If you knew then, what you know now...

Lots of good components, speakers, and cables out there, but it's important to match them well. Recently I went to a high-end store and was surprised to hear such harshness coming out of > $25K systems --bright-sounding sources, bright-sounding amps, bright-sounding speakers. A few months ago, I upgraded my system with a very good solid-state amp, but things sounded tinny when using my well-regarded $18/ft speaker cables. The system sounded much better with my $4/ft cables, and better still with the $100/ft cables I'm using now.

I would have never purchased SS.

I also don't believe that more expensive equates to better sound.

A change of component may mean different sound but not necessarily better.

All of the audio equipment that's been in my life, for whatever reason, led me to the knowledge I have today. I would not be happy if I had not explored every opportunity. All was a learning process, even discovering what I did wrong. I do agree with one poster who said "save for what you want." I have never considered the price of equipment to be as important as the music it delivers. When I can get a bargain I am absolutely the first in line, but I will not buy a bargain if it does not deliver the magic.

All this is time dependent. In 1989 you couldn't be saving for something that isn't on the market yet.(True now for 2004)It's all a learning, understanding, appreciating,process. We will all take our present skills to the next level.Looking back, we all know how much we have learned; there will be more,unless we buy the "perfect"system and retire from "learning".

Send your money to charity (or Italy) and start reading books. Ok, just foolin. The biggest mistakes I make are two:

1) If you really know what you want just buy it. Too many times I am unwilling to throw down on an item because it is just not quite a good enough deal. But I never say after I buy 'I paid too much for this and should have waited for this slightly better deal' I just say I paid alot and I like it.

2) And almost always with any purchase there are compromises that I overlook. Usually because I am blinded by some percieved benefit my new purchase will bring. In the end the overlooked comprimse outweighs the benefit and I am wallowing in a mire of unhappiness. So, if making a new purchase make out a pro/con sheet and think about it. Demo the unit to death. The more expensive the unit is (relatively speaking) the more you think/demo and consider the purchase.

If 1) and 2) seem inconsistent, well...fine. Those are my mistakes and I stand by them.

Chris