bear in mind there are improvement upgrades to existing models, like HDCD capability or a phono board, which are well and good. then there are replacement upgrades which make the former current model obsolete overnight. i'm not sure what the general feeling is, but in the case of obsolesence, i'd prefer to have an original iteration of any product then to have one 'that sounds just like the new but is really an old' version of anything. in general i'm a bit wary of anything that's been modified from original factory spec. modified goods wear a red flag in the form of a long winded explanation for the mod and may be harder to sell down the road. so all in all, upgradability is important if you can decide from day one that you're going to stay loyal to a certain model. but i doubt this need be necessary when there's so much else out there worth trying and listening.
Is Component "Upgradability" Important ?
I have always been concerned when buying a component that it can be upgraded by the manufacturer at a later date if a new version comes out but I am starting to wonder if this is really that important. I say this because manufacturers are hardly willing to give away upgrades just because you may have purchased an earlier version of their product. It seems as though you will end up spending the same amount of money whether you pay for the conversion to the new model or you sell your old component and put the money towards the cost of a completely new model. I am not sure what is the best way to go for the manufacturer but I am also not sure that having one model physically converted into another model is always the less costly way to go for the consumer.