Ever downgrade and have better sound?

How right you are Mofi.I currently have 7 preamps, 4 tube and 3 SS. You never know , one sounds rotten with one amp, sings with another. Not just a case of impedance mis-match either.

I hesitate to say it in print but I suspect rooms have an effect on even those.

What Newbie said....

True, and he's smarter than me.

Haven't had the luxury of downgrading since re-entering the world of hi-fi ten years ago. Still tweaking up, but on a tightwad's budget.
That said, I agree with Schubert's comment about the effect of the room. My "best" speakers did not sound so great in my teaching/practice studio at our new place so I moved them into a "living" area. Wow--night and day! I now put "the room" on a par with the speakers as far as overall importance.

Sure. Replaced a $3700 pair of Conrad Johnson CD player/transport units with a $300 Pioneer DV-414 and couldn't get over the sonic improvement. That's the most dramatic but there have been many others. Not "downgrades," except in the eyes of some of my audiobuddies, until they heard them. :-)