[nicolo]

  Unless you're James May

 
Well he does own a Ferrari 458 i think and has driven a Bugatti Veyron over 405 km/h (twice).

 

[jfoxvol]

   
Well he does own a Ferrari 458 i think and has driven a Bugatti Veyron over 405 km/h (twice).

I bet it gives the fizz.

 

[jlangholzj]

  I bet it gives the fizz.

 
For the price tag it better do a bit more than just bring me to attention. We digress however.
 
but to digress a bit further I feel like the fulla would be a spunky mx5 with stickies and the yiggy is like a E92 M3. Both are equally epic in their own regards but ones just a bit more capable than the other....as reflected by price. I have no experience with the yiggy so maybe we could stretch it to a 997 or something

 

[DougD]

  2015 Chapter 16:
When to Say “When”
 
Since the introduction of Yggdrasil, we’ve been sucked into more and more discussions that include what Mike likes to call “the Audio 1%.” At the same time, I’ve watched some listeners go all the way up the chain to car-priced DACs to try to find some incremental upgrade to Yggdrasil’s capabilities.
 
So, I gotta ask, “When do you say, ‘when?’”
 
I think it’s a question we should ask more often. I’ve seen people go down some very deep rabbit-holes (as in, spending $100k+ on audio gear, while living in a mobile home). I read jokes about it—welcome to the hobby, sorry about your wallet. I have had long conversations with enthusiasts angsting over whether or not they should go for the latest megadollar product intro...am I missing out? What if it’s as good as they say? I could get that and be done with buying forever…
 
Except you know it won’t be done. Ever.
 
<< snip snip >>

This ranks as one of the Top Five short articles, on any subject, ever published. This and the Gettysburg Address and three more to be named later. 

 

[jfoxvol]

   
For the price tag it better do a bit more than just bring me to attention. We digress however.
 
but to digress a bit further I feel like the fulla would be a spunky mx5 with stickies and the yiggy is like a E92 M3. Both are equally epic in their own regards but ones just a bit more capable than the other....as reflected by price. I have no experience with the yiggy so maybe we could stretch it to a 997 or something

RS6.  I'm an Audi guy, but yeah.

 

[jsiegel14072]

Accept that there will always be something better.
 
It. Will. Never. Be. Over.
 
 
 
I heard it was the same with spouses!

 

[JohnnyCanuck]

  Accept that there will always be something better.
 
It. Will. Never. Be. Over.
 
 
 
I heard it was the same with spouses!

 
You're both correct!

 

[AudioBear]

Another great chapter.  Jason has precisely articulated something that I have finally sort of figured out for myself.

 

[rtaylor76]

Why do we think we need so much gear or the latest gear or the best gear? Many possible reasons - 
 
Retail Therapy
 
Paradox of Choice
 
Buyer's Remorse
 
Cognitive Dissonance
 
Compulsive Buying Disorder
 
I think it was in this book or another book I read about a guy who bought a new scarf and had to upgrade his suit to match, and then that made him upgrade his whole wardrobe, then that made the rest of his furniture look bad, and it all started with a scarf. The book and movie Shopaholic story revolves around a scarf in a similar kind of way. It's like we cannot enjoy just the scarf for what it is. We find the weakest link and think, "What can I upgrade?"
 
There is a certain euphoria in the chase after perfection, but once had quickly looses it's luster. Same reason many go from one girlfriend or boyfriend to the next. Challenge over - Next.
 
I like the way Jason put it - hangover. Which is interesting, since according to the Wikipedia article on Retail Therapy:
 
"The fact that shopping may provide a short time of comfort (relief from dysphoria) but also imposes costs and is subject to comedown and withdrawal make it, like opioid use, either a therapy or an addiction.."
 
I don't think there is any harm in this behavior, unless it affects your well being or relationships in a negative way, just like any other such pursuits of happiness and you are well aware of what is happening to you and your wallet.
 
In the end, we should really enjoy the music more than the gear, just like you should enjoy driving more than the car.

 

[RCBinTN]

  Even if you find that lost crystal transmitter in grandma’s attic that calls down the space aliens, who give you an antimatter-powered direct-brain-stimulation with 100% guaranteed PerfectPerception™ synapse certification, containing every concert in Earth’s history, from a 10,000-year-old bone flute to the latest EDM.

 
Now that...I might consider a 2nd mortgage.

 

[RCBinTN]

  RS6.  I'm an Audi guy, but yeah.

 
RS6!  Holy smokin' tires.

 

[Pirakaphile]

Exactly the reason why I decided to go for the Gumby rather than the Yggy, and gave up the plans on Ether, HE-6, and HE-1000. Sure, I could probably afford them (with no money to spare) but I don't need em. I'll be happy with my future system, and I'm happy with what I've got at the moment. Magni/Modi combo may be all I ever need, but I'm willing to sacrifice some funds for just a bit better with Gumby, and oh gosh that Liquid Carbon crazy train caught me off guard, but the Dr. seems like an amazing guy, the impressions are almost nothing but positive, so how can it be bad? Now all I need is one more flavour via transducers and I'll be DONE with headphones. 
And after that it's time to expand my music collection, because music started me on this money spending adventure, and it's what'll end my adventure too. However, I'm going to need a new hard drive pretty soon, it's getting pretty full..
 
Thanks a bunch Jason, glad to hear my own reassuring voice "this is enough" echoed just as loudly by yourself. Gives me solace in knowing that I'll actually be done with audio craziness in the next two years. Any time I read an ecstatic review or someone introduces the best BlagityDAC or KoolAmp, I'll come back to this story to remind myself to be conservative when it comes to money! 

 

[LxJLthr]

Fan-freaking-tastic chapter.  That needs to be a sticky post or required reading for new members.  For a while my rabbit hole was the same at Jason's (along with photography equipment) though I cannot claim to have owned nearly the same caliber of cars.  And since waking up from that I could never be happier making full use of what I have rather them spending greater and greater sums chasing ever so extremely diminishing margins of returns.  I think it is human nature to rationalize/justify such decisions as to avoid facing possibilities those efforts/spending might have been all in vein.

 

[jfoxvol]

I have a modified S4 and happen to love everything about it.

 

[LxJLthr]

nm