The Psychology of Constant (Equipment) Change


Anybody have an answer?

I have a decent selection of preamps, amps, integrateds and speakers to choose from and I find myself swapping out gear constantly.  And it's not because anything sounds bad.  Quite contrary, really.

After most swapping sessions, I'm generally really satisfied and quite enjoy the sound quality.  But within a few weeks I'm swapping stuff out again.

What would be the diagnosis for my condition?

 

128x128audiodwebe

I think many here do like change for the sake of change...and it’s often for Different, not better or worse...doesn’t look anything like OCD...my main system changes little and slowly, but enjoy mixing up my secondary systems...

If they were no acoustical way to improve the design of speakers and the room design and also the relation between speakers designs and the room, if there exist no concepts no parameters controls and no means to optimize acoustically a room/system ; then perhaps juggling at random with gear pieces purchase will be the only possible fun...

On the contrary juggling randomly with pieces of gear guided only by the price tag drive most people to frustration, boredom or obsession about "perfection" with a bit of fun and surprize in between each "upgrade" ...We must know why and how and with what we will upgrade BEFORE upgrading if we are in a rational optimization process... If we juggle with new pieces of gear to break boredom we dont need to know anything because we believe in a self deceptive way THIS NEW piece of gear will be the solution. We are not even wrong here ...😁

Optimization process for ONE chosen and selected system using basic knowledge is not and cannot be a race toward "perfection" which is a self deceptive acquired bias conditioned by audio marketing ...

It is more fun to be creative building a house than juggling with bricks... it is also more useful because even if we change the bricks material composition and design we had learn architecture... Juggling is fun for sure but it is beside the point...

 
 

 

 

But while very expensive gear is not a magic solution to getting better sound better gear is a very important element. And long posts about acoustics and the brain don’t justify ignoring the gear factor.

+1 @hilde45  .

I never ignored the gear factor. the gear factor is a common place factor. We must all buy the best gear we can.

i never negated what is evident : a better design cost more...

But I never either approved a cliché : higher price tag are audio solution ...

 

 

Many people here promote their choice of gear as SOLUTION...As many reviewers did...

I never did that. I promoted for 8 years what i called the three working embeddings controls of the gear system in a room ...BEFORE upgrading to a new level we must understand basic... Is it Chinese?😊

 

But i always insisted that we must learn how to install rightfully our system BEFORE upgrading...

Only a simpleton or a bad faith dude can use that  false accusation against me of neglecting the gear as an argument against the necessary method we must all use to install any system/room at any price ...

The common place fact that upgrading is possible dont means that it is THE SOLUTION... Learning , experimenting with what we have is the solution... After that we can without useless loss of money upgrade to any system at any price because then we had learned how to install one we can install now any system at any price at his optimal working.... .

Who on earth cannot understand that ?

Hilde45 ?

He hate my posts and even quitted a thread about A. I. because i gave too much information and he was unable or unwilling to discuss ... Dont believe me go see ..

😊😊

The other dude acted the same...

 

😊

😊😋

i like people who dont act as vexed children who sulk in a corner before attacking you for your syntax or posts lenght... They had no other arguments ...

 

But while very expensive gear is not a magic solution to getting better sound better gear is a very important element. And long posts about acoustics and the brain don’t justify ignoring the gear factor.

+1 @hilde45 .