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Is Component "Upgradability" Important ?

I have always been concerned when buying a component that it can be upgraded by the manufacturer at a later date if a new version comes out but I am starting to wonder if this is really that important. I say this because manufacturers are hardly willing to give away upgrades just because you may have purchased an earlier version of their product. It seems as though you will end up spending the same amount of money whether you pay for the conversion to the new model or you sell your old component and put the money towards the cost of a completely new model. I am not sure what is the best way to go for the manufacturer but I am also not sure that having one model physically converted into another model is always the less costly way to go for the consumer.
mchd1
avguygeorge
2,300 posts
 
Your response seems to general.Manufacturers look at it differently.Some of the real expensive stuff is costly to upgrade. I remember reading of a Levinson piece, where the upgrade is 4k.Dunlavy sure devaluated the IV,when they came out with the IVa.Res.Ref;same when they went from 50 to 55.However there are lots of pieces where a 500 or less upgrade makes a lot of dif.The biggest upgrade to me was the $300; 24/96 mod to my Theta5a.So,I guess I'm saying/sometimes yes/and others, no. Some are just happy with what they bought....Just not me.
luc
47 posts
 
I believe that it was more important to be able to upgrade in the near past. But now, there is much more liquidity in the marketplace with A-Gon, ram, audioshopper, etc. I would think, unless one is totaly enamoured with a piece or manufacturer, it is easier to sell existing gear and replace it with either new or used gear. Now keep in mind this opinion comes from a guy who just got the ulimate system dialed in (based around a set of Audio Physic Virgo's) and is ready to chuck it all for the next upgrade (the Audio Physic Avanti III's, Herron amp/pre, Immedia RPM TT, Immedia Sound here I come!)
cornfedboy
1,645 posts
 
i think it depends on what you're buying and how much you're spending. for example, i'm replacing my accuphase dc-330 pre/dac with a boulder 1012 pre/dac. both of these components are in the $15k+ msrp class. both are also upgradable. the accuphase can already be fitted with an option board that allows playback of sacd via the dp-100 transport. the boulder is also designed to make upgrades easy through the replacement of ic's. if these products and others at or above their pricepoint weren't upgradable, i wouldn't even consider purchasing them. it simply wouldn't make economic sense. at least that's my opinion, FWIW. -kelly
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