HiFi satisfaction and/ or Musical enjoyment

@immatthewj it’s always funny when someone writes and very ’tough" post and then disappears. This forum is therapy for some. (My doctor specifically warned me about the negative effects though)

Oh my goodness! What are the negative side effects or adverse reactions associated with this form of therapy, @grislybutter ? I had never considered that aspect. The post actually reminded me of a previous member who I believe was banned but occasionally stops by under an assumed screen name and drops a ninja-post and leaves. I could be wrong about that, but that is who it made me think of.

Sounds more to me like you put together a poor sounding main audio system like many people do and you are now in lament. 

I didn’t do that. I have years changing equipment with the goals of removing edginess, graininess, sibilance,  harshness so I have a detailed relaxing wall-to-wall sound and spend most of my music listen time in front of my main system. 
 

When I hearing an intriguing new melody I can’t wait to hear it on my main system. 

glad you found your nirvana by backing out but I believe your journey was flawed to begin and end with. 

Sounds more to me like you put together a poor sounding main audio system like many people do and you are now in lament.

OP has never described his "main system," but how bad could it have been, considering that he claims it cost 25 times more than the combined price of "a used Pathos integrated, BS Node and Forte IV" (meaning that OP’s "main system" would have been a $200+k system)?

Seriously, @xp200dr, I find your behavior puzzling, and you might want to consider consulting a psychologist, preferably one who understands music and audio gear—though maybe not immediately. The price points of the two systems are so drastically different that it’s hard to find any justification for your bizarre behavior. 

I found myself listening much more to my 2nd system and nowhere near as much in my dedicated treated room with a reference level system costing >25x the price of my downstairs system

Nope, if the reference level system is not working for you, you need to spend MORE money, not less.

Hasn’t reading 25 years of Stereophile taught you anything?

OP's listed location is in a major flood zone of Helena.

DeKay

     If my system doesn't take me back, from the here an now (listening room), back to the there and then (musical event)*, with my recordings; I don't feel it's doing it's job.

       *provide a reasonably believable simulacrum of the recording space (ambience), SPLs, instrument sizes/voices, vocals and their locations in that space.

      If it does accomplish that: I'm assured of it's ability to faithfully reproduce whatever my prerecorded media contains (good or bad).   

                            The objective is ALWAYS my enjoyment of the music.

      Whether running a system for an event, recording it or listening to one at home; I've never been able to enjoy music, unless it's well conveyed (good equipment, well set up and adjusted).     

       Far as the music: I've enjoyed hearing my kids and grandkids, as they've (haltingly) practiced their very first instruments, every bit as much as any Pros I've heard in concert (lost count of those).

                                                  (different strokes...)      

@xp200dr - congratulations on reaching a satisfactory system and getting off the upgrade bus.  For myself, I like variety to keep from getting tired of my system - tube, SS, various carts, full range and flea watt systems.

+1 @dekay I am with you on your responses.

Also @sudnh is right on money:

Sounds more to me like you put together a poor sounding main audio system like many people do and you are now in lament. 

If anything I have found that the better your system is able to bring out the "liveliness" or make your music "more alive", the more you enjoy your music and start exploring genres that I found boring before. If the OP put together a system that probably sounds analytical or "not interesting enough", then let's they probably learned a valuable lesson to not spend money just because they have them. I have to guess that the second system costs close to $4k (used?). and 25X of that....strange!

But also one more point I note is the "open floor". Music often "blooms" in such space and it is beautiful. Not sure about OP's down stair room. So if the OP would have hauled his "primary system" into the "open space" and then decided before selling, then that would have made sense. Hope they did that. But like @dekay , I am not sold on this post.