What do you say to your audiophile friends who say you just listen to your equipment more

@mahler123"Great sound enhances the appreciation of great music.  The gear is a means to an end, not an end in itself."

Well said!!!

Many years ago... I just listened to the music.  Then I discovered what potential was out there, and fell into the rabbit hole.

I'm climbing back out now... with exception of a few minor tweaks yet needed... and am back to listening mostly to the music instead of the equipment.  The plus of that is... I have regained my sanity.

My only major complaint left is... sometimes when I'm busy around the house, I like to go old school and listen to FM broadcasts. The SQ of most stations suck nowadays... with their highly compressed and over processed mp3s.  I truely miss the old fashioned analog broadcasting methods.  Seems anybody with a playlist and a microphone can be a radio DJ these days.

@jndean 

I reflect your sentiments... except for retirement. But I am looking forward to that.

A number of years back... a few of my friends and I used to get together for "card night" once a week.

We would rotate houses... and when it came to my turn to host... the others would start looking through my vinyl collection and making requests.

They would even wait patiently as I flipped or swapped a record... enjoying the system not just for the music... but for how good it sounded. No one ever tired of it.

Sometimes music is enjoyed more... and sounds better... when shared in good company. It removes the critiquing and analytical equipment listening one tends to do when alone.