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How often to Audiophiles upgrade their equipment?

I am eternally confused as to how and when I should spend my money. I started into this hobby a little more seriously about 3 years ago and have the bug in full now. I do very much enjoy listening to music. However, there is always confustion on how to spend my money. I am not being very clear. Let me start again.

Currently I have a home theater setup in the family room with a Rotel RSX-972 reciever, B&W 603S3 mains, LCR600 CC, ASW1000 SW, 602S2 surrounds, Sony 999ES DVD/SACD and Sony KP51WS500 TV. I have started a second budget system in the main living room for music only and it has Monitor Audio Bronze B2 speakers, Rotel 1060 Amp, and Rotel 961 CD player.

I am generally quite happy with this setup and enjoy them very much. But off course I am always thinking what can I do better and if I should at all. Having a young family, I doubt I will ever buy some of the very high end euipment or if I would want to. But I have an opportunity to uprgade my speakers now with a very small loss. I was thinking of the 604S3, but having looked at them, they are just too big and frightened me off. The next step up to the B&W CDM series is quite a bit more. But to go to that line, I should probably also upgrade my amplification first.

I guess what I am getting at is, how long do "real" audiophiles stay happy with their equipment and when do they decide it is time to upgrade. For example, I was thinking of always sticking with a budget, and stick with my equipment for say 5 years (unless their is something terribly wrong) and then get new equipment/newer models different brands but using the same amount of money as in the original budget five years earlier.

If this question makes any sense, please relate your thoughts and experiences.
schugh
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
As often as they

'cuse me, the UPS man is here

can afford

-sorry, gotta go, its FEDEX
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rushton's avatar
rushton
2,445 posts
 
I guess I fall into the camp of making fewer changes, but more material changes when I do make one. Like Rcprince, my equipment usually stays in my system about 10 years on average. (I lived with a beautiful pair of updated Marantz 9 amplifiers for 25 years. Speakers on the other hand seemed to have lasted about 8 years on average.) I have avoided making minor incremental changes in favor of fewer more significant upgrades. I've also consciously limited myself to a single system so any of the limited financial resources available could be maximized in that one system.
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
On a more serious note, the idea of making fewer significant changes is one that probably will minimize your $ outlay and maximize your enjoyment, unless you have $ to burn. Someone much wiser than me noted on this forum that you should plan on doubling the cost of the component you replace (on a new vs. new or used vs. used) basis to make a significant upgrade and my experience shows that that is pretty close to being correct, at least in the middle of the high-end market (wherever that is).
slappy
903 posts
 
Ever since i had gotten out of the military, i would upgrade whenever it made sence economically.
Several times i had a chance to upgrade in the past 2 years and i diddnt because i had other priorities, Before that i would Make 1-2 major purchases in my stereo over the course of the year.

No all i have is radioshack speakers, a decent preamp, and a denon amplifier that keeps producing occasional static when everything else is off, i keep expecting it to explode, so right now i really really have an upgrade bug.

Once i get myself a decent rig i will probably go another year before any new purchases.

First i need new speakers, amp, pre, etc. probably gonna build it myself. Tube stuff most likely.

Maybe a year after that i will look into getting a turntable some some blues on vinyl.
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