Hiatus

The processes then undertaken to achieve the desired result in this fair endeavor often cause one to be inordinately concerned with minutiae instead of enjoying music (for many, the point of the whole shabang).

Myself too i lived through the same angry frustration and i hated it because it impeded my music enjoyment..

And all my upgrade trials were frustrations because it was never perfect at all...

All changed when with time after my retirement i go head on in acoustics reading , because i was lucky enough to have a room for my system and only for that...

Two years of acoustics experiments became so fun and surprising , it was as if i was able to upgrade my system sometimes each day sometimes each week for 2 years... my hobby was acoustics and other embeddings controls method and tweaks ...

I learned the basic and now i am no more interested in audio gear upgrade but only in listening music... I know how to embed an audio system at any price... And because i reach a minimal satisfaction threshold with this knowledge i enjoy music without frustration at all for the first time in my life... I was an audio ignorant , i am no more so ignorant... Now only music matter through my headphones or through my speakers.. I came here for friends and discussing music and  acoustic in a general sense... I am very interested by philosophy of perception through acoustics..

it is the first time in my life i had not one but two systems well embedded...

For casual listening without end on speakers or sacred listening  i am on headphone...

Music experience fill the space and the sound defects and upgrading  audio gear choices are no more in my sight choices...

The only difference with me with  my low cost systems compared to obsessed people is synergy between components and good mechanical,electrical and acoustical embeddings...

When sound manifest at his optimal through a system/room it disapear into music experience...

I completely rebuilt my main system… it is now completely musical and enthralling. I listen three hours a day and have to be dragged away each day.

 

Sounds like for you it was a change in attitude, for me it was a change in the sound of my system.

I lived through the exact same experience as you but with a low cost well embedded synergetical system..

I listen now as yourself  music in ectasy and the negative aspects of sound are no more evident...

I can upgrade at a cost which will be 10 times the cost of my actual system ... I will not do it... It is unnecessary because i miss nothing so much as to feel a lack on any acoustic factors..

When you cannot stop listening the SOUND for the first time in your life this is a clear sign that all is synergetically well chosen and rightfully embedded.. ...

But the OP has a very important point : listening albums for their sound instead of their musical content and interpretation may be the starting point toward a dead end road, upgraditis ...

It is useless to upgrade BEFORE learning how to embed any system...

Articles about acoustics and electrical and mechanical embeddings are more valuable than any upgrade in general, except the necessary upgrade when there is no synergy...