Why I and or We have the continual need to upgrade.

[zepplongfellow]

So here I am listening to Dave Matthew's Band Crash Cd and it sound really awesome. But for what ever reason I want to upgrade my not even year old Athena .5 Speakers. I really don't know why the sound perfect to my ears especially with the addition of room treatments But I really want to upgrade the front pair to B&W 600 bookshelf speaker. I auditioned these yesterday and I they sound 20 to 30% better than my current set-up. But a $350 a pair I can only only upgrade the front two and maybe buy a used center from e-bay or audiogon at about $275 but I don't know if I need a new center until I hear how the new one's match my current center. Also I don't know if I need this upgrade or I just want the title of B&W speaker owner. I have wanted B&W's since the 80's my cousin had some powered with a tube amp and reel to reel for music.
So I would like to hear from you all and do you have this ever wanting to upgrade or just enjoy what you already have.

[Iguana Man]

Upgrade-itous is a disease that can be cured my friend.

The cure is acquired in a number of ways, but recent reports suggest this as the most effective: Stare into your empty wallet 3 times a day for a week.



You got me looking thru Audiogon and low and behold, I found these for $350/pair.

Unless you live in or near California, I suppose it wouldn't be worth it, but I can personally attest that these speakers sound wonderful. I also don't know if you even have the room for them after looking at your pics, but felt the urge to help further your 'disease'.

[interfxrence]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

Upgrade-itous is a disease that can be cured my friend.

The cure is acquired in a number of ways, but recent reports suggest this as the most effective: Stare into your empty wallet 3 times a day for a week.

not to sound like an elitest prick, but i think the best cure is to stop buying disposable gear (yes, i know there's someone out there with better gear and consider mine disposable too — and to you, f#ck you!). when you realize your setup is cost more than your friends new car, you'll come to your senses...

[plissken99]

My recommendation if you upgrade. Go out and compare, compare compare. Decide what the best is and save for that(within reason, we're not talking 20k for a pair of fronts), start a little fund or whatever while you live with what you have. Because if you just move up a level or two, when you know there's better sounding gear out there, you'll feel like upgrading in a few days again.

Remember a truely awesome set of speakers will last you a very long time before the need upgrade(baring the roll out of 10.1-16.1).

[chlngr1970]

Originally Posted by plissken99

My recommendation if you upgrade. Go out and compare, compare compare. Decide what the best is and save for that(within reason, we're not talking 20k for a pair of fronts), start a little fund or whatever while you live with what you have. Because if you just move up a level or two, when you know there's better sounding gear out there, you'll feel like upgrading in a few days again.

Remember a truely awesome set of speakers will last you a very long time before the need upgrade(baring the roll out of 10.1-16.1).

The problem with that, snake ( and it IS a good suggestion ) is that there will always be something better. It's the same argument when you look at something and think, something better is coming out next week, or next month...

Upgrade-itous is a disease that we HT enthusiusts must temper with will power, and understanding. This is MUCH easier of you have a low WAF...

just saying

j

[plissken99]

Originally Posted by chlngr1970

The problem with that, snake ( and it IS a good suggestion ) is that there will always be something better. It's the same argument when you look at something and think, something better is coming out next week, or next month...

Upgrade-itous is a disease that we HT enthusiusts must temper with will power, and understanding. This is MUCH easier of you have a low WAF...

just saying

j

I suppose it all depends on the individual. I for example was going to get slightly lower end Klipsch speakers, but basically I said to myself if I save a few months more the extra $1,500 I could get the top of the line reference Klipsch speakers. I ended up spending about $3500 on the speakers(5.0 anyway), and i felt that was reasonable and they sound amazing. Sure for 2k more I could have gotten the frickin corner horns as my mains, and drop the need for a subwoofer.

I guess basically it boils down to: Look at what you can afford immediatly and near immediatly, and compare that to what you could afford with a couple months of saving. Get that, and you'll be happier in the long run. So basically aim a little higher than you should.

Upgradeitus is much easier to cure with HT, since it doesn't evolve every five minutes. It'll be years before I buy new speakers, probably another decade.

[SilentBob]

I too suffer from this terrible and yet sometimes wonderful disease. The empty wallet trick only works so long until some fancy stores offers 24 to 36 months of no interest equel monthly payments when you spend $1k or more on gear. Sadly this is what mad eme buy my HDTV and HD-DVD player last year and i love them Lately the new Receiver bug with HDMI inputs/sound has been making me very itchy too buy and i almost did a few weeks but was saved by a MOD Angel who pointed me away fromt he receiver that wasn't meant to be (And didn't provide what i want) The urge/itch is still here but not as bad as before but who knows what will happen in a few months or later this year. My car could be payed off early and that's just another $240 in my wallet every month tempting me to SPLURGE

[sub780lime]

I think part of the problem is non of us (or very few) have the money to upgrade all at once to the system we want. So instead, we have to get one piece here, one piece there. So we upgrade our TV...well by the time we can afford the new receiver the TV's 2 years old and HDMI 3.0 just came out. Well we got the receiver and we can finally afford the speakers we want, but the TV is now 5 years old...etc etc etc

[zepplongfellow]

The problem is I now have the money for this but I really don't NEED it. I will never go in debt for gear again. Instead I have been making interest free payments into my savings account if you catch my drift until I have enough to buy what I want. My biggest regret is not buying the B&W's last year as sets of pairs and slowing build my system instead I jumped on the deal for my Athena's for only $200 for all 5. I think I am going to show patience until Fathers Day or My Birthday( Sept) or my 10 year wedding anniversary in December and get a pair of the new 600 series 4 which is coming out in the next few months. But even then I will feel the need to upgrade my center to match my new front although I have read my Athena's match B&W's well. I hate this Fucking hobby sometimes at least I have not made the jump into Blu-Ray or HDDVD. And I am happy with the rest of my gear. I guess the moral of the story is buy what you want first and make no compromises.

[Iguana Man]

Hows it feel Zep?