Playback Designs MPS-5 related question....


What do I do If I just bought a Bryston BCD-1 and whilst being very impressed with it, have just discovered the Playback MPS-5???
Obviously the Playback is in a different league, but do I accept the loss in selling the Bryston and go over budget and get the MPS-5? Or just accept that the Bryston is a fine machine and forget that the Playback ever existed??
A few comments might help my sanity or reasoning...(As I can't discuss this one with the master of the house if you know what I mean)
Thanks!
camali
Unless you can truly afford to take the loss and go (WAY, you forgot to add) over budget, accept that you'll be envious for a while, keep the Bryston and wait for a Playback Designs to show up on the used market at a decent price. Remember, there's always something "better" showing up these days in the digital arena, and I'm sure Playback Designs is not completely resting on its laurels and is probably cooking up a Mark II or something like that; maybe that's the one to wait for?

Of course, I should talk! I was in your position in the past (early 1990s) with my preamp, and stretched to get my dream Jadis JP80MC, which I happily held on to for over 13 years. However, in that case it was pretty clear that preamplifier technology wasn't changing as quickly as digital technology is, and that the Jadis was not about to be made obsolete or dated any time soon (hey, it was already based on an old design itself). So I don't know if stretching at this point is worth it in the digital arena.

Of course, all of this is out the window if you really do have money to burn!
Did you audition the MPS-5 yet? If not, then it's only better in your head for now.
FYI, the Music Playback DAC is software upgradeable, sooo the mkII line of thinking doesn't really apply. You simply download the latest algorithms and wah-lah :)