Well maybe not so much with the Joneses but keeping up in general terms.
How important is it to you to get the latest kit? The Mk II version when you have the Mk I. That sort of thing.
Being retired now, and not being in a position to continually update my set-up as newer and more capable products appear, in say 10 yrs time, if I’m still here that is, my system will be pretty ancient judging by the pace of change. More than likely there will be superior products avaiIable at cheaper prices. I can’t be the only one in this postion, so how do others feel about it? Do you feel the need to try to keep up, or are you happy to just use what you’ve got and forget all about it?
An interesting case, not that it is directly relevant here, is 4K discs replacing standard Blu rays. I’ve already replaced many DVD’s with Blu rays, now I face replacing these again with 4K discs!
We are continually bombarded with adverts that attempt tp make us believe that our lives will be so much more enriched by getting the latest mobile 'phone or breakfast cereal.
Not any more. Not retired but not exactly rich or anywhere near, so funds go on more essential things. I’m happy to stick. My stereo still wows me and likely will continue to do so until I check out.
Reminds of when I was looking to buy a new camera some years ago. A pro photographer friend advised me that chasing higher megapixels was not the goal of the hunt. It’s what you do with it that counts.
I have been striving this last year to reach that point where I’m entirely happy with the sound of my systems. I’m pretty much there and once the last couple of upgrades/additions are done I’m stopping.
When you retire (nearly 4 years ago for me), there is no more refilling the coffers and you can only spend it once.
Other tech I’ll do as necessary. We were intending to do both iPhones and my Apple Watch this year, but I think it will keep for another 9 months and we’ll do it when this new range is about to be replaced and the deals happen.
For me now it’s more about the content rather than technology.
This is the sort of thing that can quickly deplete funds. We bought our MacBook Air and two iPads around two years ago. There are now better models available. I’m not tempted at all here. I seriously doubt that we’ll perceive any improvements in our lives by acquiring them. Same with Apple TV box.
We’re both retired now, not short on funds, but not feeling the urge to upgrade anything. Olive series Naim is perfect for me as is my beat up old van.
As has already been said, the art of contentment is more important.
Never done that, with anything: hifi, cars, photo equipment, bike, hedgetrimmer… Never seen the point, other than either:
The Mk 2 is such a significant improvement on the Mk 1 that it is in effect a higher model giving significant improvement for the cost of change to be good value for money, and then only when I am ready to upgrade.
Or
If the Mk 1 reaches and of life, and the Mk 2 is the best value for money giving at least the same performance within my budget for replacement.
It’s a bit like, or perhaps is, fashion, which has always seemed to me to be bad for the consumer.
The subject reminds me of a truly great and all too short TV comedy series in the mid 1970s starring Richard Briers called One upmanship. My memory of that series was that it brilliantly highlighted the follies of “Keeping up with the Joneses”.
Yeah, computers all good here too.
New Mac Mini and MacBook Pro in 2021/22. They’ll see me out now😉
iPhones and Apple Watch however start to suffer from Battery issues after a couple of years, especially how much we use them. 3 years is the maximum between upgrades on these.
Although, I am wondering if I need my Apple Watch at all now…
Servicability and modularity are something that is increasingly hard to find in products in general. In terms of hifi, I’ve found my Linn Selekt to be an exception, I’ve modified and upgraded that multiple times without the need to replace everything.
My rule of thumb with phones/tablets being to replace them once the Operating System stops
getting updates, I still run quite ancient hardware having said that for specific purposes.
The Jones’s don’t know what they’re about most of the time, better to please yourself.
I retired three years ago, a bit earlier than I’d planned but it’s put a lid on future spend. It helps that I had the 500 series system finished just in time but if I was still at 282/250 level that would have done too TBH. I’ve put enough in a fund for the next service, I’ll be mid 80s by the time the one after that is due so expect I can skip that one. I bought in some spare tweeters for the NBLs and am just mucking around with vinyl mostly and I’ve backed off from my peak level a bit and am exploring Lazarus taxa (Decca, SPU, Lenco, etc) and finding that something has been lost along the way in the main stream.
I do have a second ps demo lined up for the ND as an in with a local dealership and I can stretch to it if the worst happens but that will be it.
The grand-daddy of them all must be the LP12. I believe Linn boast that they can bring any example, no matter how old, up to current spec. Although I imagine that requires replacement of virtually every part - so in effect it’s just a brand new deck!
