Much discussion concerning equipment cost inspires this survey...
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System costs... How much do you have invested in your primary music system?
- Thread starter TLEDDY
- Start date
How much money do you have invested in this "hobby?"
Corresponding with various people on this thread has we wondering how much people have invested on their current main system. I'm talking about how much all the components currently in use in your main system cost you. Not how much you've spent on this hobby over the years. (That could be...
audiosciencereview.com
OP
- Thread Starter
- #3
Thanks! Was not aware of the earlier poll...it will be interesting to compare the two after several years.How much money do you have invested in this "hobby?"
Corresponding with various people on this thread has we wondering how much people have invested on their current main system. I'm talking about how much all the components currently in use in your main system cost you. Not how much you've spent on this hobby over the years. (That could be...
I only put the cost of my primary system and not (!) the cumulative price of all since the 1950s.
The forum has about twice the membership now as well.
Sgt. Ear Ache
Major Contributor
I'm not sure how I'd classify my "primary" music system.
If we're talking about my "serious" loudspeaker set up then it would be this:
Laptop (about $800 five or so years ago but used for all sorts of stuff not just music)
Topping D10 DAC (about $120 iirc?)
Yamaha R-S202BL Amp (paid $200 a few years back but now seems to be selling for $279)
Elac DBR-62 speakers ($699)
so $1800 including the laptop...that's Canadian dollars.
However, as far as actual use goes I listen to my headphone rig more so that would be:
Laptop
Topping E30 DAC (about $150?)
Schiit Heresy amp ($200?)
Hifiman HE400i headphones ($350 at the time)
So about $1500 there.
If we're talking about my "serious" loudspeaker set up then it would be this:
Laptop (about $800 five or so years ago but used for all sorts of stuff not just music)
Topping D10 DAC (about $120 iirc?)
Yamaha R-S202BL Amp (paid $200 a few years back but now seems to be selling for $279)
Elac DBR-62 speakers ($699)
so $1800 including the laptop...that's Canadian dollars.
However, as far as actual use goes I listen to my headphone rig more so that would be:
Laptop
Topping E30 DAC (about $150?)
Schiit Heresy amp ($200?)
Hifiman HE400i headphones ($350 at the time)
So about $1500 there.
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Kevbaz
Active Member
My system is pretty low budget at moment 
MacBook + Qobuz)——low cost usb cable———Hidizs S8——-Sennheiser HD660s
The MacBook I use for many things so I don’t include that in cost, so it’s £13 per month for Qobuz, £4 for usb cable, about £80 for Hidizs DAC then around £400 for the HD6660s headphones
I’m pretty pleased with my system but always looking to improve if possible.
Kevin
MacBook + Qobuz)——low cost usb cable———Hidizs S8——-Sennheiser HD660s
The MacBook I use for many things so I don’t include that in cost, so it’s £13 per month for Qobuz, £4 for usb cable, about £80 for Hidizs DAC then around £400 for the HD6660s headphones
I’m pretty pleased with my system but always looking to improve if possible.
Kevin
It all depends who is asking.
Koloth
Active Member
preamp/Dac: approx. 400$
poweramp: approx. 1000$
speakers: approx. 7000$
various headphones: approx. 1000$
poweramp: approx. 1000$
speakers: approx. 7000$
various headphones: approx. 1000$
My current downstairs living room system includes, for instance (one of seven systems in the house):
Fully restored Kenwood KA-3500 integrated amp - $225 used
ADS L520 speakers - $80 used
Monoprice speaker stands for height - $60
Sony UHP-H1 universal disc player - $90 used
Yamaha 1980s direct drive automatic turntable - $30 used
AT95e cartridge - $50 (plan to upgrade eventually to a microline stylus, like my upstairs system)
Logitech bluetooth receiver - $30
JVC auto-reverse cassette (I forget the model #) - $200 (bought this one new, long long ago)
+ Various DACs I can swap in if use direct line from PC (Spotify) rather than PC to bluetooth or Phone to bluetooth
Fully restored Kenwood KA-3500 integrated amp - $225 used
ADS L520 speakers - $80 used
Monoprice speaker stands for height - $60
Sony UHP-H1 universal disc player - $90 used
Yamaha 1980s direct drive automatic turntable - $30 used
AT95e cartridge - $50 (plan to upgrade eventually to a microline stylus, like my upstairs system)
Logitech bluetooth receiver - $30
JVC auto-reverse cassette (I forget the model #) - $200 (bought this one new, long long ago)
+ Various DACs I can swap in if use direct line from PC (Spotify) rather than PC to bluetooth or Phone to bluetooth
I'm at somewhat over $5K, but that's with just about everything bought second-hand. I had to buy it second-hand, because I wanted an old-school analog "stereo" in a lot of ways.
