With over fifty years of putting together hi and lo-fi audio recording playback systems I’ve enjoyed two distinct endeavors of this crazy hobby. The first is the research and deal making that comes with finding the proper equipment for my needs. In college it was all about getting the best speakers and a good stereo or quad receiver to drive them with. Four track recordings were a huge thing back back In the seventies where everyone had a turntable, and decent reel to reel tape deck recorders were plentiful and not that expensive. The artists and their music were far more important than the gear that played the music.
Now it seems to me that the acquisition of higher and higher end gear has defined the landscape of what used to be music enjoyment for its own sake. Yes sound quality is very important in its own right. But I can enjoy good music listening through a crappy car radio or in a dedicated listening room or home theatre.