pradike

Lee Scoggins:


I think you are right on. As a fellow Alpharetta resident, you and I seem to agree on most of your perspectives...must be the water.

How much money you can/should/will spend is dependent on your actual perceived value for your investment. One of my neighbors just spent $175,000 finishing their basement and installing a home theater - from a real estate standpoint, not the best investment, in that they actually increased their home value perhaps $75,000. On the other hand, we spent perhaps 1/3 of that for our "improvement" Home Theater. Part of the cost difference came from us willing to do much of the design & planning, whereas the other homeowner did none - relied totally on the contractor.

They saw ours & we saw theirs - and both were very impressed with each others, and felt the investment resulted in excellent results.

With over 15 years of music background as well - my ears are tone sensitive - I can hear someone singing 1/4 tone off in the church choir! That said, I've found you can get excellent audio systems for $10,000 or less if you are willing to do the homework and take the time to LISTEN to them.

As you said, the value is in the person who feels they got the reward for their investment. There is no right or wrong in how much $$$ (if you have it).

Best wishes.

Mark Davenport

Wow I live in alpharetta to, small world

Arthur S

There is a myth that goes something like this: The more you spend on speakers the better. In many cases, better means flat response from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. The problem is that speakers that can manage this trick usually sound horrible. Why do so many of us have subwoofers? I would consider it a waste of money to use a sub that did not audibly add those frequencies under 50Hz. I not only want to hear them, I want to feel them. My subwoofer has made the single biggest improvement in 35 years of listening.

Some people insist that in-room flat response is the holy grail. My answer: Set up your electronics and speakers so they sound best to your ears. You will not be reported to the golden ear society. Also, speaker testers who have actually listened to flat sound report it as very thin in the bass, harsh at the top.

The best sound I have ever heard by a long shot was one that had fantastic imaging and good bass without a sub. Total cost maybe $2,500 for everything.

Artie

Robert McClanahan

Why buy a new Ferrari when you can only drive the speed limit? You might as well get a $10,000 dollar car.Right?I think people buy expensive high end gear, not because it might sound better but because it gives them piece of mind, knowing they have the best.