What do/did you do for a living?

Ex Audiostore owner ,partially retired .having over 40 years in Audio rule of thumb 25% at most goes into most products the rest R&D overhead and dealer markup.Most people donot realize this this, cables up to a 10 x markup in some cases.This  is why Everything I purchase from Loudspeakers-Xovers to electronics I mod or have modded for only the $$ products use premium parts most Use dependable average grade . This is how Dan Modwright  got so popular and have consulting designers to assist in the mod design.
by modding you improve upon it 2-3x  it’s cost -performance 
that’s why A good Quality used product then modded can reap 
Great sonics benefits per $$ spent. Many are not aware. And tweak refinement do count Also.

They sell there blood !

Broke failure as an artist; paycheck to paycheck and miserable working for city govt; pretty content now as a moderately successful attorney. I always cared a lot about good sound, but never connected it with gear until I Bought a Luxman receiver 20 years ago off craigslist because I loved its looks and, working for city govt, was utterly miserable and desperate for distraction. That Luxman was my gateway drug and I’ve been hooked since. Built a really good system with very little money obsessively buying off craigslist, selling on eBay. Now, I’ve got a pretty great system, though my apartment is a disaster sonically. Much cheaper systems sound better in larger, more open spaces. I’m working to buy a larger home in great part to be able to set my system up right. I love this hobby!

Professional artist (painting) and Professor of the Arts at a liberal arts college. Took my first check from the sale of a painting in NYC along w/ my first pay check from the school where I was a newly minted Professor  (Miami University,Ohio) and spent it all on a system. Some number of decades later I am still at it. Dear god: My 2 channel system right now would cost $160K to replace if the house burned down. I need counseling. No actually it brings so much to my life I can not imagine living w/o it! Cheers all ! What great hobby.

I am a retired MD. I have an Oppo bdp205, nad t778, mark levinson 585 (2nd hand), psb imagine t2 speakers, psb center, sides , back speakers, and a sony 65" tele. Frankly, it works just fine....musical, good imaging...not a sonic halogram but a very decent sound experience.