HOW DID YOU END UP WITH YOUR DREAM SYSTEM?

Do any of us really have the end game dream system? At least for me, it's an endless upgrade. Every tweak leads to yet another tweak, or new part. Feel like our systems are just a moment in time, are always evolving. 

My system started very modestly, mostly at the time interested in the overall look to fit the room. After a couple months, sound became much more important, the deep dive started with searching for the next best piece, and so on and so on. 

My system today, will not be the same system next year. But very happy with my current system, but always looking for "more".

calvinj

I finally decided I wanted to listen more to my music, and it GREATLY helps with my mental health (I'm bi-polar)....along with the proper medication, meditation, etc. My wife consented to giving me the living room for a listening room.

I had been out of touch with audio for about a decade, I joined several forums, found members that have similar tastes I do, and read silently for about a year. I found a handful of reviewers I liked (and their reviews matched my taste), and followed their reviews. I talked to as many of my music loving and/or audiophile friends as I could, and listened to their systems. We ended up with an informal private audiophile group of some music lovers, and 5 years later it now has around 20ish people.....and it is great because a good number have or were/are purchasing "aspirational" systems

I didn't buy anything until I researched it thoroughly and listened to as many of my options as possible.

My existing gear at that time: Tubes4hifi VTA ST-120 KT120 tube amp, Thiel CS 2.3 speakers, and a Denon C-7030 CD player. I had crap for cables all the way around except for some OG Vampire Wire speaker cables

My purchases have mostly been direct to consumer brands (Denafrips DAC, DDC, preamp, and amp (the amp and preamp are since sold) Buchardt Audio speakers, Clayton Shaw speakers, Aric Audio amp and preamp, Anti-Cables-Morrow Audio-Zavfino-Veritas-etc cables. I bought a CODA S5.5 from Audio Archon dealer this year.

The Buchardt S400 KI and Clayton Shaw Caladan speakers, Aric Audio Motherldoe XL pre and Transcend "Push Pull" EL34 amp, CODA S5.5, Denafrips Pontus II DAC and Iris DDC have all been home runs and ridiculous values for their purchase price.

No, I am nowhere near at my end game system. In 2025 I will finish my dedicated listening room in my basement. I will (money dependent) upgrade the Pontus II DAC, add a very high end streamer, and add another pair of speakers. I will also be building a LOT of DIY cables that I've bought parts for over the last 18 months.

Golf and my audio system, make me very happy.....have a few years left until retirement

A life of crime.

incorrigable Sold my late mother’s house.

Oh no! I was close to it too. Then I rethink "is anyone really achieved what I want?" I concluded that I can’t be there whatever I do because no one ever was there in audio history.

It was a good decision that I gave up. I have the world’s best sound audio system now. As I concluded that no one was there was correct? Why? Because every things are wrong in audio from start (recordings) to end (reproduction=speaker). I say this because I only know answers. This is like the one-eyed man in the country of the blind. I’m just a frontier. Nothing more.

Below (recording & reproduction) is the best in audio for now.

Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9couuLwOYLs

Reproduction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ru4D-mOMdo

There are few recording studios are recording with my microphones to make right recording now. This is a start to make recording right. And the right reproduction will follow. It will take few years to take off, but it will happen because as recording studio staffs said that’s no match between natural and Hi-Fi sounds. I’ll say I don’t know how fast the world’ll change if you know what I mean. Alex/Wavetouch audio