How does one get off the merry-go-round?

As a child, I listened to high-end audio in its infancy through my father's system (McIntosh, Marantz, JBL, Akai, you know the stuff). Later, I went to university and played music professionally. My system was the worst, cheapest junk imaginable: a $50 SS Onkyo integrated, a no-name 3 way speaker system with screws as binding posts, the cheapest direct-drive Technics TT with a screetchy AudioTechnica needle. The sound was terrible, but it did not matter. I was more interested in the music. I invested in instruments and records. This went on for about 15 years. Now, I maintain 3 stereo systems and have 8 upgrades under my belt in the last 4 weeks. Everyday, when I come home, even before I say hello to my wife, I immediately fire up the SET monoblocks for warm up. Then I listen for 2 to 3 hours, reading an audio magazine. Then I might move the speakers or clean records or adjust a cable for awhile. Then I will check what is happening on audiogon for another 1 or 2 hours. Then I go to bed and turn on a bedside headphone/CD system that I listen to before I fall asleep. The sum result is that I practice my musical instrument less and less and listen to other musicians more and more. Edifying conclusion: good musicians need bad stereos; high-end audio is the song of the sirens.

g13: most excellent post. i don't envy your staring law school soon. i graduated law school (univ. of iowa) just over 32 years ago. it was the most unpleasant 3 years i ever lived. i might have been voluntarily committed were it not for my music and my friends in the art and writing community. rest assured, if you do well and start makin' the big bucks, you'll jump back on the merry-go-round with a whole fistful of tickets, reaching for all you're worth for the big brass ring. -kelly

Gthirteen, I'm not laughing at all. You definitely killed whatever buzz I had workin. Damn, that's hard, I only have two or three more upgrades to go before I get to the promised land. Now what?

Hey Drubin, you talking to me? I took a 7 year break, does that qualify? I was hardcore from the late 80's to the early 90's ( Krell, Coda, Audio Research, EAD, Proceed, etc.) I found myself so wrapped up in family, that I had no time to listen. I have 3 boys who like sports, I got started coaching and had no time for listening. I found the only thing that 'cured' me was downgrading. I mean nothing real drastic, Parasound and McCormack, nice stuff by many standards. I lived happily for 7 years with the same gear, imagine that. I didn't listen much, to be honest, once a month if I was lucky. As the boys got older and I got more time, early in 2001 I got back into it. I've been ecstatic! It's wonderful to be back! I'm back up to Proceed and Classe and such stuff, damn I feel like I can breath again. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the family time, but it's great to get back to a hobby that you REALLY enjoy. The music just moves me like never before. When you leave the field for 7 years, you'd be surprised how much technology can develop. Oh well, my advice would be, if you're burnt out,take a break. This great stuff will be here when you return. Enjoy the music.

G13!, great to see you again Joe! My take on this is that this hobby should have some sort of direction. It should have a destination. Once that destination is reached, there is not that much more future buying needed. Maybe a big step up as a result of having a lot more money than you did 5 or 10 years ago. Maybe a new player when a new format takes hold. A cable here, a cable there. Maybe a used piece of equipment for sentimental reasons. Something built or modified because it is both fun and educational. Not the kind of turnover that would make a fast food restaurant blush. The most important investment one can make is in themselves. More important than ANY piece of equipment one will EVER buy. First, get to know everything about your tastes, and what you want out of this hobby. What kind of music and sound you like, what kind of room you will listening in, and your budget. You will then be able to seek out and buy(after a thorough audition) the kind of equipment that will provide you with LASTING(!!!) enjoyment of your music. Ask yourself, what is the purpose of me being an audiophile? Is it to be music lover or a gear lover? That will probably answer more questions, and be the best fortune teller there is in this whole hobby. If you are a gear lover, and find the music secondary(we KNOW audio has WAYYYYYYY more of these people than admit to it), read this next sentence very carefully(read it again if needed). YOU WILL NEVER GET OFF THE MERRY-GO-ROUND!!! There it is. Straight, no chaser. Face facts. These people are always tweaking, modifying, upgrading, changing. Saying that they are getting more enjoyment out of their system today than ever before, but appearing as crazy as a loon. The only difference between them and a madman is that they are not mad.