Good to see, I'm not the only forward thinking "hoarder". I probably have 10 portables. That counting the four Hi-md's I've acquired over the past six months. (3 of 4) are the same for that exact reason. Also, at the time it was cost efficient. Peeps were selling those units with one or two 1gb blanks. So I couldn't resist. The others are mostly mdlp units. I also have 3 decks, which I use to record tracks in my home studio. I also went through a phase of hoarding md blanks. I was smart enough to buy in bulk before my supplier got wind of the price hikings of others. I just wish, I was that smart about the Hi-md's though. I have at least 200 used blanks, plus another 80-100 new blanks. That should last me for the next 10-20 years I hope. If not, I'll go back to eBay for more.
We are unique in our enjoyment of such niche items. It's only right that we would want to preserve our ability to continue enjoying them. But, I've been hooked since '89. I still have a need for the last RH1's, to feel complete. Sometimes, its all about the chase...
Peace...Netm8kr