Product Purchasing Factors

[Calvin & Hobbes]

1. People at the company (I like to spend my money with good people) -  Though not actually a purchase consideration, this is kind of a non-negotiable for me. If a company won't stand behind its product, that just foreshadows customer support issues down the road (because the company's product is probably also crappy or unreliable).

2. Sound Quality - If it doesn't sound good nothing else matters

3. Build Quality - Will I have reliability issues. If so, that can be a non-starter for me

4. Aesthetics & Form Factor - Equipment that fits my aesthetics preferences (minimal with a preference for black faceplates) & that fit into my media console's shelf width are important concerns for me. I don't want a listening room that looks like it has racks and equipment from a science lab.

5. Price - To a degree, I'm not so sensitive about price, but I am value conscious about audio products. I figure out what level of product meets my expectations and then figure out if that is a price that I'm willing to pay.  I believe there is a point of diminishing returns on the cost-to-sound quality scale and try to find products close to that price point.

6. Company Health - That does matter to a degree and is more important for digital components. I figure that there are a greater number of people that can repair analog components.