Though I never really purposely collected audio equipment, as I was teaching myself how to service audio electronics starting in 1974, as I acquired broken audio equipment, I would repair the better than what I owned in the way of a receiver that might be sold to me cheap, then swap out what I had for the better unit, and sell, or give away the lessor quality receiver as a economical path to improve my personal audio system.
I never actively pursued collecting audio gear, as at that time, being 19 yrs. old, I was living with my parents, and I was not going to load up their house with unused, and broken stereo gear, but figured better repairable audio equipment would eventually present themselves, as some did over time..
So the upgrading continued, even as I moved out to a small apartment 2 yrs later after becoming employed as a bench tech/mobile equipment installer in 1976.
And when desirable upgraded audio equipment became available, that I stumbled upon, whether broken, or just attractively priced, I still had to be selective, as to future needs, and limited storage space, especially when my girl friend moved in with her stuff that needed somewhere to go !
But, with her splitting the expenses, that helped me with upgrading my test equipment, which helped me perform quicker repairs, both at the shop I was working at, and any that I did on the side, on my little simple bench at the apartment.
With that increased income/lower overhead, I was able to take advantage of ever better used audio gear purchases that would come my way, for purposes of improving my existing stereo setup.
But I never was actively seeking out & purchasing any stereo equipment to "collect", even today with my financial means to do so.
But, that`s just me and my mentality, and I judge no one who wishes to fill up their house/apartment/storage unit, or all the above with all manner of functioning/broken audio equipment !!
Now, on the other hand I have a dining room filled with vintage guitars & tube bass/guitar amplifiers that I have slowly acquired since 1989 when I bought my house..
However these guitars/amps were offered to me at substantially lower then their market value, and the tube amplifiers had all been previously electronically restored by me, for the owners, and required no repair efforts by me, as they already footed the bill.
I never went seeking any of them, the owners just approached me, and then the deal was made.
This guitar amp collection is appraised every few years, as required by my home owner`s insurance rider, and the last appraisal valued it at $250,000.00 !!
Which is a substantially much, much higher amount than I paid for the items in it, so that "old stuff" can remain in my house`s dining room, and hopefully continue to increase their value, being no SWMBO here, to pester me about all "the junk" in "her" dining room..
Mercy Sakes Alive on all that noise !!