Given the wealth of commercially available equipment, I think a lot of folks who spend time and money on this hobby take pride in the system they assemble even if it is simply the choice of a combination of commercially available pieces. I think the OP may be alluding to the endless quest for improvement in the sound reproduction quality of a system which is different than using the system as a medium through which you are enjoying music.
I suppose one could say that the DIY and early hi-fi from raw parts is a little more "active" than merely writing the check and clicking a remote control or whatever, to access and play particular music.
Whether some aspect of creativity is self-destructive (or at least makes for misery) is a much bigger issue than just hi-fi, which, in a sense, is an electronics a/v geek pursuit in many ways, combined (hopefully) with a love of music. Think of all the other fields of human inventiveness that took their toll on those who could not sleep at night in pursuit of answers; I’m not sure how much modern hi-fi reflects real inventiveness- maybe some pieces do, but that’s a different subject.
I suppose one could say that the DIY and early hi-fi from raw parts is a little more "active" than merely writing the check and clicking a remote control or whatever, to access and play particular music.
Whether some aspect of creativity is self-destructive (or at least makes for misery) is a much bigger issue than just hi-fi, which, in a sense, is an electronics a/v geek pursuit in many ways, combined (hopefully) with a love of music. Think of all the other fields of human inventiveness that took their toll on those who could not sleep at night in pursuit of answers; I’m not sure how much modern hi-fi reflects real inventiveness- maybe some pieces do, but that’s a different subject.