Reduce initial cost (but not always)
This is another way to reduce the total cost of ownership.
Example:
You see this marvellous "rocket ship" in audio that will liberate your ears and ensure a good life. It is costly but the reviews are rosy. The past will come back to you, along with sexy partners, good moms and steady fathers. You pull out your wallet - and then - too late - after some months of living with this component, discover that it wasn’t all that much. The "rocket" came a bit up, but did not really get into space.
The art is to invest in what is really needed, beyond such single-component adventures, to improve the sound system as a whole, and get away with it without going broke. Not the component in itself, but how it works in the system. Often you won’t know, beforehand. But you can make a reasonable guess, and invest wisely.
A problem in an expensive component is usually much more irritating and time-consuming to repair, compared to a cheap one. For the least amount of stress, we should all buy cheap components that are easy to replace! However we want some sound quality too...
The better you can adjust price / performance, knowing your way around the component and brand you invest in, the greater the chance that the overall cost of ownership will be low, with less stress and unforeseen events. Understanding the function of the component and how it matches your other components is the place to start.
Often, the way to go - in my experience - is to the mid-level of the branch, and then seek for good second hand / used market offers. But sometimes, I have only made things work by going to the top flagship level, with less rebate. This can be a pain for the wallet, here and now, but I have generally found that it pays off, later.
This is another way to reduce the total cost of ownership.
Example:
You see this marvellous "rocket ship" in audio that will liberate your ears and ensure a good life. It is costly but the reviews are rosy. The past will come back to you, along with sexy partners, good moms and steady fathers. You pull out your wallet - and then - too late - after some months of living with this component, discover that it wasn’t all that much. The "rocket" came a bit up, but did not really get into space.
The art is to invest in what is really needed, beyond such single-component adventures, to improve the sound system as a whole, and get away with it without going broke. Not the component in itself, but how it works in the system. Often you won’t know, beforehand. But you can make a reasonable guess, and invest wisely.
A problem in an expensive component is usually much more irritating and time-consuming to repair, compared to a cheap one. For the least amount of stress, we should all buy cheap components that are easy to replace! However we want some sound quality too...
The better you can adjust price / performance, knowing your way around the component and brand you invest in, the greater the chance that the overall cost of ownership will be low, with less stress and unforeseen events. Understanding the function of the component and how it matches your other components is the place to start.
Often, the way to go - in my experience - is to the mid-level of the branch, and then seek for good second hand / used market offers. But sometimes, I have only made things work by going to the top flagship level, with less rebate. This can be a pain for the wallet, here and now, but I have generally found that it pays off, later.
