Is advice from a constant upgrader to be avoided


For a while now I've been reading these forums and to be honest i was thinking of leaving. I felt a bit out of depth given that it seems so many others have had so much experience through owning what seems to be tens of speakers, amplifiers, DACs etc etc and reading people buying and selling piece after piece after piece on the search for some sound.... 

When someone asks advice about a certain item it seems like half the audience have owned it and moved on and have a comment to make. I then read about someone buying an extremely expensive amp and deciding quickly to sell it because it doesn't sound right. Then someone else is on their fourth DAC in a year. 

So all these people have advice to give. What I'm wondering now is, is advice from a person who's never content, constantly changing their system, never living with a system for long enough, and have more money than patience, really the right person to take advice from? .

There seems fewer (maybe they're less vocal) people who buy gear and spend the time to appreciate it, and have maybe only had a very few systems in their lifetime. I think I'd rate their advice higher on the gear they know than the constant flipper/upgrader.

Is the constant flipper/upgrader always going to say that the gear they used to own was no good and they've now got better? Maybe their constant searching is because their ear is no good or they're addicted to the rush of opening a new box. 

Just because person X has owned a lot of equipment doesn't mean their advice is to be sought after, it could mean the exact opposite.

mid-fi-crisis

OP

 

you ask a terrific question.  My inclination is to agree with your premise.  Otoh, with the demise of bricks and mortar dealers, it's hard to make an intelligent and informed purchase.  And we don't really know how anything sounds unless it has resided in our system for some time, been broken in, and we have had a chance to play a variety of music.  So while some people change gear more frequently than they shower, others are trying to get things right in a challenging hobby.

System/component synergy is also a real consideration when doing "upgrades". Just because a certain piece specs out nicely or gets gushing reviews doesn't mean it's going to sound good in YOUR system. Sometimes, just getting the right combination of gear will get you performance in spades.

One thing that I'll add to my earlier comments is that a lot of the experimentation I've done in my system and the knowledge I've acquired is a direct result of getting to know other enthusiasts and picking their brains and finding some people to mentor me. 

Join a local club if you can and then get to know the members that seem to really know their stuff on an individual level and spend time listening together.  Listen to their systems.  Ask a lot of "how" and "why" questions.  Invite them to listen to your system, and ask for honest feedback.

@jjss49

I have found your comments and thoughts on equipment on this forum some of the most useful of all that I read. Just your knowledge on dacs alone.  You always bring solid ideas and observations without the ego nonsense. And your writing is always clear. Breathe of fresh air as far as I am concerned.  Your input here is always appreciated as far as this reader is concerned.

I prefer to listen to folks who keep their old equipment.

Generally this is because they've made of good initial choices to start with and enjoy the ability to sample different gear and compare now and then.

I also don't pay much attention to people strongly beholden to a particular brands. 

I pay attention to language, and especially consistency of posts through time, as it really defines how authentic someone is.