How much is too much?

[yamahapaiste]

Let's face it. Our budgets are limited! (And if it is not don't respond....wish I were you.....!) We have responsibilities. Bills, college tuition, marriage costs (our kids and ours....ooops,.... sorry....my issue) that we need to consider.

I have a friend who almost spent his marriage into divorce because of his addiction. He had to have the $200.00 cables and the $10,000 amp. His medication seems to help, but I think many of us may suffer from the same disease!

So here we go. When is enough enough? This is like a car. We would all like a Ferrari in our driveway but can only afford a Corette! Or, in my case, a Dodge Caravan!

This is a passion of diminishing returns. We all like to think ourselves an audiophile or vidiot, but there is a point when the money spent buys so little, or nothing, that it just doesn't make sense.

So, where is that point for you? Did you find it yet? What technologies do you think worth embracing? What technologies are still too young, what technologies are a waste of time?

Let the thread begin!!!!!

 

[MinusTheBear]

Sorry to say but your buddy is dumb. I would have spent my money on $10,000 speakers instead.

Spending money outside your budget/income, you are just asking for trouble. With this hobby, you can find such good "value". You can get away with not being "rich" and still have a solid HT setup. $200 cables and a $10,000 amp is something that is not needed (unless you are rich and can afford it).

 

[jostenmeat]

Sorry to say but your buddy is dumb. I would have spent my money on $10,000 speakers instead.

Spending money outside your budget/income, you are just asking for trouble. With this hobby, you can find such good "value". You can get away with not being "rich" and still have a solid HT setup. $200 cables and a $10,000 amp is something that is not needed (unless you are rich and can afford it).

Well said.

------------------

This is impossible to answer. It's all about the setup, first of all. Room size. Number of viewers. Huge room with huge screen might require a light cannon of a projector with a very beefy amp. A bedroom HT will never have 7.1, a receiver is fine, and the display doesn't have to be huge.

I've blown a lot on this stuff at this point. It's fun. Yep, my friends have called me anything from "completely insane" to "totally insane". And other variations of "insane".

I have two different friends who have teased me in front of others regarding my spending choices in this area. They joke, "He was deciding on either buying himself a nice car, or blowing it all on AV gear!". True story, because, well it's true. One of the ribbers is a lawyer, and the other is a mechanic.

So, I've spent as much as some people spend on a car. I have several friends with nice cars. Nice indeed. Wish I had one. Someday. 10 y.o. pickup still running strong. Would love a roadster. Convertible. That'd be sweet.

I have a friend with a serious passion for golf. That costs a lot if you play on at least a weekly basis at a decent course. A different friend loves his boat, and loves to go fishing. Yet another friend is addicted to travelling. Another has an RV.

With any of the "hobbies" above, all of the inherent costs, whether excessive feul costs, green fees, docking fees, international airplane tickets, hotel costs, would compare well with a healthy AV spender, IMO. Oh yeah, and what about the sports car lover. Hell, how much is a nice Harley? yea.

Well, do these people think I'm insane?

You bet.

That all said, a fantastic HT is within the reach of many, IMO. I think that lack of education on setup is just as detrimental as the smaller budget might be.

Some ways to extend bang for buck. Three upright bookshelves for the front. Go cheaper on the surrounds. DIY if that's yer bag. Save as much as possible on accessories. Don't make the AV furniture eat up half of the budget.

Important keywords for me for the budget-minded:

- Monoprice
- Emotiva
- Ascend Acoustics
- Racksandstands, standsandmounts
- Panasonic plasma
- GIK
- Audiogon
- Craigslist
- Ebay
- URC
- Audioholics

 

[Adam]

For me, I don't like debt. Period. So, I don't buy any A/V equipment that would put me into debt. I also don't like having to work. So, I view purchases in terms of how many hours would I have to work in order to buy something. The rationale is - if I don't buy it, there's that many fewer hours that I need to work before I don't have to work anymore. Similarly, if I get laid off, then it's that much longer that I can live without having another job. I don't really have a hard limit, but it's easy to say that if something is going to cost me months of my life in work, then I think really long and hard before I spend the money on it. For A/V equipment, my limit is more like days, maybe a couple of weeks.

Didn't really answer the question, but that's some of my thinking on this.

 

[mazersteven]

This is a passion of diminishing returns.

So, where is that point for you? Did you find it yet?

IMO "Diminishing Returns" is different with each, and everyone of us. In our minds we all have a level of performance, or dollar value. Where the percentage of performance, and sound quality becomes smaller, and smaller vs. the cost to get to that next level of performance, and sound quality.

