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The argument against upgrading

I’ve always assumed upgrading hifi can be worthwhile provided there is some audible improvement in sound quality. Maybe, this assumption should be challenged.

Let’s suppose I make some change to my system. I make a meaningful comparison that proves it sounds better in some way.

Before making the change, I was already able to get into and enjoy certain recordings. Surely, I can’t get into these recordings any more than that. It’s an either or thing not a matter of degree.

So what does the upgrade actually do for me in practice? I fear that more often than not it may be absolutely nothing.

I am not arguing that there is no better. Just that incrementally better may not necessarily always translate into more musical enjoyment.

I suppose this all begs the question what I actually mean by better.

What’s your view on the benefits of upgrading? How can we reliably assess whether it is effective?

newton_john
mapman's avatar
mapman
23,613 posts
 

Oh well, dang if I didn’t just go there and did it again…a DAC “upgrade”!  

For real!  

Still soaking it in.  

newton_john's avatar
newton_john OP
569 posts
 

@deep_333  @mahgister 

By design, the original question makes no presumptions about the absolute quality of a system or the philosophy underpinning it.

Rather it concerns the effect of making an incremental improvement in sound quality to any system. It challenges the generally held assumption that this objective improvement must automatically translate into a better subjective listening experience.

Is this assumption valid? What can be said in support of it? How can success be assessed? Does success depend on the qualitative characteristics of the improvement? ie. noise and distortion reduction, imaging, dynamics, solving the problem of bass in real rooms, removing digital artefacts or overcoming listening position limitations.

mahler123
4,022 posts
 

@newton_john 

Essentially what you are saying, imo, is a variation on the discussion of Music vs Sound Reproduction; the notion being that the music is all that matters and how well it’s reproduced is a trivial consideration.  
  This discussion is as old as Audiophilia and for me it’s a false dichotomy.  Most of the people on the planet think like this, but hey, they aren’t posting on audiophile sites

mark200mph
854 posts
 

It hurts my 401 k. It's the dopamine that keeps me comming back.enjoy the science and the music and stay healthy.

newton_john's avatar
newton_john OP
569 posts
 

@lalitk 

If your system pic is current, then the best ‘upgrade’ would be room acoustics.

That is a question best raised elsewhere. Any response here confuses the issue at hand. 

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