Reviews in audio magazines including Audio, Stereophile, Stereo Review, etc., helped me a lot when I started to put together my system many years ago Also hours of listening with an audiophile friend of mine in his system gave me clues what I need to buy, what fits my budget, and options for future upgrades. I am very thankful to my audiophile friend for guiding me, and high-end stores in Colorado (Listen Up, Soundings, SoundTrack, etc) letting me take components home for audition.
Reading helped me to navigate in the Hi-Fi World where there are many different ways to reach your goals. Without reading reviews, you don't know what is out there regardless of whether you can afford or not. Reviews also sharpened my critical listening capabilities which is the ultimate test where you can decide whether a particular component meets your expectations or not. Finally, a thank you note to fellow hobbyists that I got to know in forums such as this one. They have all contributed helping me to get where I am today.