New isn't always better.
Take for example what used to be one of my favorite beers, Fat Tire. This craft brew was once a lovely, crisp amber ale. The new and "improved" version loses all of its character and joins the ranks of the ho hum club.
I only drink one beer per day so it had better be something special. Fat Tire is now, sadly, off my list.
What they are hoping for, I am sure, is to attract a new crowd of folks that like the new product. So, just like when they launched the New Coke, they attracted a new audience at the expense of their old audience.
If we think about applying these observations to the high-end audio market one would assume there would be similarities, yet, for the most part, I don't see them.
For most of us, new is exciting and why we're here. We like what we have but are hopeful of getting something better.
When we discover the perfect brew or food, we'd like to be able to come back to it time and again with the assurance we'll get what we came for in the first place.
When it comes to immersing ourselves in an experience like the enjoyment of our systems or the music at a live venue, we welcome the elevated experience.
The same yet better.
