How does one get off the merry-go-round?

You're suggesting a critical judgment of audiophiles but not of other hobbies. I doubt that's true. Obviously some audiophiles feel it's constructive and others see issues with it, such that they might frame it as being on a Merry-Go-Round. I'm sure the same is true for other hobbies, don't you think?

I've always believed that hobbies and how we engage in them are partly an outlet for, or an expression of, our neuroses: pursuit of perfection, defense of one's decisions as the best possible choice, etc etc. You see all sorts of patterns play out here constantly. I'm sure this is true for golf, racing...you name it.

My neurosis is all about creating a legacy. Since this thread I started almost 15 years ago is still going, I believe it's time to declare victory. Though I'm still not off the MGR. :-)

Drubin, I think you have earned a victory with this thread and it's quite possible others who have participated here must feel some sense of victory as well.

I can give an example of why I feel my above comment might hold some truth. A friend and myself go into a local HIFI shop. He spends only two hundred dollars on a used Hafler amp and I have spent a great deal more money on an another piece a gear. The owner tells him that he is very smart because there are not too many people that are sensible when it comes to spending on audio. Basically it was just another way of calling me stupid. I suppose there is some criticism on other hobbies but I'm not hearing it.

03-24-15: Drubin
My neurosis is all about creating a legacy. Since this thread I started almost 15 years ago is still going, I believe it's time to declare victory. Though I'm still not off the MGR. :-)

Drubin, I entered this thread the day after you started it. I don't know that it is about creating a legacy for me, more of an OCD thing I think.
I am also still on the MGR. ;^)

Phd, perhaps the reason you are more sensitive to audio related negative comments is because it hits closer to home for you. Also, you tend to be in that environment more, as stated in your example.
I'm sure those addicted to cars, boats, watches, etc., also get the same feelings about their hobby/spending, but they are in jewelry stores, boat shows, etc., and not in audio showrooms.

Thank goodness I never got off as the last four years have seen me achieve what I thought was impossible, namely realism.

Of course, your components have to have the potential in them, but it is other elements that have allowed the breakthrough. In the order of my getting them these have been: the Tripoint Troy, which I reviewed long ago, but the Troy Signature and especially with their Thor SE grounding cables; three generations of High Fidelity Cables and especially their power cords; both the Stillpoints Ultra series, and then the Star Sound Audio Points and their Apprentice platform; and the Zilplex room treatments.

While taken together these all represent about 55% of the cost of my system. But what they have done, I think, exceeds anything I could have done buying more expensive components.

I should also say, however, that the Koda K-10 preamp has contributed to this excellence.

Drubin, I got off the mgr by going VAC integrated and decoupling the word, "new," from "better," or magic." Usually, "new" is "a little different," and rarely better. It's true that integrateds tend to defuse the "weakest link" obsession, and with VAC I have a sense of a great musical instrument, and my upgrade path is to A/B what I have with the next VAC integrated. Of course I had to love the VAC sound as a prerequisite.

Another twist is to go "classic," and choose the items that have earned a consensus of "great," which also defuses the marketing hype of "new" that gets to feeling like Lucy and the football.

Or 12 step.

Sure, the merry-go-round goes in circles with no end. We need an "audiophile highway" with a destination.
How do you know you've gotten there when you don't know where you are going? HHhhhhmmmmmm;)

04-23-15: Cdc
Sure, the merry-go-round goes in circles with no end. We need an "audiophile highway" with a destination.

There is no destination, an audiophile never finds the end of the highway. It goes on until one loses interest in audio for other reasons (health, wealth, death). A true audiophile is never done experiementing, so the journey continues even when one finds sonic bliss, as the possibility of improving upon "amazing" to "more amazing" will always exist.
It is this assumption that drives the glossy rag business.

Isn't it a little crazy to go on a journey with no destination?

Experimenting and trying different things alone can be a destination just as can a particular desired sound.

Or you can have dual destinations/goals sometimes as well, especially if one runs more than one system, one for reference and one for experimentation.

All I know is that in the last five years, I have achieved more realism than I ever thought possible. But you are right as I'm about to try a new rack and will soon get a music server capable of play quad DSD.

I'm a dual system guy. One system gets locked in for reference. The other I get to play with to see what else might be possible. As time and money permits of course...

Mapman, I have come to the conclusion that I too, am a dual system person. My struggle between my love of tube gear and B&W speakers has caused my OCD to go into overdrive.

Just today, I bought a SS Plinius Hautago amp (200 watts) suitable for driving B&Ws properly and am now in a search for some tube friendly speakers for my PrimaLuna amp. My wife is so understanding of my sickness and knows that I will never get off the MGR.