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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

JRob1125

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Joined
Sep 11, 2022
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Yamaha R-S700: $500
Onkyo C-7030: $180
Auris BluMe HD: $110
Schitt Modi 3+: $100
U-Turn Orbit Plus (AT95SLC upgrade): $370
Teac W-890R: $220

Blue Jeans LC-1 RCA Cable (6 pair): $160
Blue Jeans Optical Cable: $12
Blue Jeans HDMI Cable: $15
Blue Jeans Composite Cable: $68
Blue Jeans Speaker Cable: $37

Polk Signature Series S-50 (pair): $500
 
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Mart68

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Mar 22, 2021
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England
Speakers and amplification I bought second hand so were a lot cheaper than what they cost new. So actual spend was about $2.5K

If I took the price when new and adjusted for inflation would be more like $15K
 

Capitol C

Active Member
Joined
May 21, 2021
Messages
164
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189
Location
Washington, DC
Here's what I've spent on my main system:
Yamaha CD 600 CD player $330 in 2015
Yamaha RS 700 Receiver $500 in 2015
Thorens TD 328 MK II Turntable $450 in 1989
Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge $100 in 2015
Topping D10s DAC $104 in 2017
Raspberry Pi Server $40 in 2021
GoldenEar Triton 2+ Speakers $3710 in 2017
TOTAL $5234
All cables are basic, including zip cord for speaker connections.

One point of this list is to recommend the speakers, and they are now $1500 cheaper than they were in 2017. I'd also say that Yamaha amplifiers and receivers are very good and compete with much more expensive stuff on specs.

I have a home-brew digital storage system where FLAC files derived from CDs are on OneDrive. They are accessed via the Raspberry Pi talking to a domain that I bought so I can play the files from anywhere. I don't recommend this for someone who isn't slightly demented.

Here's what I've spent on my main system:
Yamaha CD 600 CD player $330 in 2015
Yamaha RS 700 Receiver $500 in 2015
Thorens TD 328 MK II Turntable $450 in 1989
Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge $100 in 2015
Topping D10s DAC $104 in 2017
Raspberry Pi Server $40 in 2021
GoldenEar Triton 2+ Speakers $3710 in 2017
TOTAL $5234
All cables are basic, including zip cord for speaker connections.

One point of this list is to recommend the speakers, and they are now $1500 cheaper than they were in 2017. I'd also say that Yamaha amplifiers and receivers are very good and compete with much more expensive stuff on specs.

I have a home-brew digital storage system where FLAC files derived from CDs are on OneDrive. They are accessed via the Raspberry Pi talking to a domain that I bought so I can play the files from anywhere. I don't recommend this for someone who isn't slightly demented.
I just realized that I made a mistake in this post. The new price on the GoldenEar Triton 2+ speakers is actually higher by $1790. In my original post, I compared the 2017 price per pair to the current price per unit. Yikes!
Here's what I've spent on my main system:
Yamaha CD 600 CD player $330 in 2015
Yamaha RS 700 Receiver $500 in 2015
Thorens TD 328 MK II Turntable $450 in 1989
Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge $100 in 2015
Topping D10s DAC $104 in 2017
Raspberry Pi Server $40 in 2021
GoldenEar Triton 2+ Speakers $3710 in 2017
TOTAL $5234
All cables are basic, including zip cord for speaker connections.

One point of this list is to recommend the speakers, and they are now $1500 cheaper than they were in 2017. I'd also say that Yamaha amplifiers and receivers are very good and compete with much more expensive stuff on specs.

I have a home-brew digital storage system where FLAC files derived from CDs are on OneDrive. They are accessed via the Raspberry Pi talking to a domain that I bought so I can play the files from anywhere. I don't recommend this for someone who isn't slightly demented.
I just realized that I made a mistake on the original post, and can't figure out how to edit it out. I guess it isn't 1984. Anyway, the price of my speaker is higher by $1790, not lower by $1500. I compared the pair price in 2017 to the current single-speaker price by mistake. Yikes!
 

Skifaster

Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2021
Messages
10
Likes
11
SMSL M500 MKII $440
JBL 580 $650
Bluesound Node 2i $ 420 used
Bluejeans speak cables $130
Monoprice xlr cable $20
Buckeye 252 $420 used
Very happy with sound at the moment, coming in at $2080, funny I never added this up before
 

Plcamp

Addicted to Fun and Learning
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Jul 6, 2020
Messages
860
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1,315
Location
Ottawa
UPSTAIRS SYSTEM

Paradigm Studio 100 v5 @ $2,500 [used]
E30 DAC @ $200
Adcom 535II @180 [used]

Total less than $3,000 CAD

DOWNSTAIRS SYSTEM

Trio 15 open baffles @$4,500
Paradigm sub @ $ 650
Yamaha surround receiver @ $1,500 rxa3030
Hafler xl280 amp @ 200 [used]

Total about $7,000 CAD

I just use smart TV’s as source now.
 

HarmonicTHD

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… more than I like to admit. … ;-)

But hey. As we learned over and over …. Price does not correlate to sound quality in Hi-Fi.
 

GXAlan

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Retail is not what I paid.

2CH setup
1980 Linn LP12/Valhalla/Monster Sigma 2000 MC ~$3500
2008 Marantz SA-11s2 SACD player ~$3500
2015 Marantz PM-10 integrated amp ~$9000
1990 JBL XPL90 ~$1600
 

steve59

Major Contributor
Joined
Dec 18, 2019
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726
I think it is a good post to find who the currend ASR member is and how much they value their listening experience. Many of us don't go very deep into the law of diminishing returns of audio and this thread pinpoints things.
 

gumblag

Member
Joined
May 17, 2022
Messages
27
Likes
37
Location
The Netherlands
I just finished changing my stereo HiFi system. Brand, Model, - Description, Retail prices (year of purchase).

