How do you rationalize audio upgrades?

For ~ 95% of the audiophiles I have met, the upgrade justification is to achieve some new level of audio nirvana that said upgrade (or tweak) is going to achieve for them. Then when they upgrade X ... well now I am going to have to upgrade Y. It’s a never ending cycle akin to many who complain about their lot in life saying well if I just had "this", or if only "this" happened :-)

The similarities are shockingly similar because in both cases, a simple change or fix is identified as the path to nirvana, when in most cases, what is really needed is hard work.

In the case of audiophiles, that hard work is learning about room acoustics, learning how to take measurements to determine deficiencies in room acoustics, and learning how to fix them. Unlike a simple equipment upgrade, it takes a serious time investment, it is not glitzy, and you can’t brag about your new purchase to your audiophile buddies.


My turntable ... I wanted that exact brand and model type since I was 20, love the look of it, and when I could not only "afford" it, but justify the disposable financial outlay, I bought it. It does not get much use ... for me it is art and that was my justification.

Akin to this is the typical audiophile question of the ratio of money to be spent on Speakers, Amplifier, Preamp, Source, Cables .... and the usually "illuminating" responses :-)

erik_squires6,937 posts11-02-2019 5:55pmSorry, last one.

The demanding mistress.

You buy a decent bit of kit, but it requires obedience in the form of many additional expensive peripheral components to sound decent. Like a speaker which sounds OK with most amps, but finally sounds GOOD with an amp 2x as expensive as the speakers are.


Not for me. :) I like gear that plays together well for cheap.