IMO it's all about being happy with what you have. This is not just with audio/video, but life in general. Sometimes if we took the time instead of always looking forward to the things we want (keeping up with the Jones). To look behind us to see the things we already have. And how much better our lives are vs. many others around the world.

As far as where that point is for me. I have always believed that in life "you only go around once". I never want to look back one day, and say to myself, "I wish I would have". If I want something, I'm going to get it.

Sonus Faber Stradivari Homage

 

[moreira85]

Let's face it. Our budgets are limited! (And if it is not don't respond....wish I were you.....!) We have responsibilities. Bills, college tuition, marriage costs (our kids and ours....ooops,.... sorry....my issue) that we need to consider.

I have a friend who almost spent his marriage into divorce because of his addiction. He had to have the $200.00 cables and the $10,000 amp. His medication seems to help, but I think many of us may suffer from the same disease!

So here we go. When is enough enough? This is like a car. We would all like a Ferrari in our driveway but can only afford a Corette! Or, in my case, a Dodge Caravan!

This is a passion of diminishing returns. We all like to think ourselves an audiophile or vidiot, but there is a point when the money spent buys so little, or nothing, that it just doesn't make sense.

So, where is that point for you? Did you find it yet? What technologies do you think worth embracing? What technologies are still too young, what technologies are a waste of time?

Let the thread begin!!!!!

The fact is is that this is a great hobby. I am also into golf myself and used to play all the time and go the range everyday. Now that I have a baby I think I played 4 times the whole year. This audiphyte hobby may be a little expensive but you have to know your limit. This is a hobby that enables you to stay home with your family and everyone can enjoy it. I love inviting people over to watch football games on my set up. It will be even better once i get my 67inch. Getting back to some of your questions, I think HDMI is very young and has a lot of issues with it. I own a yamaha 5960 that does not have hdmi, i could easily go out and buy the rxv 663 model that supports true hd, hdmi, however i think hdmi has a long way to go. BLUE RAY- i would love to own a blue ray player but look what happened to HD dvd. the blue ray players are still really high and from my perspective regular dvd players were in the $500 range when they first came out and have dropped significantly. I am going to wait on blue ray and hdmi and see what happens.(at least till next month that is)

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I wish AV gear was the only thing that I spent money on but I am the same way with a lot of different things. I feel certain I was just raised wrong! (lol)

 

[mazersteven]

I feel certain I was just raised wrong! (lol)

I don't know. You look completely normal to me.

 

[Adam]

I don't know. You look completely normal to me.

Nice! I especially like the cameo appearance by Clint doing the belly flop.

 

[Midcow2]

Interesting question and I like Mazersteven's concept of diminishing returns. However, as soon as I think I am satisfied and approaching an asymptotic limit, I seem to step jump to the next level. Like right now, I am very pleased with my current setup, except I would like to add a PB13-Ultra and upgrade to a 60" Pioneer Kuros; the next level step.

I was satisfied with the system I had until February ,until I found some random audio forum on an Internet Google, whem. That random forum, I believe it was called Audioholics, has so much really good information and opinions that they caused my to find out that I needed my current upgrade

I am with Adams, I don't like to overspend and buy what I can't afford, but I find more and more I like quality HT equipment.

But Jostenmeat, you need to get the convertible. It will go well with you ten year old truck That is part of my HT budget problem, too many cars too often.

I have always analyzed and compared things. I continue to expand my audio knowledge and there continue to be changes and improvements. I am not sure where my limit lies, but I am probably close now with maybe one more step. that is until HDMI 2.0 comes out and resolution goes up to 4096p with the next step in speaker perfection to go along with purple ray SDH
resolution on SDVDs.

Cool question though

 

[jamie2112]

This is too much....


http://photobucket.com/jamie2112

 

[ParadigmDawg]

You have no idea how close you really are.....

I don't know. You look completely normal to me.

 

[Midcow2]

Testing the Limits

This is too much....


http://photobucket.com/jamie2112

Jamie,

LOL that is funny Isn't that the Ultimate PS3 setup?

I recently tested the water on the "too much level", I asked the innocent question, "If a 300lb, $3,600 Subwoofer that would shake the house be a good idea?" I got a resounding NO ... so much for a f113 or a g213 for awhile


To go explore the limits of sound. where no ear has been before ...

Later,

MidCow2

 

[3db]

Let's face it. Our budgets are limited! (And if it is not don't respond....wish I were you.....!) We have responsibilities. Bills, college tuition, marriage costs (our kids and ours....ooops,.... sorry....my issue) that we need to consider.

