2. misc-audio
  3. 152062-19028

How do you rationalize audio upgrades?

Thought this could be a fun topic, especially after a Friday night libation, or two.

I'm going to add a turntable to my audio system. I am listening to different turntables and the amount I consider spending is increasing. $1500 max is now heading towards $2700.

What do you say to yourself to "rationalize" your decision to spend more?

I amortize over time.

You?
128x128wharfy
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,199 posts
 
Great sounding music makes me happy. Case closed. 🖖
celtic66
1,656 posts
 
+1 mapman.  But really, no rationalization.  I play the game within reason and simply enjoy the discernible audible improvement.  I so consider how long I intend keeping the piece and break it into years use.

My only piece of advice is to buy the best you can once and skip the incessant small steps up.  It's certainly more cost effective.
dweller's avatar
dweller
3,781 posts
 
The argument many use is "can I buy this" instead of "should I buy this". I wasted baskets of money (that I could be using now in retirement). The system I have now is everything I wanted so I can't complain. The components I have didn't exist 30 years ago so they couldn't have been assembled into a system. Must be the reason for so much trial and error.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
If I could explain how I rationalize my upgrades then everyone would do it. My system would go from mind-bendingly awesome to average over night. Worse, hearing the $1.3M system at Definitive would have me crying in my beer instead of snort, chortle, if only you knew-ing.

So I'm not about to say, even if I know, which I don't. So there.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,788 posts
 
A good rationalization for spending more now is that in the long run it's cheaper. You lose money with every upgrade.
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