Can the need for novelty and change be mitigated by rotation?


There is a not too serious term audiophilia nervosa; it may be a joke, but it builds on a valid observation: there are people who are never content with their equipment in medium term.It is not the initial period, when one does know much about gear and learns; or the question of disposable income, when one gets the best they can afford, and upgrades untill he (or, probably less often, she) buys the dream system. Audiophilia nervosa is a state later on, a plateau, when a desired piece initially gives much satisfaction, yet it wears off, and the person gets uneasy and looks for smth. else.
To give a personal example, I was on a quest for my ultimate power amp. Had to be Pass Aleph; happened to find Aleph 4. Did not suit the speakers (Lowther Fidelio) too well; got other speakers (MBL 101b or c) ; still not there; got ML no. 23. Much better; but still uneasy about Aleph and speakers for it; got Gradient 1.5; fine with ML, Ok with Pass; exploring options, got Parasound 2200 mk2 (and a couple of PA amps). And I needed a preamp. Seller insisted on only trading ML no. 28 together with no. 27, — another power amp.
Now the ML 28 is there to stay; Gradient 1.5 are keepers too; but I’d keep old MBL101 even if they stopped working (I’d probably use them as garden sculptures), so they stay, too. But I have way too many power amps (the listed, and a few more), I would need to sell some.
The trouble is, I cannot decide. So, in order to decide, I rotate them. ML 23 is very good with MBLs, fine with the Gradients. ML 27 is very good with the Gradients. Parasound 2200 2 is very good with the Graients, - but in a different way. So I swap every few weeks, and I still cannot decide.
And after each break I [re-]discover things I like about the particular amp / amp-speaker combination.
Again and again...
Which made me think:
— What if this ‘rotation’ takes good care of my need for change and novelty?
After a while I will decide which one(s) to sell, and later on I will probably want smth. new. But for the time being, keeping and rotating them slows down my pace - and I see it as a good thing, as in the aftermath I do not think my decisions have been sufficiently well informed (for instance, I am getting used to the fact that I actually do not like sound of Pass Alephs as much as I thought I do, and my Aleph 4 may be the first to go).
inefficient

Showing 1 response by jrw1971

OP -- love this thread.  I hear you, big time.  I think rotating cartridges is one way to do it; I have a lot of fun with that.  


I do believe there is such a thing as "better," I believe in some degree of objectivity, and I totally reject the notion that the difference between a $5k system and a $300k [well-balanced, well-chosen] system comes down to bling and casework (that's just demonstrably wrong).  But two different high end, well-chosen, well-balanced systems in two different, acoustically-friendly rooms?  Well, one's preference could come down to listening mood, chosen recordings, what you had for lunch, etc.  And that's where I think a ton of fun can be had.  But if I inventoried my purchases, sales, detours, and mistakes, I'd be forever-considered an idiot on these pages.  So, I won't. 


Sleeping princesses come in different guises.  Also, I prefer princesses who are awake, enjoy a nice walk around the palace grounds, with a sense of humor, who are really comfortable with and unapologetic about the fact that -- by virtue of their royalty -- they kinda own me and the other dwarves.