How do you "downgrade"?

One more tip: You can choose downgrading your car as well!

I concur that the first reply was very well put! I would rather see the word "downsize" rather than "downgrade", as was mentioned, downsizing may not mean sacrificing sound.

There are more and more exceptional integrated amps everday and many wonderful one box CD players.

I would be classified as "downsized" and absolutely love my system. (This doesn't mean I wouldn't ever change. LOL - Gotta put my disclaimer in, you know how we are.)

My biggest downgrade if you can call it that is cables. All my (new price) $1000 to 1500++ cables are gone, replaced by some costing in the $250 to $300 range new, plus some +/-$300 used cables that are 95% of the megabuck cables as far as detail, but have more synergy to the music to my ears. Some of this money went to power cords which I had never taken much time with before.

I guess since the power cords got upgraded, I did not downgrade the system, I shifted its emphasis.

I also sold off my megabuck CD player a little over a year ago. Digital seems to change so often, I really decided they depreciate too fast. I am happy with spending $450 for the Stan Warren DVD variety in one system, and Stan's modded Aiwa/MSB combo in the other. The DVD player is 95% of the megabuck player (at 15% of the cost), and the Aiwa/MSB as good or slightly better. When they become old technology, I'll still have a decent spare DVD player for the HT system, or for use with a spare bedroom TV. The Aiwa is a throw away/give away, or yard sale item, it costs so little.

First, go for gear that LOOKS GREAT. No kidding, the subjective loss will be easier to take, the musical loss also. Second don't start comparing or expecting the same sound as the previous megabuck system. In a way , let's be less analytical about the whole thing. Let's just settle for an overall pleasant sound. Lastly, get the best speakers you can afford within your system. You will probably not extract the last ounce of quality from an integrated amplifier, as there are great ones out there, however, we get to the "limits" of a speaker much faster and it has a larger role in the overall sound quality in a more modest system. I went down from Verity Audio Parsifal speakers, Sonic Frontiers Power 2, the list go on, and it's not that bad after all !!!!

.........good god! Do you people realize what you're saying??? I'm reaching for the Thorazine right now-- shaking and sweating badly now and only able to make sounds like a racoon-- got to get my therapist immediately-- and if able to speak coherently-- my attorney, and maybe an accountant. Sue the bastards they say-- but who to sue-- yet there's always someone guilty as hell in a deal like this. I mean take a look at what happened when Enron and Anderson Accounting "down sized". This is a TOTALLY un-american concept.

The weasels are closing in fast now, so I won't be able to stay at the keyboard much longer. We have magnums of course, but it's inevitable that the stinking brutes will win. Cremate my remains if they can be found. Garfish of Earth, Late.