Speakers: Revel Concerta F12 towers: $700
Amps: B&K Reference 125.2 (two of them, biwired just because I had two of them): $600 (soon to be replaced by a single NC502MP amp from Buckeye, if it goes as planned)
Preamp: Adcom GFP-565: $325 (need its gain for my sources into the Hypex amp)
PEQ: Yamaha YDP2006: $125 (a steal!) (in processor loop of preamp)
DAC (for computer): MuFi V90: $250 (bought new) (in Tape 2 loop of preamp)
DAC (for CD transport): Topping E30: $130 (bought new)
ADC: Benchmark ADC-1 USB: $600 (in Tape 2 loop of preamp)
Sources:
Thorens TD-166II turntable, as restored by me: $600
Music Hall Cruise Control 2 (for fine speed control): $200
Audio Technica AT440MLa cartridge: $250 (bought as NOS)
Nakamichi BX-300 cassette deck: $300
Teac A4300 R2R deck as restored by me: $500
Niles Audio TSB-3 Tape Loop Multiplier (in Tape 1 loop of preamp, serves decks above): $50
Carver TX-11a tuner: $300
Cambridge Audio CXC CD transport (to Topping DAC): $250
Naim CD5 CD player: $750
HP cheapie Win10 laptop from Best Buy, running Vinyl Studio, Music Bee, Presonus DAW, Exact Audio Copy, and : $275
Headphone stuff (all bought new):
Amp (for no particular reason, the HP output of the Adcom isn't that bad): JDS Labs Atom: $100
Headphones: AKG K371, Koss Pro4S: $130, $100
Headphones: Sennheiser RD185 wireless headphones (using the optical output of the ADC because that's what I had left): $185
Interconnects (all of them, including 12-gauge copper speaker wire): $200 (maybe that much)
This stuff would have cost a whole lot more had I bought it when it was all new--something in the range of $15K in actual dollars.
(I attach my home recording stuff to this system--an Audio-Technica AT-822 stereo mike and a Presonus Studio 24C external interface, but I'm not including that in the total.)
Rick "don't tell my wife" Denney
Speakers: Revel Concerta F12 towers: $700
Amps: B&K Reference 125.2 (two of them, biwired just because I had two of them): $600 (soon to be replaced by a single NC502MP amp from Buckeye, if it goes as planned)
Preamp: Adcom GFP-565: $325 (need its gain for my sources into the Hypex amp)
PEQ: Yamaha YDP2006: $125 (a steal!) (in processor loop of preamp)
DAC (for computer): MuFi V90: $250 (bought new) (in Tape 2 loop of preamp)
DAC (for CD transport): Topping E30: $130 (bought new)
ADC: Benchmark ADC-1 USB: $600 (in Tape 2 loop of preamp)
Sources:
Thorens TD-166II turntable, as restored by me: $600
Music Hall Cruise Control 2 (for fine speed control): $200
Audio Technica AT440MLa cartridge: $250 (bought as NOS)
Nakamichi BX-300 cassette deck: $300
Teac A4300 R2R deck as restored by me: $500
Niles Audio TSB-3 Tape Loop Multiplier (in Tape 1 loop of preamp, serves decks above): $50
Carver TX-11a tuner: $300
Cambridge Audio CXC CD transport (to Topping DAC): $250
Naim CD5 CD player: $750
HP cheapie Win10 laptop from Best Buy, running Vinyl Studio, Music Bee, Presonus DAW, Exact Audio Copy, and : $275
Headphone stuff (all bought new):
Amp (for no particular reason, the HP output of the Adcom isn't that bad): JDS Labs Atom: $100
Headphones: AKG K371, Koss Pro4S: $130, $100
Headphones: Sennheiser RD185 wireless headphones (using the optical output of the ADC because that's what I had left): $185
Interconnects (all of them, including 12-gauge copper speaker wire): $200 (maybe that much)
This stuff would have cost a whole lot more had I bought it when it was all new--something in the range of $15K in actual dollars.
(I attach my home recording stuff to this system--an Audio-Technica AT-822 stereo mike and a Presonus Studio 24C external interface, but I'm not including that in the total.)
Rick "don't tell my wife" Denney
Robin L
Major Contributor
Speakers: a/d/s 400e, yard sale, $20
Amp: Yamaha 5.1 AVR [Model RX-V461], thrift store, $50
Sub: Sonance Son of Sub, thrift store, $50
Sources: Topping E30 [$130, Amazon] connected to
Pre/Headphone amp: Topping L30 [$150, Amazon]
Sony Blu-Ray [BDP-BX57], thrift store, $7 [remote $10, Amazon]
Acer Aspire 5 laptop [$350, Amazon] with music on a perma-mini 512 GB flash drive [B + H, $80]
Drop 6XX headphones [$220]
AKG K371 headphones [B + H, $120]
Fidelio X2HR headphones [B + H, $150]
Interconnects, various, around $50 [my Monster interconnects were usually $3 a pop at Amvets].
