With all your knowlege you have gained over time,

I would have bought the most expensive turntable/arm/cartridge I could afford back in 1976, scrimped on electronics and speakers, and gorged on vinyl while it was readily available. Then I would have spent the next three decades upgrading electronics, speakers, and cables.

In 2002 I bought a Walker Proscenium and it was so much better than what I'd had experienced before that I kick myself thinking I should have bought one four years earlier and waited for speaker upgrades instead.

i would have skipped the hobby altogether. lifes too short and music is great even through a boom box or a table radio. music traveling through the mountains on a summer night is better than anything my hi end system ever did.

I would suggest to anyone starting to decide what you would be willing to compromise. If you're not willing to sacrifice bass, then chances are you will be going down the SS/big speaker road and the first choice will be speakers.

If you prefer midrange warmth, then you should listen to SET, OTL and tube designs where speakers are plentiful but must be compatable.

Either way, research and patience is the key. Trust your ears over opinions and marketing hype. Bother every sales rep you can find and travel to other cities when opportunity presents. Don't buy that first thing that impresses you until you hear others at double or half the price. Budget is less important than satisfaction because if you're not satisfied, you wasted money.

Unfortunately, knowing or just wondering that there is something better out there will tempt and taunt you without mercy. Every choice is a compromise.

Rob I agree, having more money later is good, but
I would rather enjoy music now while I have a good hearing,
I always say to people, even if you have all the money
in this world, if you dont spend and enjoy them, you are
as good as BROKE.
The problem sometimes is we cant afford the gear
we want at younger years, so we do it slowly, till
we can afford it.Honestly I am glad I was able to
experience differrent gears,no regret at all, because
of it, I was able to put a very musical and involving
system for the money.Very good thread though.

I follow the Vanguard website and read most of their informative posts.

One that stuck out was written by a Vanguard executive whose single mother cleaned houses for a living and put her children through college. Her process? 1.Buy used. 2.Save money and pay cash.

--Quality and refinement are more important than power.
--Matching the pieces to one another and to the listening room is important.
--Simpler is better than complex.
--Select a system to listen to the music,not the system.

Sooooo,I'd figure what I want for the room in question,set a budget,and pay cash for quality used pieces that would last a decade,figuring after 10 years that improvements would justify a new system.