@mahgister - you certainly seem to be one of the posters with the highest reported satisfaction from their system on the forum... not taken in by the industry hype of “best” gear.
It is simple why this is so...
With the same gear system i go from frustration to ecstasy, in a set of hundreds incremental steps each day for the last 2 years, improving my controls methods in mechanical, electrical and especially acoustical working embedding dimensions...I created a thread where i documented all my "silly" or wise experiments during 24 pages....
Then i know why and how my system transformed itself from night to day in clarity, imaging, soundstage, timbre perception. listener envelopment and source width and all other acoustical factors...
All that at almost NO cost....Then NO SYSTEM at any price can impress me even if it is a better one....Because my ratio S.Q./price is over the roof...And anyway the orchestra filled my room with each instruments distinctively perceived... Then .... There is many systems better than my 500 bucks system for sure but the price is very high compared to it....
Then my satisfaction is not a resignation nor a relative satisfaction....But truly an ecstasy because i create it myself....
My most powerful device is my "mechanical equalizer" inspired by Helmholtz workd and modern acoustical research... Cost: peanuts....
And i dont boast about the piece of gear i bought like many here, any piece of my gear is replaceable by another one of the same quality anyway, i dont sell costly "tweaks" and branded name electronic design, speakers,or dac or amplifier...All that is half deceptive and illusory, hiding the essential: acoustic....
I sell the idea of listening experiments and homemade devices ONLY and i want to motivate creativity, self confidence, and hearing learning and experiments....
Audiophile experience is more related to acoustic control than to dac, speakers or amplifiers, whatever their price or name...
Most people here dont know that and save for me nobody claim that simple truth clearly nowhere on any thread i know of...
Then people chase their tail or worst they chase the moon....And they par the price in money and deception...
The only two things that are asked for is a dedicated room and time for experimenting....
My best to you....