I have a friend who almost spent his marriage into divorce because of his addiction. He had to have the $200.00 cables and the $10,000 amp. His medication seems to help, but I think many of us may suffer from the same disease!

So here we go. When is enough enough? This is like a car. We would all like a Ferrari in our driveway but can only afford a Corette! Or, in my case, a Dodge Caravan!

This is a passion of diminishing returns. We all like to think ourselves an audiophile or vidiot, but there is a point when the money spent buys so little, or nothing, that it just doesn't make sense.

So, where is that point for you? Did you find it yet? What technologies do you think worth embracing? What technologies are still too young, what technologies are a waste of time?

Let the thread begin!!!!!

Not counting his purchases as far as amps and cables go, I think enough is enough when one spends more than is left over after all the esentials are paid for. These essentials also include basic transportation, money to tthings together with spouse and or family. What's ever left over agfter that is fine. But to go into hock for a hobby is simply selfish.

I want and need a new receiver and I don't have much play money so I'm on teh 5 year plan of scraping together, birthday and Christmas funds so I can save and by the new receiver. For me, saving enough over that time and then finally getting to reward myself is immensely more satisfying than just putting it on plastic and getting it whenever the whim suits me.

 

[Davemcc]

I don't really have a budget, per se. I just wait until I see something that catches my eye and makes me feel like I need or want it. Then, I put it off as long as I possibly can, until it either drives me crazy and I buy it or the obsession goes away and I skip it altogether.

 

[Rickster71]

I don't really have a budget, per se. I just wait until I see something that catches my eye and makes me feel like I need or want it. Then, I put it off as long as I possibly can, until it either drives me crazy and I buy it or the obsession goes away and I skip it altogether.

I thought I was the only one that did that.
The funny part is, my wife is the one that usually says, "If you want it, get it"
I think I'll keep her.

 

[3db]

I thought I was the only one that did that.
The funny part is, my wife is the one that usually says, "If you want it, get it"
I think I'll keep her.

Dam!! Now I AM envious. I do what I have to out of necessity.!!

Good for you.

 

[Midcow2]

HEADLINES: Audioholics Forums cause buying frenzy

I don't really have a budget, per se. I just wait until I see something that catches my eye and makes me feel like I need or want it. Then, I put it off as long as I possibly can, until it either drives me crazy and I buy it or the obsession goes away and I skip it altogether.

But Daemcc, tell us the truth how does the discussion of "..I see something that catches my eye." on Audioholics really affect your obsession ??

I have found, at least from my limited experience that discussion on Audioholics forums excites my obsession into a frenzy that can only be satisified by immediate purchase and possession .. At least, I know I am buying the right stuff d the buyer's remorse is minimum Not like buying a Bose system and trying to tell Audioholics members about your new great system or even about your past new, great Bose purchases .

 

[Davemcc]

But Daemcc, tell us the truth how does the discussion of "..I see something that catches my eye." on Audioholics really affect your obsession ??

The latest example? My new 52" Toshiba display. I bought my last display before I found AH. It was a 40" Samsung 720p LCD. I've seen lots of AH members with awesome PJ's and Plasma setups and I really wanted to replace the Sammy even though it wasn't that old and still worked great. Yet, I really wanted something bigger and 1080p and I looked and shopped and delayed for a long while but the itch wouldn't go away until I came up with a lame excuse to appease the wife and got it.

On the other hand, I'd really like to upgrade my Denon 2307 for a much better receiver or pre/pro. So far I've been successful in delaying that purchase but every time I hear mention of the DTC 9.8 or the Yamaha 3900, the urge comes back. I guess I'm still waiting to see if the tingle goes away or becomes an urgent want.

My very first AH inspired purchase was my SVS PB12-Plus. That's how that works for me.

I have found, at least from my limited experience that discussion on Audioholics forums excites my obsession into a frenzy that can only be satisified by immediate purchase and possession .. At least, I know I am buying the right stuff d the buyer's remorse is minimum Not like buying a Bose system and trying to tell Audioholics members about your new great system or even about your past new, great Bose purchases .

I was a disenchanted Bose owner when I found AH, but I am more than happy with my latest Bose system, except for how it sounds.

 

[Midcow2]

Beest visual picture award goes to Mazersteven!

I don't know. You look completely normal to me.

Okay hands down, without a doubt Mazer can come up with the absolute best pictures to express an abstract thought visually.