Downgrading

NO! Never has been in any era. Looking forward to reading the comments posted by those who may feel otherwise. I am sure "opinions" abound.

Seems to be the trend these days. Reading about it more and more. Not just audio- homes, auto's, vacations, and many others.

There's downgrading and there's simplifying. They are distinct. Your high fidelity system is nothing more than a possession. At different points in one's life your ideas and feeling toward your possessions can change, sometimes dramatically. It actually would be somewhat strange if over time your opinions and feelings didn't change. Of course, as audiophiles our systems are a reflection of those opinions and feelings.

A wise man changes his mind, a fool never.

Facts change and as a result, the way I see things change. Conceivably, I can see myself never listening to a quality rig again. As circumstances and fortunes change, one has to adapt. Granted, these are extremes I am alluding to but, somewhere in the middle of those extremes, there is room to go one way or the other and still have satisfying sound.

All the best,
Nonoise

There is a feeling of uncertainty in the air and not just because it is an election year. Everyone is aware the economy is not getting any better as deindustrialization sets in, unemployment increases and taxes continue to rise. It does not matter how low the interest rates go, people will continue to become more conservative with their purchases and continue to scale down to a more manageable household economy. The question is, how low can you go?