Great thread!
I am by nature a competitive person. Always have been. However, in my primary hobbies I am more into being the best I can be. This goes for writing, woodworking, and my sound systems.
There are some really expensive set ups that I just do not enjoy. I lucked onto a pair of used Acoustat 1+1 speakers over thirty years ago. Love the sound. Maintain them well. My system is built around them.
I am very happy with my system.