up to Rectilinear 3 speakers and Dyna ss gear. Yes, being able to get more expensive gear comes with age, but, of course, so does inflation. In the early '70s, I had Infinity ServoStatic 1s, ARC SP-3 and two ARC Dual 75A for a total investment of $4500. I was only making $19k per year, but had book royalties.