My journey has been 31 years and counting. It all started in 86 when I heard my first proper separates system (Rega 3, A&R A60, Warfedale diamonds) at a neighbours. Bought my own rig in early 87 (Manticore Mantra, Rotel 820, Celestion DL6) changed to a Cambridge C50/A50 pre power a couple of years later, THEN added a Technics CDP in 95 and changed speakers to KEF Cresta 3s in 01. Nothing changed for the next 15 years, then I got an inheritance so decided to head back down the rabbit hole.
This saw me spending 3 months buying various items to throw together using my mid 80s knowledge of what was supposedly the dogs danglies. I then made the mistake of holding a bake off as I thought I had a shit hot system (OL deck & arm, Hana SL, IA PS1.2SE & LA4 PRE, 4x Tag Maclaren 125Ms & B&W 683 S2s) oh dear, how wrong I was.
However 18 months and several thousand pounds later, with only the deck/arm/cart, CDP & DAC still in the system from that 1st bake-off in late 2016 I am damn close to where I want to be. I could happily live with what I have and the sound it produces, for the next twenty or so years.
So YES, my hifi journey should be over, but in reality I know I will end up investigating better carts & TTs and make said purchases at some point in the future.