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Spending big bucks on HiFi Audio

Seems like we've gone far off-topic.
 
Symbol In My Driveway
Jack Johnson
I've got a symbol in my driveway
I've got a hundred million dollar friends
I've got you a brand new weapon l
Lets see how destructive we can be

I got a brand new set of stencils
I been connecting all the dots
Got my plans in a zip lock bag
Lets see how unproductive we can be

I got a light bulb full of anger
And I can switch it on and off
In situations it can be so bright
I can't believe, how pathetic we can be

I got a perfect set of blue prints
I'm gonna build somebody else
Might cost a little more than money
But whats man without his wealth

I got a phosphorescent secret
But don't you tell nobody else
Next thing you know
The whole world will be talking
About all the clues they got
They just aint no use
They got fooled

My feeling is that an Audiophile is a person that enjoys listening to good quality music, and does the research to find the best value for their budget.
Further I believe all couples should agree on high-ticket purchases. It shows respect.

Status symbols? Trying to instill envy in others? I don't get it.
 
Sal1950 said:
1. That's what good riding glasses are for with zero vision restriction. AFAIK, all states require vision protection to be worn.

2. Completely opposite of my 60+ years on 2 wheels.


What the NHTSA can't give you are any numbers on the accidents that didn't happen in helmet law free states because the rider could see and hear what was going on around him. Or the numbers that did happen cause a mandatory helmeted rider couldn't see and hear what was going on around him.
Just like auto drivers, we all have and pay for our insurance and the cost is reflected in the real world liability numbers.

Thankfully the lawmakers in 32 of US 50 states have sided on the solid information presented them to ,
Let Those Who Ride Decide.
Click to expand...

There’s a picture of a smiling young women on the dresser in our bedroom. My wife’s best friend, Nancy. Nancy and I were close friends before I ever dated my wife too. Nancy was riding on the back of her husband’s motorcycle. Both helmetless. They got in an accident. Not too serious seeming. He walked away, she died. Because her head had hit a parked car. There isn’t a time when I notice her photograph I don’t wish she had been wearing a helmet.

She was a grown up. She made her choices. I’m not saying it shouldn’t have been her choice. But wear a helmet, eh.
 
Lets please get back on-topic. ;)
Thanks
 
CleanSound said:
This topic came up few time on other threads.

Why is it not acceptable by our society (and wives) to spend big bucks on HiFi audio (or any other lesser practiced hobbies) when it is acceptable to spend $75k on a new car or have second car as a hobby car?

Is it because HiFi is an obscure luxury? Is it because societal standards brained washed us? Is it because the hobby has been tainted with snake oil?

How much have you spent on this HiFi hobby over your life time? How much do you spend on average an year? Will you ever reach your end game and stop upgrading? How do you deal with your wife/gf/partner when it comes to HiFi spending?
Click to expand...
I think it's because a lot of people don't know what good sound (inasmuch as they haven't really experienced it) and/or they couldn't care less about it, they're not interested in it. There's people that enjoy music just as is without any thought to the playback devices, they just focus on the music. And then there's people that don't even care about music. So our hobby is is probably not understood by a large section of the population. And we ourselves even know that there are audiophiles that care about good sound and their gear and their music, but yet sometimes they know nothing about audio and go in for all the snake oil products and still don't get good sound. So the percentage of people that really understand audio and good sound is really quite small - so they just don't understand our obsession on it. (That's not to say that people won't recognise good sound when they hear it, because let's face it the Harman Research was all about using the public in studies and people do recognise good sound, just people aren't exposed to it or are not interested in it.). Large sections of the population would not understand our fascination.
 
In another forum I belong to, a member just mentioned buying an $83,000 preamp. Which I personally find a little disgusting as far as spending money goes. But it's not my money. Nor will I ever have that much to throw away on one stereo item.
 
JimBean said:
In another forum I belong to, a member just mentioned buying an $83,000 preamp. Which I personally find a little disgusting as far as spending money goes. But it's not my money. Nor will I ever have that much to throw away on one stereo item.
Click to expand...
You never know, there is always the lottery. :p
 
JimBean said:
In another forum I belong to, a member just mentioned buying an $83,000 preamp. Which I personally find a little disgusting as far as spending money goes. But it's not my money. Nor will I ever have that much to throw away on one stereo item.
Click to expand...
I don't find it disgusting but I do wonder what benefits they think they are getting over, say, a $2K pre-amp.

Now if they replied 'I know there's none but I just liked the look of it' I'd be fine with that. But that's almost certainly not what they'd say.
 
Mart68 said:
I don't find it disgusting but I do wonder what benefits they think they are getting over, say, a $2K pre-amp.

Now if they replied 'I know there's none but I just liked the look of it' I'd be fine with that. But that's almost certainly not what they'd say.
Click to expand...
Well, he ordered a VAC Statement Line Preamp, in custom silver flake finish, so I'm sure he believes it is totally worth all that money. He also made sure to note that his sister isn't going to get any of his money when he dies. So an all around great guy.
 
JimBean said:
He also made sure to note that his sister isn't going to get any of his money when he dies. So an all around great guy.
Click to expand...
Maybe she bullied him as a kid. LOL

Lord only knows how it measures or sounds but for sure a very expensive component to manufacture.
I'm sure sound quality wise, it can be equaled or surpassed for a couple hundred bucks.

That's one hell of a Volume Control, wow.
"The volume control is a massive one-pound multisection potentiometer some two inches long and nearly two inches in diameter, with machined brass shielding between the sections and against the outside world. This extraordinary part is critical in obtaining the highest fidelity in the world. A custom engineered VAC motor drive system allows the volume to be adjusted by remote control."
 
AaronJ said:
edit: I accept that people are willing to spend exorbitant sums of money on status symbols, but it does not elevate their status in my eyes.
Click to expand...

Here's the secret: people who buy lovely cars don't do it because they care about what other people think. They do it because they precisely don't give a fuck about what other think :)

Speaking of audio spending, I just splurged my biggest amount ever: a 12 K EUR pair of speakers, sold in the US for $16 K USD for whatever reason (when they should be be $13 K instead of $16 K) but I got them for 7500 EUR / 8 000 USD slighlty used (one year old, complete with the boxes / invoices / goodies / etc.).

Hadn't upgraded my stereo in 10 years: old one was a 1 K EUR setup.

Probably won't change these speakers for at least ten years, maybe more. I plan to upgrade the amp at some point though.
 
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GandalfTheAudiofool said:
Here's the secret: people who buy lovely cars don't do it because they care about what other people think. They do it because they precisely don't give a fuck about what other think.
Click to expand...

I don't completely agree with that, it's to simplistic and convenient!

It doesn't matter if it's cars, boats, audio gear, tvs, etc. It's a wide spectrum, on one end you have the people who own stuff and almost no one knows about it, at the other end you have the compensators who spend more time bragging and talking about whatever it is they own than they actually do enjoying it!
 
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