How do I let go...the “D” word

Now if I were you I would hold onto my gear until they try to pry it out of my cold dead fingers.

I feel your pain. Financial obligations are forcing me to sell the majority of an expensive system. I am parting with speakers and my amplifier in the hopes of raising $15,000+ to pay some pressing bills. I don't like the idea, but the looming debt is equally unattractive.

Maybe you can just go with a smaller, but still very good monitor, and retain most of what you have grown to love.

Good luck on your degree!

Sounds like you have had some major changes on in your life. Giving up something by choice rather than perceiving it as having been taken away might mean that you are indeed enjoying better days already. The fact that you describe whatever system change you are considering as the dreaded "d" word- as a downgrade, would provoke me to encourage you to reconsider the words you choose to describe change. After all, how much of your old life is being retained in your new surroundings? The old marriage and employment might be at odds with the beach and time and schooling you have included in your life in the time since the changes you described took place. I would suggest that you are simply making appropriate adjustments to the life you are very much in the process of creating. The old system was all that in the life you had- within the limitations of the environment that was created specifically for it. But now you are here-a place apart, and your ears wont lie. Perhaps all that is called upon are modifications- some way to address your systems requirements in this new environment. Nothing seems as extreme as better days when they are placed some place as distant as they are sometimes placed. You know what I mean? If an entirely new system is called upon then it need not necessarily be a lesser system. I hope you wont mind if I say I admire all the positive changes you have made in what must have been a difficult transition. Your post reads to me as from someone who has got a hold of their life and is headed in a direction that makes them happy. You are fortunate and I am happy for you.

Becareful, if you downgrade you will upgrade with a vengance (past your current amazing setup) when you move to a large place...

Nice website Marco. I'm going for my MS to teach. I'm 53 and not willing to compete with the 20+ year olds that graduate and are willing to put in 80 hours a week. Been there, done that! Teaching will allow me to "focus" on fine art, wildlife, travel, and undersea photgraphy while I teach. Besides If I teach I can get medical insurance, which I can't now due to a pre-existing condition.

If I sell my stuff, I'm thinking of going tubes. The VPI TNT V with table is huge and about 300 lbs. The Pass X600 are 175 lbs each, I think I'll keep the preamp and cd player, Any suggestions?

Ross