Is Anything Really "Future-Proof"?


I always get a kick out of an audio company using the term "future proof" because, other than Linn, I’ve never actually seen a piece of gear that was not replaced by something newer and allegedly better, which the previous model could not be upgraded to. Some companies are better than others though. Linn, love them or hate them, at least offers the option of fitting your LP12 with all the latest alleged upgrades. Ayre seems to be pretty good as well. But take DCS for example. Everything they advertise is supposedly future proof, yet a new model comes out and the old one can’t be upgraded. Look - none of the stuff I own can be updated, but it’s not advertised as future proof and personally, I don’t particularly care about updating anything right now. But if you advertise it, I think people have the right to expect you to deliver what you promise. Unfortunately, very little in this life delivers what it promises, but that’s another story. Maybe the companies have a different definition of future proof than I do? I remember back in my studio days, a recording studio would buy some future proof synth like a Kurzweil for like 12 grand, which was a fortune back then, and a year later it was being used as a table for newer outboard gear. I kid you not. It’s actually pretty funny when you think about it. How can you possibly advertise something as future proof when you have no idea of what the future will bring? Yet people buy into it. Did anyone see MQA coming?  
chayro
I wouldn't put my money on MQA, just yet.

Funny that you bring this topic up-
I own Ayre, Atma-Sphere, McCormack and Vandersteen. All of whom can provide upgrades to their equipment.
Bob
How much future does one person need?  Analog LP playback is fairly future-proof, measured by the typical scale of human experience on the Earth-planet.  I have no doubt that my vinyl records will easily outlive me and be usable more than a century from now.  I'd also bet that in 50 years (if not 100 years) there will still be serious vinyl listeners.

Now if you're messing around with finicky digital stuff that doesn't sound as good now or (maybe) ever, then I can't help you.