There are some products in the McGowan household that have earned my loyalty. They can get cranky, sputter, even break, and I will tolerate, coddle, and repair them without flinching. Others are a hairsbreadth away from replacement or outright termination.
It might seem odd to think of inanimate objects in terms of emotional attachments but I don’t think any one of us are immune: A favorite spoon, shovel, shirt, cable, remote, or DAC seem reasonable.
Our loyal roots no doubt run deep. Most of us had a favorite toy or game when we were children.
When we were moving the IRS V speaker system across the street I had many trusted components I made sure were tagged and included to make sure as much as possible was the same in the new room. And trusted is simply another word for loyalty. I have no educated reason to stick with any particular piece of kit (ignoring break in) other than loyalty.
I might well have been better off starting with all new gear and retiring my trusty old friends. A clean start with a fresh palette. But, for me, there’s value in loyalty to products and people. I won’t trade a trusted piece of kit for a new one without good reason.
And even then, I make sure my loyal products get good homes. If they served me well I want to return the favor.
