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Spending big bucks on HiFi Audio
- Thread starter CleanSound
- Start date
Prices seem to rise to whatever level people will pay. I remember when 84 month loans first started being a thing and seemed insane. One of the streaming channels runs ads for local dealerships and they keep popping up with stuff for $60K to $80K. Figuring if the average is $50K then given the number that are still available for $25K that means a lot have to be selling for over.
I wonder if a lot of people are rolling over their negative equity on their current car into their new car again.
Ron Texas
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Hi new car prices are due to several factors. One is general inflation, second is regulatory requirements for safety and emissions, there is still a post COVID supply chain problem. What we have is an economy with good metrics like low unemployment with the middle class being crushed by high prices.
MattHooper
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I’ve spent a lot on my audio gear over the years. But I sure as hell didn’t spend my hard-earned money for somebody else and what they think! I spent it to please myself.
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It's weird because most normal people are getting crushed by inflation, while those with investments in the stock market have never been doing better. Nvidia is over 200% up since last year and the S&P 500 is growing super fast!
There’s a recent thread on Headfi linked to here where the forum poster details his attempt to buy a Sennheiser HE1 flagship headphone but it wasn’t as easy as he figured buying direct from sennheiser . He eventually found one on the used market, if you can read through 6 pages he shows his other hifi gear, including $30,000 equipment racks 
MattHooper
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The type of shortfall JA measures in some of these expensive amps - performance way below their claimed powered ratings, really pisses me off.
To me it’s one of the most valuable aspects of measuring such gear.
All that adds to it. But there are still new options that can haul a family of 5 in the mid $20,000 range. They just aren't like riding around in a luxury jet, the kids might have to sit next to each other in the same row and the neighbors won't be that impressed.
The lots around here are getting full again and some have some decent markdowns. Used car prices are even dropping some, the ones I've watched are about halfway between where they were when it hit the fan and where they topped out.
People seem to have a really hard time passing up all the fancy stuff. Only a couple decades ago, manufactures sold base models without A/C or radios for people that were willing to do without those. Remember hand crank windows? Manual mirrors? Now people have to have the self opening/closing powered hatches, 18 speakers, cooled seats, heated steering wheels, power seats with memory...
I've run into the same thing when pricing out cars. I start out thinking "That's not a bad price" but then when I pick the trim level that has the good stereo, and the other stuff I want it is $10,000 more than the starting price. The only difference is at that point I go "Sheesh", close the website and go back to driving my car.
Westsounds
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Yep, brainwashing, marketing BS, and being a luxury piece of consumer goods. There’s no need for it really other than our own personal indulgences. And something from your local Curry’s is more than sufficient really for listening to recorded music or radio. But no as with everything we go too far. And it’s a typical man thing as well, that’s not saying women don’t indulge but generally it’s us blokes.
Holmz
Major Contributor
The Mrs said she did not like the look of the old one, and thought silver looked better…
Who needs 18 speakers and a self-opening trunk anyway? Good to hear there are still decent mid-range options for families out there, even if they're not luxury SUVs. Used market seems to be cooling down too, which is a plus. People gotta resist all the bells and whistles sometimes! Back in the day, cars didn't have half this stuff and we survived just fine
I have spent ridiculous amounts on my systems over the years. I started out spending half my college loans on audio equipment and have pretty much continued along those lines as my financial situation has improved. None of my friends were ever impressed... I'm pretty sure they thought it was a peculiar passion but they accepted me as a friend anyway.
I don't drive an SUV, I actually strongly dislike those massive cumbersome beasts even as they have improved their fuel economy, power, and handling. That said, my car does have 16 speakers and a self opening trunk... I didn't buy the car for either feature, but the sound is quite good and when my hands are full, waving my foot under the rear bumper to open the trunk is pretty darned convenient.