Novatron Cocktail Audio X-45 - DAC, Streamer, Pre-Amp €2200 (2021)
Mini DSP SHD - DAC, Streamer, Pre-Amp, DSP € 1600 (2022)
Audiophonics HPA s400 ET Purifi - Power Amp €1600 (2022)
KEF R7 - Passive speakers € 2500 (2022)
SVS 3000 Micro - Active Sub-woofer €1099 (2022)
Mogami 3103 - 2 x 3m speaker cables with banana plugs €130 (2020)
Oehlbach DN 113 DI 50 - COAX patch cable SPDIF €15 (2022)
Topping XLR - Interconnects: Balanced cables 4x75 cm €156 (2022)
Oehlbach 20565 - Cinch Audio Y-Kabel [2X Cinch- 1xCinch] 5M. €50 (2021)

The TV is connected to the Mini DSP SHD, while my computer, at the other end of the room, is connected to a digital/analogue mixer, the Behringer X18R, which is connected to the X-45 via RCA cables using two monitor outputs of the mixer. The mains of the mixer are connected to two Kali LP 6 active monitors, standing on my desk.

I might spend some money to room treatment in the future, but for now I consider my mission completed.
 
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Wolf

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Nov 21, 2020
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Location
Indiana
Some items are older, some items are newer, I just went with original retail cost.
 

GXAlan

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I think it is a good post to find who the currend ASR member is and how much they value their listening experience. Many of us don't go very deep into the law of diminishing returns of audio and this thread pinpoints things.

Not sure I understand what you mean by value listening experience? There are clearly diminishing returns once you go beyond an iPhone dongle plus $50 headphone, but part of the fun is getting something that gives you n+1 experience, backed by actual numbers.
 

chips666

Active Member
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Dec 26, 2019
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157
Location
Belgium Antwerp area
Plus 4000 euro
Items new or second hand
:)
 

pablolie

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bay area, ca
...does the OP mean how much it was MSRP (aka new in store) or how much it'd be worth if you sold it now? That's always a very sobering calculation... :)
 

oleg87

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2022
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540
Location
California
Currently... Denon AVR-X3700H as amp, DIY Philharmonic BMRs on stereo duty, raspberry PI NAS as music server (or more often I just airplay it from streaming services to the AVR from my iphone... no doubt some fidelity loss there, but eh, it's convenient), nameless cheapo cables for everything... probably a few hundred dollars north of $3000 + god knows how many hours of my labor trying to get a tolerable finish on those speakers. As far as my audiophile pretentions go, I really only care about the speakers + room/headphones, most modern gear upstream of that is "good enough" for my needs.
 
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Galliardist

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Sydney. NSW, Australia
I'm glad to see most of you spent less than I did. Well done.
 
OP
Talisman

Talisman

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This argument also makes me reflect on the distribution of the budget among the various components.
an old school of audiophile thinking, handed down from father to son in oral form, continues to argue that more should be spent on the equipment upstream of the signal because "we must try not to alter the source first of all".
I have always rebelled against this thought, my objection goes something like this:

Both have 3000 euros.

You spend 1000 for the source (a streamer) 1000 for a preamp, 700 for a power amp and 300 for the speakers (elac debut 6.2)

I buy a nobsound amplifier of 100 + 100 4ohm, with an integrated bluetooth module and I transmit from Amazon music to a pair of speakers from 2800 euros (Focal Aria 936)
In my opinion my result is better.
 

Elitzur–Vaidman

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You spend 1000 for the source (a streamer) 1000 for a preamp, 700 for a power amp and 300 for the speakers (elac debut 6.2)

I buy a nobsound amplifier of 100 + 100 4ohm, with an integrated bluetooth module and I transmit from Amazon music to a pair of speakers from 2800 euros (Focal Aria 936)
In my opinion my result is better.
I started off my misinformed audio journey with headphones and bought into the whole "get the best source you can to not color your sound," so my DAC costs more than the rest of my setup. On the positive side, I'll probably never have to upgrade it.
Topping D70s - $650
JBL Studio 580 - $250+$299 (got one with a very slightly damaged cabinet)
Aiyima A07 - $75
Total - $1274
 

OldHvyMec

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I hope spouses don't see this thread!

She's the problem. She wanted a TT just like her Dad and Uncle Frank had when she was a little girl. She really liked his speakers too.
Garrard 301 and Jensen Imperials. She really liked the Jaguar Red on Carys valve gear too. They used Marantz valve gear.
8K for the plinth build, TT being tricked out, dual tonearms, Mono, Stereo. I owned the Garrard 301 and 401 from the 70s.
35K for the speaker builds, (just cabinets), XO and drivers. I had to finish the build.
6.5k Cary SLP-05
6K Cary V12Rs X 2
1K Sony 777 SACD
2.5K Herron vtph-2a (just swapped with a Decware Phono and moved it to a dedicated reel to reel)
750-1k for great cables including two tonearms
300.00 20A/20A (2) dedicated # 12 Romex. I did the work.
3K Acoustic treatment. I did the work.
500.00 Tripp Lite 2400 X 2. I reduced the transformer noise by 90% on 5 units. Good units but noisy. Silicone (1 tube per unit).
1.2K Butcherblock equipment rack (s)
1K vibration control.
2K GR 12" OB servos X2
(MORE)

Total. A lot. (option A)

Option B: Divorce Lawyer and settlement. 2 million.

Option C. Learn to love music and go with option A.

Note: I use a transistor radio in the shop and I just dusted off the Victrola for Christmas. The Victrola was FREE. The Radio I paid 12.00 for.
The 78s were inherited. My grandson winds up the Victrola, he works for cookies. :)
 
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