Does the desire to upgrade make us unhappy?

[bigburner]

"It is not the man who has too little who is poor, but the one who hankers after more."

~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca (4 BC – 65 AD). Roman playwright, orator and philosopher.

[gianni]

"It is not the man who has too little who is poor, but the one who hankers after more."

~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca (4 BC – 65 AD). Roman playwright, orator and philosopher.

Never would of imagined that 'hankers' was a part of the vocabulary back then.

[bigburner]

It's not Latin, but it is a good word.

[Shane Martin]

To answer your question:

No

Normal people aren't faced with this type issue because upgrading does them no good. They don't appreciate the upgrade thus no reason to think about it. The same would be for me on other hobbies I show little interest in like golf. I have no urge to replace my clubs even though I know quite a few people who upgrade their clubs every year or less.

Upgrading doesn't also necessarily mean we are unhappy with what we have rather there is something else we desire that our current equipment isn't giving us. Say HDMI for instance or for me Pro Logic II. Does that mean I'm unhappy with my current Sony ES receiver? No.

[GregLett]

I just like getting new stuff. I get a kick out of buying.

[Jack Keck]

I just like getting new stuff. I get a kick out of buying.

Me too! Not that I buy that often. What I find is that the less time I have to enjoy my system, the more I want to upgrade. Once I can sit down and watch/lissten, the happier I am with what I have.

Someone started a thread on a classic rock forum asking what other posters would want to upgrade to if they could. My answer was to have more time to watch movies/listen to music.

[slick]

I too get a kick out of buying new things, but my wallet and bank account don't, lol.

Hopefully I become rich one day or else I will sleeping on the street with my equipment and kids will walk by and call me "crazy speaker hobo" or something.

[akhter]

I just like getting new stuff. I get a kick out of buying.

Ah the joy of opening up the package and tinkering with new toys!!!

I used to be ashamed of it, now I have learned to enjoy it. The way I look at it...keep upgrading while I can afford it. I also sell off a lot of stuff when I get bored with it, and upgrade to newer things!

[Adz]

Sometimes frustrated.:??
Other times happy.
Always poorer! :cry:

[GregLett]

My wife is always yelling at me to get off the computer. When she sees me on Audiogon she says "What are you selling now"

[Cyclesberuff]

I could never understand the need for women to have a closet full of shoes then one day I opened up my closet and out fell a receiver then it dawned on me shoes stay on the ground, receivers stack up and hurt when they fall on your head...ouch

[soundhound]

GregLett, sounds exactly like my place, with the question being "What are you buying now"?

[Wayne E]

GregLett, sounds exactly like my place, with the question being "What are you buying now"?

At least it's not large quantities of beer and hookers.
8O 8O

Thankfully, I don't have a car fetish. Heck, automobiles depreciate faster than audio gear.

[Parsonsk]

Sometimes it's just having the best
Knowing that there are minimal increases in sound i still want it, i'd rather spend the money and make sure!

[Wayne E]

Not all of my upgrade have been up-grades. Some have been:

- Side steps
- Downgrades

I didn't make changes out of complete dissatisfaction for my current gear. Some of the time, it was just the desire for the change. I'm sure over the years, I've lost a few thousand dollars doing this as some kind of hit is to be expected. But, I do feel that it has been a good, educational experience.

[H.Donald]

I love the smell of new stuff.You open the box and ...ahhhhhh......
Robert Duvalle may like the smell of napalm in the morning....for me it's opening that box with my new toy.....like Duvalle,it smells like victory....

I have not bought anything new in almost a year now....not even a new cable...you may have awaken the sleeping beast.

[GregLett]

I love the smell of new stuff.You open the box and ...ahhhhhh......
Robert Duvalle may like the smell of napalm in the morning....for me it's opening that box with my new toy.....like Duvalle,it smells like victory....

I have not bought anything new in almost a year now....not even a new cable...you may have awaken the sleeping beast.

Buy! Buy! Buy!

[mjb]

Great thread!
As you get older, the toys just get more expensive, but so does taste

[GregLett]

Well... now I'm the one that's buying. I'm about to purchase a Jolida
CD player. Can't wait for the Fedex truck to show up.
:B

[ajpoe]

I honestly think I'm done buying for a while... I have said that numerous times over the last year and a half but I think finishing my DIY sub project filled the last void I wanted to fill. I actually have some gear I can sell now!

[GregLett]

Well I still need.. want to get a Tube amp. I want to have an all Tube
rig. Then i get to play with Tubes.. Boy!

[GregLett]

Just ordered the Jolida.. should have it next Tuesday!

[hieronimus]

Is there an end to it ???

Great thread!
As you get older, the toys just get more expensive, but so does taste

Just bought completely new gear yesterday. I'm already wondering what to upgrade first today...

Is there an end to it all??? We are only here to suffer :cry:

Who cares! As long as you can spend - buy! :T