1. sound/enjoyment, it has to move me.
2. Price as it can be tided directly to #1
3. aesthetics, the other half has to approve.
4. Synergy, finding out this is very important, separate from value, money spent.
My setup is vintage, sans my streamer, so there has never been any support. Fully rebuilt my speakers, amp and pre-amp last year, hoping they last another 50 years without being touched.
Also the itch is never scratched, have been thinking about new speakers, turntable, streamer....