While manufacturers, understandably, try to persuade you to buy the latest and most advanced pieces of equipment, there is always that uneasy feeling that we might not yet be making the best use of what we already have. We are told that the annual sales figures for synths are constantly diminishing, but I don't see that as reflecting a dwindling market — on the contrary, I see it as both a confirmation of the reliability of existing electronic instruments and an indication that many of you don't feel the new synths sound sufficiently different to the older models to part you from your cash. Of course, with newer instruments you tend to get more features for less money, which must reduce the overall market size. By the same token, this pushes the price of used gear right down — a major disincentive when you want to upgrade.

It has been argued that if you take the time to learn your existing instruments intimately, then you might actually get more out of them than if you change instruments every six months just to keep up. A further consideration is that by not changing to a new instrument, the time that might have been spent learning a new operating system can now be devoted to music — remember that? From the letters we receive, it seems that many of you think this way, and ironically, one of the most popular ways of acquiring new sounds is by exploring the capabilities of so-called vintage synths. It's also evident that more people are rediscovering the edit buttons on their synths rather than relying on factory presets or off-the-shelf sounds, which must be healthy.

With the inclusion of effects processors in so many new synths, it's tempting to think that stand-alone effects units are expensive luxuries, but many a unique sound texture comes about as a symbiotic combination of instrument and effect. One potentially exciting area is the combination of older instruments (or even samples of old instruments) with new effects; most of the digital effects we take for granted weren't even dreamed of when the MiniMoog first hit the market, so anyone teaming up one of these old synths with a new effects processor could well be in a position to create sounds never heard before.

Having put the case for hanging onto your gear until it physically decays, it's now time to play devil's advocate and look at some good reasons for spending a little cash. Despite the proliferation of S+S synthesis, there are new instruments of character, some of which have better user interfaces than their predecessors, and which offer true advancements in both capability and sound quality. Even though the government would like to sell us the idea that the recession is over, the overtly competitive nature of the music retail market indicates otherwise, and though excessive discounting isn't a good thing in the long term, it does mean that there are some superb bargains to be picked up, especially in the case of products that are a few months old.

For those who must have the latest of everything, the rapid evolution of electronic music technology makes it tempting to hang on until the next model arrives, but if you do, you'll only be faced with the same dilemma later on; no matter how long you hang onto your cash, there'll always be something else peeping up over the horizon. And speaking of horizons, recent news has been full of speculation over the contents of the November budget, with hints of tax increases. If these extend to VAT, and it's not unreasonable to think they might, then there could be some significant price rises on the way. That being the case, if there's anything you really do need, now might be the time to stop waiting and start spending.