Total: $1387
Amp: Yamaha 5.1 AVR [Model RX-V461], thrift store, $50
Sub: Sonance Son of Sub, thrift store, $50
Sources: Topping E30 [$130, Amazon] connected to
Pre/Headphone amp: Topping L30 [$150, Amazon]
Sony Blu-Ray [BDP-BX57], thrift store, $7 [remote $10, Amazon]
Acer Aspire 5 laptop [$350, Amazon] with music on a perma-mini 512 GB flash drive [B + H, $80]
Drop 6XX headphones [$220]
AKG K371 headphones [B + H, $120]
Fidelio X2HR headphones [B + H, $150]
Interconnects, various, around $50 [my Monster interconnects were usually $3 a pop at Amvets].
Total: $1387
deweydm
Member
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2021
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Infinity RS-5000 speakers -$120
Speaker re foam kit - ~$30
Yamaha Natural Sound A-700 amp - $120
Schiit Modi 3+ DAC - $120
Toslink switch - $15
Sony CDP-CE335 CD player - $7
Apple TV 3 - $20
Tecnics SL-1700 turntable - $277
Audio Technica VM540ML/H head shell and cart - $312
Parks Audio Puffin phono DSP - $536
So almost $1600, with about 70% on the vinyl setup alone. Went from a JVC p-mount table and Grado Black cart using the phono stage on the Yamaha to the above recently. Expensive going from good to great sound with vinyl, but I probably spend nearly 70% of my dedicated listening time with records, so….
Speaker re foam kit - ~$30
Yamaha Natural Sound A-700 amp - $120
Schiit Modi 3+ DAC - $120
Toslink switch - $15
Sony CDP-CE335 CD player - $7
Apple TV 3 - $20
Tecnics SL-1700 turntable - $277
Audio Technica VM540ML/H head shell and cart - $312
Parks Audio Puffin phono DSP - $536
So almost $1600, with about 70% on the vinyl setup alone. Went from a JVC p-mount table and Grado Black cart using the phono stage on the Yamaha to the above recently. Expensive going from good to great sound with vinyl, but I probably spend nearly 70% of my dedicated listening time with records, so….
I can't answer the question and don't want to know. In terms of cumulative, it's well off the scale. And current system doesn't count either because it changes so often.
That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
MattHooper
Major Contributor
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2019
- Messages
- 4,777
- Likes
- 7,783
The affrontery of this question!
You should know that the expense of an audiophile’s system is a card held closely to his chest, both out of shame and self defense. As the meme goes: the audiophile is less worried about dying than he is his wife finally finding out what his gear cost.
Tell me how much your wife weighs, and I’ll tell you how much my system is worth.
You should know that the expense of an audiophile’s system is a card held closely to his chest, both out of shame and self defense. As the meme goes: the audiophile is less worried about dying than he is his wife finally finding out what his gear cost.
Tell me how much your wife weighs, and I’ll tell you how much my system is worth.
holbob
Active Member
Streamer - 80quid approx with case
Dac/eq - 300quid
Amp - 250 quid
Sub - 350 quid
Speakers - 410 quid
Speaker stands - 100 quid
Cables - 100 quid approx
Converts to around $2200.
Dac/eq - 300quid
Amp - 250 quid
Sub - 350 quid
Speakers - 410 quid
Speaker stands - 100 quid
Cables - 100 quid approx
Converts to around $2200.
CD transport and DAC -£600 - both bought new
Pre-amp - £175 - DIY. bought used off the builder for the cost of the parts.
Power amp - £900 bought used
Speakers £425 bought used.
Total about $2800 USD at today's exchange rates.
Only problem is I spent about 10 times that buying loads of equipment that eventually distilled down to that system. But it was mostly bought used so I can always sell it and get most of that money back.
Pre-amp - £175 - DIY. bought used off the builder for the cost of the parts.
Power amp - £900 bought used
Speakers £425 bought used.
Total about $2800 USD at today's exchange rates.
Only problem is I spent about 10 times that buying loads of equipment that eventually distilled down to that system. But it was mostly bought used so I can always sell it and get most of that money back.
fffffgggg54
Member
2-channel: Anedio D2 (used $500) - Stewart Audio PA-50B (used $30) - Klipsch Quartet (used $350)
Headphone: Anedio D2 (used $500) - HD6xx (new $200)
Headphone: Anedio D2 (used $500) - HD6xx (new $200)
My primary system is my living room tv setup.
• Denon 1713, paid $50-$75
• Infinity R263/RC263/RS152, paid $750
• PSA S1500, paid $600
• Klipsch sub-12, paid $100
Not my most expensive setup though, one pair of towers I own I paid pretty much the cost of my primary setup put together (which still isn’t expensive, ~$1500).
• Denon 1713, paid $50-$75
• Infinity R263/RC263/RS152, paid $750
• PSA S1500, paid $600
• Klipsch sub-12, paid $100
Not my most expensive setup though, one pair of towers I own I paid pretty much the cost of my primary setup put together (which still isn’t expensive, ~$1500).
