At What Age Does An Audiophile Buy His Last Amp?

Your Final Frontier!

I'm 74 and soon expect my last turntable, arm, and cartridge. I expect next week to receive new interconnects and speaker wires. Very soon I will get a new Mac Mini based music server. My hearing is quite good again in my recent hearing exam. My only limitation is that I cannot carry 100 pound amps upstairs. Also, on late weekend afternoons I nap to good music for about thirty minutes.

What the hell are you guys talking about?

I think you summed it up.

Simple: You stop upgrading when you stop having fun doing so. Or when other priorities set in and no longer can afford the toys. Nothing to do with age really.

Mitch4t,

First of all, congrats on having been born in the best year of the last century. You are in distinguished company.

I think many of us as we approach retirement undergo the same sort of analysis. In some respects it is a farewell to higher income living, and a reflection on what our values are. I began about 7 years ago making a list of what remained to be accomplished in order to provide for retirement as I envision it. Music, of course, is a major and essential component of what I do with my now precious free time. That will surely continue when I have more time. Accordingly, I have nearly completely revamped my entire rig over the last two years. All of this was well planned in advance, and I am almost finished. My system as it is currently configured is good enough that I can live with it with no further improvements, and do so with no regrets. However, if, seven years from now, I have an opportunity (and money) to substantially upgrade, there is little doubt I will do so.

So, the answer to your question is this--- Stop upgrading when you lose interest or run out of money. Meanwhile, enjoy.