How long did you wait for your next upgrade?

Hi Marakanetz (keep thinking it's Marrakesh, any relation?),
I once went about 2 1/2 years without touching anything. This was with my B&W Matrix 801s, British Fidelity A-3 amp (looked and heated like a black brick oven, pure class A and more than 200 watts), and ARC SP-14 hybrid (one-tube in phono section) preamp. At the time, I also had a CAL Tempest II, a two-box CD player with one tube in it as well. I used thick Monster Cable speaker runs and I can't remember which interconnects, I think the old Audioquest Ruby. This was in the late 80's. Then in 1993 I was at a local dealer's for a "musical evening" hosted by Transparent Audio and heard Transparent cables. I tried some at home and couldn't believe how much better the tubby bass on my 801's sounded. Changed out all my cables to Transparent Ultra and lived happily for another couple of years. Then got unhappy with the flabbiness of the bass on the 801's all over again and in quick order got Meridian 500 transport and 563 DAC, and later added the 518 digital processor, and in a fit of insanity auditioned a $13,000 Goldmund SS amp, the Mimesis 29, and the improvement in the bass on the 801s was so great that I actually BOUGHT the Goldmund! This was in about 1995. From then on it's just been crazy w/upgrading, auditioning, trial and error, trying the most modern technology, retreating to some of the old tried but true technology, etc. But the answer to your question is, I once went 2 1/2 years without changing anything or lusting to change anything. Those times, alas, are long gone. Though I am very happy w/my two systems right now (both listed on virtual systems here) and hope I am in for another long listening without upgrading period.
Good luck to you, esp. with your financial diet.
Sarah

I have selected my system with this mind, I am going to get the best that I can without spending ridiculous. I am very satisfied at this point although I am certain that everything could certainly be improved. I have called a moratorium on purchases for two years. No matter what. Unless I find a killer deal that will cost me no money (either I am purchasing an item and I can easily sell what I have to pay for it or I can check a new item out and then sell it to get all my money back ) I am not in the market. I am doing all the tweaky stuff that I can to learn how to improve by tuning but that is it. I still have a full year to go but I am very comfortable with my decision. And it is very relaxing know that I am not going to read or hear about some great product and then go nuts and I won't even be able to listen to my stereo anymore until I get that item. That is torture. That is one reason that I will not even listen to something like the Dynaudio Evidence. I would never be able to afford them. And even if I could, how could I ever reconcile the cost versus my child’s collage tuition? Insanity is only a listen away. Wisdom is denying yourself. Dale