For me, it begins and ends with music. I've always enjoyed quality sound because I love the beautiful, rich tones of instruments, voices, and that intangible magic. Some people just like to hear their favorite songs, some people like to savor it to very deep levels. It's why I invested in the best gear I could afford. If I had more extra money I'd quite probably upgrade but I don't so I love what I own.
Now, there's nothing wrong with being a tinkerer, gearhead, tweaker, etc. As others have stated, you should be enjoying what you do, whatever it is. If you are worrying, stressing, or unhappy you need to rethink things.