How does one get off the merry-go-round?

about 4 years ago i found myself happy with my system, top grade components, musical sound (tubes), and i found that tweaks and other things that were hyped in the mags (rags) did nothing to make my system sound better. so i cancelled my subscriptions to all of the magazines and concentrated my time and money on records, cd's etc. with the money saved i was able to assemble a large collection which i played regularily. then i bought a computer and i discovered this and other audiophile links. i also bought one issue of each magazine. guess what, nothing has changed! same reviews, same bs regarding whose equipment is best, biggest, etc. much of what i see on these sites can be helpful, if you are having problems, but comments re tweaks and equipment testimonials have to be taken with at least 2 grains of salt. the key to getting off the equipment merry-go-round is to become goal oriented re exactly what you are trying to do and when you reach that goal, listen to music.

Since I last posted in Oct 2001, I've went thru a whole lot of audiophile stuff, but I'm NOT an audioholic! Actually I'm probably in denial, though the last component I bought was 19 months ago and I've dropped my subscription to audiophile rag's, and I'm no longer reading internet audio rag's either.

I've started a subscription to a new classical music magazine, and am thinking of a few others music magazines as well. Bought lots of CD's lately. Think I've overcome, at last, any interest in going to SACD's & players. Now if I could just convince myself that I couldn't get a better result with a new amp (the sound of which I'm having a hard time describing) I would stop coming here to check the Ads and my withdrawal would be about complete.

I'm not an audiophile, I'm not and audiophile, I'm not an audiophile!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pray for me. :-)

Shadrone, Unless GAS is an acronym for something, the only GAS I see which keeps folks going round and round originates with manufacturers, reviewers, salesmen, and a few (too many) proud owners of something they bought. The latter can be forgiven though. The former are on the treadmill making the merry-go-round go round! They like to keep it going as fast as possible so ones fears injury if they try to get off. :-)