Gear Acquisition Syndrome – Got To Catch ‘Em All

Let’s be honest, most of us have been there at some point or another. You read about the latest and greatest shiny new turntable, a loudspeaker with some new-fangled cone or crossover technology, or an amplifier that promises to “redefine” the listening experience. And then it starts: a little voice in your head begins to nag, “Maybe this is the one. Maybe this will finally be perfect. The last bit of the jigsaw puzzle. The cherry on the cake.” That, in a nutshell, is GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). It’s the tendency we audiophiles (or anyone else of a tech bent) have to keep chasing new kit, upgrading and swapping, because the promise of “better” is irresistible. And we all get it to one extent or another. I’m a chronic sufferer!

Some people roll their eyes and get all holier than thou and say, “Oh, that’s just consumerism.” But it’s not that simple. There’s real psychology behind why we collect stuff and why some of us can’t resist just one more upgrade…and another…and another. And while GAS can sometimes spiral into something unhealthy and unaffordable, it’s also worth saying: handled right, it can be a big part of the fun, even a way of building the perfect system for you.

Psychologists have studied collecting for decades, be that art, cars, stamps, or beermants, and they’ve found it’s not just about owning things. Collecting fulfils deeper needs: identity, pleasure, even a sense of control.

One study (Saridakis et al., 2018) described collecting as more like a passion than just ordinary shopping. It’s about creating a little world of meaning around the objects we gather around us. Another researcher, Russell Belk, put it pretty bluntly: “We are what we own.” That might sound consumerist, but in HiFi it certainly rings true.

Think about it for a mo: an amplifier isn’t just a lump of metal and circuitry. It’s a reflection of your taste, your style, and how you want to experience music. It says something about you. Are you a valves person or are you firmly in the solid-state camp? Are you a wideband loudspeaker fan, or do you prefer more conventional designs? And I don’t think it’s all necessarily just to do with sound; there’s a whole lot more that comes into play in this game.

And here’s the thing: once you start seeing yourself as a “collector,” price becomes a bit/lot blurry. Research by Ho & Wyer (2024) showed that collectors become less sensitive to price; it’s about completing the set, or finding “the one,” rather than just cold, monetary thinking. Ho and Wyer said, “ This effect arises because when consumers possess a collection mindset, they lean towards hedonic (as opposed to utilitarian) evaluations of objects.” Hedonic: Relating to, characterised by, or considered in terms of pleasant or unpleasant sensations.”

Of course, it’s not all in our heads. GAS thrives in communities. One study found that while family often gets you started with a hobby, it’s peers and social circles that keep you going. Who reading this is a member of a Facebook group where GAS is celebrated and encouraged? Hell, if you’re reading this, WE encourage it to a greater or lesser extent.

If you’ve ever spent time on Facebook groups, you’ll know how this works. Someone posts a review of a new “product”, and suddenly you’re questioning your own current “product”. A friend mentions their speakers have “transformed their sound,” and you find yourself browsing reviews before the evening’s over. Social reinforcement is powerful. It keeps the itch itchy. And unlike stamp collecting or model trains, HiFi has the added thing of being a sensory experience: you can’t just look at a new amplifier, you can hear it, and sometimes that difference is going to be the deciding factor for people.

However, let’s not pretend GAS is all a bed of roses for everyone. For some, it tips over into obsession, and I’m as guilty as the next in this regard. 

This is when GAS can potentially stop being fun. You end up in a loop: buy, enjoy, get restless, sell, repeat. The law of diminishing returns kicks in, but the itch doesn’t fade. At worst, it eats into finances, relationships, and enjoyment of the hobby itself. You become the archetypal “box-swapper”. Ok, that’s all a bit dramatic, but you get my drift.

We need to recognise that risk. Because while passion is good, compulsion isn’t…or might not be.

GAS often gets talked about as a weakness or a problem, and I’ve outlined how that can happen. But at its heart, it’s a search for satisfaction. And that satisfaction is personal to every one of us. There may be broad agreement on what “sounds good,” but we all have different ears, different rooms, different systems, and different tastes. What makes one person gob-smacked might leave another cold. That’s why at HiFi PiG we always encourage people to get into their local dealer and audition. Reviews (even ours) can only tell you so much. A piece of kit that gets a glowing write-up might not fit your room, or your system, or your personal preferences…or your pocket. Until you’ve heard it yourself, you can’t know if it’s the one you really want to go out and spunk a small fortune on.

And when you do find a piece of gear that makes you stop, grin, and forget the world while the music plays, that’s when GAS suddenly feels worth it. Because then it’s not about chasing endlessly. It’s about finding your sound. We love the rush of brain drugs that this feeling gives us, and that is part of the GAS cycle. 

Here’s a bit of good news: if you set yourself some rules, GAS doesn’t have to be a problematic trap – those at the back chortling about trapped gas can see me after the lesson ends. In fact, it can be a brilliant part of the hobby.

Think of it this way: every time you buy, audition, or even sell a piece of kit, you’re learning. You’re refining your taste and gaining more experience. You’re exploring what music and the kit mean to you. And if you’re careful, you can actually build your perfect system while having a great time along the way.

You can help control your GAS if you want: you can make rules about buying new kit, audition ruthlessly and only buy if you feel the change is significant enough, buy and sell wisely, give yourself time and don’t rush into purchases, and keep a perspective of what you are actually trying to achieve with your system.

Handled like this, GAS stops being a kind of pain in the arse and becomes a way to deepen your love of the hobby. You get to enjoy a wide variety of kit, discover what you really like, and eventually settle into a system that feels like your own creation – the ever elusive “final system.”

Maybe that’s the best way to look at it. We call it “Gear Acquisition Syndrome” as if it’s a sickness, but in truth, it’s just part of the audiophile hobby. Yes, there’s psychology at work. Yes, there’s risk if it gets out of hand. But it’s also fun; trying different amplifiers, discovering new speakers, hearing how a system can transform your favourite album – we’ve all been there, and that’s why we are still involved in the audiophile game.

So, should we feel guilty about GAS? I don’t think so. It’s human. It’s part of the fun. And it can even be a path (not a distraction) toward building your ideal system.

Just keep your head, listen with your own ears, and remember that it’s a hobby. And hobbies are meant to be enjoyed. 

Oh, and get yourself a great dealer! 

Oh, and if you think HiFi is bad for GAS, don’t ever get into cameras and all that goes with them, as I’ve found out and much to Lin’s chagrin.

Stuart Smith

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