Why should I upgrade my audio equipment instead of selling it and buying something new?

Just Toss It! We live in a throw away culture. Landfills are full of electronic equipment. We think that when it comes to audio gear, there is a better way.

Better, Smaller, Cheaper. Always, right? Most electronics have become so inexpensive that if they break or stop serving us the way we want, our first response is just to throw it away. Then we get something new. Electronics are all becoming so much better, smaller and cheaper that it makes no sense to fix or upgrade something. New electronics always offer better performance at a lower price, right?

Better, Smaller, Cheaper in a Hurry! In some electronics, that is true. For instance, computer equipment follows Moore's Law and gets twice as fast every 18 months or so but costs no more. With computers, it makes little sense to open the box and upgrade it. New computers get faster and cheaper too fast to justify many upgrades.

Audio Gear: Better? Smaller? Cheaper? So what has happened to audio gear? Hasn't audio gear gottten better and cheaper just like other electronics? In a word, no.