I'm glad to report I have now gone almost a year without buying any equipment. My last purchase a year ago was my big Panny plasma screen.
I just love it. It produces really natural colors and details. I hope I will have it for many years. At my viewing distance the margins are just in peripheral vision, this has put the visual stage in synch with the sound stage, which is a big improvement. Psychologically it seems to "improve" the sound.
My listening viewing patterns continue to evolve with technology. I have bought much fewer CDs/SACDs. I have bought more BDs.
I have renewed subscriptions to the Berlin Philharmonic Digital Concert Hall, Medici TV and Met Player. I also enjoyed this years Proms via my VPN tunnel to the UK. Streaming really is improving. A couple of nights ago I watched Beethoven's Symphony N0. 9 from Berlin to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the end of the Berlin Wall. This was a fantastic performance with stunning video and audio. This concert is a free one, by the way, and I would encourage anyone inclined to view the concert.
This brings me to the next issue. I have come to enjoy having a picture with my music more and more. I am at the point of not conceiving a system without a TV screen. I could not see ever designing an audio only system for myself again.
Personally I think an HTPC is the handiest way of accessing the wonders of all this streaming. I really don't like using BD and media players etc, which are really bare bones Linux boxes. Yes, the bones are bare, they are slow. I just love the HTPC I built just over two years ago. I'm certain that I use this and my audio work station more than other devices now.
Times, they are a changing. My regret is that so many who would love what I enjoy, are locked out due to technical complexity. That is the real scandal of the AV industry.
