The question on whether you have reached your endpoint has been asked and the observation that the hobby is an addictive journey of continual improvement without satisfaction has been stated in this forum many times using different words and phrases to mean the same. I have responded in general the same way each time. Yes, I have reached my endpoint. No, I do not believe I have been subject to the addiction of the desire for continual improvement. Over the past four years I undertook a project to update my complete system for retirement. The length of time was dictated by budgeting the spend. The system that was updated was a 1997 vintage system where I only updated the digital front end twice due to technology changes. I attribute my long term satisfaction with my systems to how I approach system upgrades. As a retired medical device regulatory affairs, quality assurance, and quality engineering executive, I view everything as a process. In approaching upgrades, I set a goal for the improvement in sound quality I wish to make using my perception of live acoustic music I developed from attending concerts. I then research trade journals to identify equipment that potentially will meet the goal. I then audition the equipment to validate the goal is reached. The process of setting goals and achieving those goals helps lead to long term satisfaction. This process is consistent with the psychology of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Two of the many causes of dissatisfaction are rumination, and hedonic adaptation. Rumination is the passive comparison of one’s current situation with some unachieved standard which can manifest in self-critical thoughts … there must be something better; fear of missing out (FOMO); I need the next best thing. Hedonistic adaptation is the the tendency to quickly return to a baseline level of satisfaction. The joy after making an upgrade fades and you return to dissatisfaction. By setting well defined goals for improvement and achieving those goals, I have not been subject to rumination and hedonistic adaptation. I am lucky that I feel I have established a system that is natural, and true to the music, that lets me focus on the musical composition and performance, not the system. I recommend developing your impression of how recorded music should sound by listening to as many live acoustic performances that you can and then approaching improvements by setting goals that will get you closer to the real thing.
Have you reached your end point with this addictive hobby?
I wonder if out there somewhere there’s a support group called Audiophile Anonymous 😂 that addresses Audiophiles constant need for perfection. For my self I would probably benefit from a couple of these group sessions. Putting humor aside there’s some truth to this hobby being addictive and at some point there has to be an end point where you are there and the need to upgrade serves no useful purpose. I can’t say I’m 100% there yet, but something inside me tells me I’m getting close to hitting rock bottom and when I do maybe I’ll see the light, or maybe not 😂!