To truly enjoy this hobby, I need to learn electronics. Any book recs?

Forget about books aimed at audiophiles, like the one by Robert Harley; that’s not technical information, it’s hi-fi consumer advice.

I agree!

Mike

@rumblestrip I think part of the enjoyment is parsing the impact of different electronics and for me it is fun to understand how the different pieces work together. 

I don't want to be an engineer, but maybe I'll want to do own maintenance etc.

Thanks everyone for the great ideas!

I would signup for Paul McGowan's daily videos: https://www.psaudio.com/ask-paul/

@adambennette  is right. 'Art of Electronics' by Horowitz and Hill. Three editions plus a lab workbook were published. I have them all, and you can pry them from my cold dead eyes..

It was the first mainstream source to recognize that all components are not equal, and that their departures from ideal is what gives them their sound. And that was 40 years ago.

Accurate and accessible, takes you as far as anyone outside NASA needs to go.

To actually do anything, you will need some stuff called ’test equipment’. Can’t go wrong with pieces from Fluke, Hewlett / Packard (now Agilant), Tektronix. I prefer the old stuff, 30-50 years old. Better built, mostly repairable, great ’feel’ to the knobs.

Easier to use, too - unless you like scrolling through layers upon layers of windows and screens. And more accurate unless you spend a king’s ransom - but then, the old stuff cost a king’s ransom back in the day. My old Tek storage oscilloscope cost more than the big Mercedes when new.

You will need a power supply, multi-meter, oscilloscope, and signal generator, all lower bandwidth stuff since you’ll be doing audio. Low bandwidth is cheaper too. And a good soldering station (solder / desolder) is useful - don’t scrimp, get a good one. Best in my experience, which includes the better known brands, is JBC made in Barcelona, available from Accessotronic.

As for projects, consider the J.L Hood class A amplifier for Quad ESL’s. Very simple and pretty design, good and clean sound, easy to make and very easy to try out different types of components for their sound. Sanken transistors make them sing.

Welcome to DIY !!!