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How much does your main stereo system cost?

How much does your main sound system cost?

  • Less than 500 euros / dollars

    Votes: 7 2.9%
  • Between 500 and 1000 euros / dollars

    Votes: 10 4.1%
  • Between 1000 and 1500 euros / dollars

    Votes: 18 7.4%
  • Between 1500 and 2500 euros / dollars

    Votes: 29 12.0%
  • Between 2500 and 4000 euros / dollars

    Votes: 34 14.0%
  • Between 4000 and 6000 euros / dollars

    Votes: 41 16.9%
  • Between 6000 and 10,000 euros / dollars

    Votes: 35 14.5%
  • Between 10,000 and 20,000 euros / dollars

    Votes: 41 16.9%
  • Between 20,000 and 50,000 euros / dollars

    Votes: 18 7.4%
  • Over 50,000 euros / dollars

    Votes: 9 3.7%

  • Total voters
    242

RayDunzl

Grand Contributor
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Boris Badinov

Master Contributor
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How much did you pay for your main stereos? (no multichannel)
The sum must consider everything, speakers, amplifier, dac, any CD players, network streamers, turntables, also speaker cables, signal cables, etc.
I would keep out the PCs / phones / tablets that are used as a source.
I am curious to know how the curve is distributed among the users of ASR.
at a guess I expect a peak between 1500 and 5000 approximately
Does this count? It was my main system all through high school

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Robin L

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1 mile east of Sleater Kinney Rd
The only things I bought new are the Topping E/L 30 combo, rounded up to $300 (the two were cheaper when I bought them), the Drop 6XX headphones (around $220 at the time) and some inexpensive interconnects along with some bought used at a massive discount (AMVETS in Fresno had some Monster interconnects at $3 the pair, but some went as high as $15). So, interconnects are about $50. The Yamaha AVR set me back $50, the Sonance "Son of Sub" $50, the Infinity Primus 250 speakers just $30. Total of everything, $700. The layout of all this is as a "desktop system" in spite of the Primus speakers being (excellent) floorstanding units. I'm not counting the six or seven pairs of headphones I have otherwise as I use them very little right now. I guess I could include my DAP, but I use it very little now, and I'm not including the additional $80 for the memory stick for my music attached to my $350 laptop that is my primary music source. I did include the BluRay player that I can play CDs and SACDs on: $7 (used) for the player, $10 for the remote for the disc player. I don't use the BluRay often but did use it yesterday for a disc that wasn't on the computer's memory chip.
 
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Mr. Widget

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Oct 11, 2022
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The only things I bought new are the Topping E/L 30 combo, rounded up to $300 (the two were cheaper when I bought them), the Drop 6XX headphones (around $220 at the time) and some inexpensive interconnects along with some bought used at a massive discount (AMVETS in Fresno had some Monster interconnects at $3 the pair, but some went as high as $15). So, interconnects are about $50. The Yamaha AVR set me back $50, the Sonance "Son of Sub" $50, the Infinity Primus 250 speakers just $30. Total of everything, $700. The layout of all this is as a "desktop system" in spite of the Primus speakers being (excellent) floorstanding units. I'm not counting the six or seven pairs of headphones I have otherwise as I use them very little right now. I guess I could include my DAP, but I use it very little now, and I'm not including the additional $80 for the memory stick for my music attached to my $350 laptop that is my primary music source. I did include the BluRay player that I can play CDs and SACDs on: $7 (used) for the player, $10 for the remote for the disc player. I don't use the BluRay often but did use it yesterday for a disc that wasn't on the computer's memory chip.
I'm at the opposite end of the scale, but you may have spent more than I have on interconnects. :)

I don't believe I have ever bought any RCA cables. I have bought a few Neutrik XLR connectors, but they were pretty reasonable. The time required to solder them up to Mogami or Canare cable is quality decompression time which brings added value.
 

Robin L

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Sep 2, 2019
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1 mile east of Sleater Kinney Rd
I'm at the opposite end of the scale, but you may have spent more than I have on interconnects. :)

I don't believe I have ever bought any RCA cables. I have bought a few Neutrik XLR connectors, but they were pretty reasonable.
Got a pair of Monster interconnects that were reasonably pretty for $6. The snake oil around the inner workings of pricy cables means nothing to me now, but good termination and strain relief attracts my attention.
 

tomkatt

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Joined
Oct 19, 2022
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My main system is a 5.1.2 setup, and I listen on all channels via either atmos/spatial music, or via upscaling stereo to all channels, so I can't really rule out the full system.

Got a lot of parts on sale dirt cheap during holiday discounts. The receiver was a big one since it's usually $400

* Sony STR-DH790 receiver - $200
* Klipsch r-620f fronts - $600
* Klipsch RC-62 II center - $250
* Dayton T-652-Air surrounds -$140
* Dayton B-652-Air heights - $40
* Dayton SUB 1200 Subwoofer - $130

Total - $1360

If we add streamers, I've got a Wiim Mini ($90), and I subscribe to Roon annually ($120), and have Qobuz Sublime ($180/year) and Amazon Music as well currently. Not sure if that should be included. Plus two NUCs to act as UPnP/DLNA streamers and Roon Client/Server, they were probably $120 each. Also, a bunch of 14 gauge speaker wire. I don't remember the cost on that but was probably like $50-60 given the length I needed to run.


Office setup (technically also a primary listening room since I spend so much time in there) is a 2.1 and much cheaper.

* Aiyima T9 - $130 + $26 for some 5654W tubes
* Wharfedale Diamond 220s - $250
* Jamo S808 subwoofer - $105

Total - $511
 

HighImpactAV

Active Member
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Mar 2, 2020
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. . . Of course. Euro buyers have that delightful VAT, and America has an ~6% sales tax in most states. Canadian neighbors of mine suffer this, today. The CAN VAT is 5%.
Don't forget to add both state and local sales tax for the US. For example, the following have 10.25% total sales tax: Chicago, Oakland, Seattle, & Long Beach. Most major cities are 8.25% or higher.
 

SuicideSquid

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Jan 20, 2022
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Totem Forest Cherry: $2,400 CAD (purchased when I worked for a distributor for 50% off retail)
Denon 4700H Receiver - $2,400 CAD
Denon 5-Disc CD Player - $400 CAD
Denon Universal Bluray/DVD-Audio/SACD Player - $400 (purchased used, they were around $1,500 new I think)
RCA Linear Tracking Turntable - $50
Speaker cables, interconnects, power bars, etc - maybe $200 total?

Total cost for the stereo system was about $7,000 CAD.

I'm in the process of transitioning back to a surround sound system, which will integrate a Dayton DSP ($300), Buckeye 6-channel Hypex amp ($1500), and three speakers I'm building myself at a cost of about $1,000 (copying Totem Signature One for my front centre, and Model Ones for my rear L&R), and four in-ceiling speakers ($500). That'll bring the total system cost up to about $10,000, but that's been sprinkled over the course of around 15 years now.
 

Tom Schneider

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Jul 18, 2022
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Here's my simple loft system. I typically use my iPad to stream music to the Emotiva which drives the Boxem Arthur which ends up having more than enough power for my KEF LS50 Metas which are crossed over at ~90Hz between them and the KEF KC62 sub. The Emotiva started off as a short term solution since it has a DAC and integrated amp. Long term I'll swap it out but for now it works well. Next round of spending will be on room treatment before I play with the electronics.

Emotiva BasX TA1 - $599
Boxem Arthur 4215/E2 - $1485
KEF LS50 Meta - $1600 (these are now on sale)
KEF KC62 - $1500
Stands - $300
 
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