Not impressed

Go vintage....I have spent a ton of money climbing the HiFi ladder but at the end of the day I have always preferred my vintage system. Sure it has its shortcomings but you won't be out a ton of money chasing the dragon .

Part of how I earn my keep is in branding and user marketing. Part of how audio is marketed is to incentivize the aficionado segment to "Chase the New." For example, the auto industry wants "Car Guys" to change their rides about every 4 years.

Audio is not much different. The Mid-Fi and High-End shops, whether online or brick-and-mortar, thrive via repeat business.

At the end of the day, the astute consumer needs to decide at what point a hobby is about acquisitiveness vs usage. It's not uncommon for an avid guitar collector to have 10+ guitars, even though you can only play one at a time (with a second in the wings when your D-String breaks :-) ). Many people find happiness owning things they never use. Go to www.timezone.com if you want to witness acquisitiveness taken to extreme levels. Personally, it's not my cup of tea, but if you can afford to play and it brings you happiness, who am I to judge?

Likewise, many enjoy "the hunt" more than the capture. If you are in this camp, then you might need to decide at some point whether you have reached a degree of critical mass. That, or you transition into to realm of "Hoarder."

I also like the suggestions from Elizabeth and Dopogue, and am eager to see if getting a horse and then putting it on a boat catches on.

.
Someone here many years ago made a quote about this hobby that was so profound.

He said: "We're all as crazy as we can afford to be."

So, If you've reached your spending threshold, do your homework and get the best equipment within your budget and be done with it. Audiogon is an excellent resource for buying pre-owned stuff. It's almost tantamount to a free trial if you buy intelligently.
.

While the pursuit of audio (musical) satisfaction certainly has its ups and downs, putting together the right system for yourself can be done, and without spending insane amounts of hard-earned cash.

A system consisting of some vintage, and some newer gear, can be inordinately musical and satisfying. If you throw in the towel, you'll never experience the blessing of enjoying music as you would like to have it, in your home on a daily basis.

Many of us have found high-sensitivity speakers/low power SET amps to be just what we were looking for all along. You don't state what you have at this time that is distressing you, but try listening to such a system, and see if you might find what you've been missing.

Another thing worth mentioning, is on this forum, there is a wealth of knowledge possesed among its members, along with the usual dose of crackpots you'll find on any forum.

Point being, members have helped immensely in finding the right set up for me. Avail yourself to this treasure trove, many knowledgeable members enjoy helping those of us that just don't know as much as they would like.

Good luck, sounds like you could use some about now.
Dan

Sell it all, and put the ipod on the horse and use the money for gas for the boat and travel a lot.

Hmmmm? And I have a boat with no music on it. Maybe I should get a horse too!