Give me back the day when I could buy a work pickup truck. Stick shift that never fails, crank window, no giant laptop in
the middle of the dash, cameras all around, side vehicle detection with lights in the mirrors, etc, etc, etc. I don't need all that crap. If God Forbid my 20 yo pickup should be totalled, I'll go the next Mecum auction and buy a sweet restomod 1950-60s car or pickup. $70k for a rolling computer, no thanks.
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Roland68
Major Contributor
Many people spend $/€150,000 on smoking in their lifetime.
Many people spend $/€80,000 to $160,000 on drinking in their lifetime.
Many women spend over $/€120,000 on cosmetics, hairdressers, nail salons and beauty salons in their lifetime.
Many women and some men spend $/€more than $240,000 a month on clothing and shoes.
Many people spend over $/€100,000 on sweets and sweetened drinks in their lifetime.
Many people spend over $/€90,000 on decoration and kitsch in their lifetime.
Many people spend at least $/€250,000 on cars in their lifetime.
Many people spend $/€120,000 - $180,000 on coffee to go in their lifetime.
Many people spend over $/€ 40,000 - 100,000 on gambling in their lifetime.
The list is much longer, but which of these do you really need to live? And I'm only talking about people with normal salaries, nothing five-figure or anything like that.
None of these are essential to life and some of them even shorten your life.
So why shouldn't you spend your money on a nice hi-fi system and music? A very large proportion of people waste it on things that are not essential to life.
And I'll tell you the biggest secret at the end:
The last shirt has no pockets...
Many people spend $/€80,000 to $160,000 on drinking in their lifetime.
Many women spend over $/€120,000 on cosmetics, hairdressers, nail salons and beauty salons in their lifetime.
Many women and some men spend $/€more than $240,000 a month on clothing and shoes.
Many people spend over $/€100,000 on sweets and sweetened drinks in their lifetime.
Many people spend over $/€90,000 on decoration and kitsch in their lifetime.
Many people spend at least $/€250,000 on cars in their lifetime.
Many people spend $/€120,000 - $180,000 on coffee to go in their lifetime.
Many people spend over $/€ 40,000 - 100,000 on gambling in their lifetime.
The list is much longer, but which of these do you really need to live? And I'm only talking about people with normal salaries, nothing five-figure or anything like that.
None of these are essential to life and some of them even shorten your life.
So why shouldn't you spend your money on a nice hi-fi system and music? A very large proportion of people waste it on things that are not essential to life.
And I'll tell you the biggest secret at the end:
The last shirt has no pockets...
Justdafactsmaam
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Reminds of the joke about the old prospector who hit the mother load and went through his fortune in two weeks. When asked how he spent it he said I spent one third on women, one third on drinking and wasted the other third
And don't get me wrong, those things are great and if someone wants and can afford them then, enjoy.
What gets me is I've read several 'news' articles talking about how cars are getting so expensive that people can't afford them anymore where they quote someone that complains that they had to take out such a long loan to be able to buy the $58,000 the car they wanted.
D2013
Major Contributor
Those are the compensating people I was talking about!
Around here compensators are usually:
- Guys driving jacked up pickup trucks (Ram, Silverado, F-150), that have never seen even a few feet of dirt, mud, or gravel!
- trophy wives or stay at home moms with massive suvs (Wagoneer, Navigator, Tahoe, Escalade, Yukon, Suburban) they can barely drive.
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The real problem, in my opinion, is today's need for instant gratification. I've had a functional car ever since I turned 16, but I never bought the car that I wanted until I could pay cash. I don't count this as a virtue so much as good sense. Why pay usurers if you don't have to? Enjoy the anticipation of deferred pleasure. I don't think I've ever made a hi-fi purchase that I didn't first obsess over for a year or more. Again not a virtue. I enjoyed learning about what was possible and discovering what I really wanted - far better than bankrupting myself buying the first really shiny object... over and over and over...
Holmz
Major Contributor
If you inadvertently run some over, will the trunk open when their foot passes by the sensor?
