I bought my hi-fi because I'd tried several fairly expensive new systems and found something lacking. I got to the point of frustration with Arcam CD73/A70, Cambridge 740C/740A, and Denon DCD1500AE/PMA1500 and needed to cut loose.
The CD player and amplifier I bought second hand because of their reputation for getting on with making music, and the speakers I bought a long time ago but, for some reason, had kept hold of them. Together they are brilliantly musical and beat everything else I've had here hands down.