How much $ do you have tied up in gear- and did you expect to spend that much? (1 Viewer)

I added it up the other day and my Home Theater setup (Denon 4802 reciver, Denon DVD1600MkII DVD player, Sony ES CD Changer and Cassette Deck, Monitor Audio Silver series 7 spkr + subwoofer, Hitachi 57" 16:9 HD compatible TV and some nice cables) cost me close to $10K. This astonished me completely, since I never really intended to spend that much. How much do you have tied up in your gear, and was it planned, or like me, are you the 'accidental audiophile'?

The fact that this happened in my situation demonstrates the effectiveness of the Home Theater press: my decisions were heavily influenced by reviews in various magazines, and often resulted in me spending more money than I had planned on. I'm not complaining, just making the observation. The cost of some of this gear is truly ridiculous: a recent glowing review of a Home Theater speaker system from a well known manufacturer was effusive in its praise - then you get to the little box at the end of the article where they talk about the cost this setup, and it's OVER $20,000! I think it's safe to say that 99% of even Home Theater enthusiasts can't budget that much for loudspeakers.

But of course, I never dreamed I'd have a HT setup that's pusing the $10k mark either, so somewhere I'm sure there's a guy with a couple of dollars more than me marvelling at the fact that he just shelled out 20 large for speakers : ).

$1700, right down to the banana plugs.

Including the LD player!

I'm amazed every day, friends don't know it's so cheap.

SuperOnes / Zeros
BIC ( ! ) Center
SVS DIY
HK AVR110
CLD-S104
Sony DVP-S300
Sony KV-27V42

Looking for a 32"....

$2,600. Right down to the facy gold banana plugs. I was originally thinking more like 1,500.

And I still want more!

Oh yes, I agree with Mary. I had originally budgeted $400-600 for an AVR and spent $1K. Budgeted $1500 for all my speakers and spent $3500 and still need a subwoofer.

Can you see where this is going?

Divorce.

Sadly, over 5k

about 20k CDN after its all said and done and NO i never expected to spend that much..

Craig

now...i'm gonna have to think here.

supratek chardonnay $2400 (on order)
cary audio slm-200 $4500
gershman acoustics avant garde rx-20 $2800
nordost blue heaven ic's & speaker cables $575
nordost moonglo digital ic $65
sony vpl-hs3 $1500
denon avr-3805 $1100
denon dvd-5900 $1800
monster power hts-3500 $225
heartland cables belden 89259 / eichmann ic's $275
salamander synergy triple 20 walnut $800

that's a little over $16k.

full retail for the system is over $23k so i saved a little. but then again, i'm not done. still looking at a to purchase doors for the salamander rack, finish building a htpc for tv viewing and jukebox functionality, and finish my two channel system with a 47 labs shigaraki transport and dac. whew....that's a lot of dough.

kevin t

my current set up cost:

B&W DM605S2's x2, LCR6S2 $3,550
Rotel RSX-1055 $1,170 (I miss my Carver C1000a)
Denon DVD 1600 $420
Rotel RCC-955 $400
Marantz CC-4000OSE $300
H&K Dual Cassette (forget model number) $150
Panasonic 56" HDTV $2200
Lovan Rack $400
Cables and other approx $300

Total $8890

doesn't include the panny rp56 I had to junk. If I kept the carver, it would be about $400 less, I kind of regret that sale. I will say though that the Rotel is more user friendly.

I was trying to keep it in the $5k to $6k range. At first I did, as my receiver was $400 less (I got the Carver for less than $800 from a friend who was an employee at UBID, they still go for $1300 used on ebay, but I sold it at cost to another friend), $200 on the dvd player (difference between my rp56 and my 1600) and $400 on the second cd player and the $400 on the rack which I got later, means i only went $1500 over my original budget, about 25%...

My next purchases will be:
Fronts, $5k range, will have to wait a while on these.
Projector $5k range, will wait for the 720p DLP chips to become cheaper, I have seen the Sharp 9000 for under 5k already, but I rather have new fronts over this, and I am waiting on that.
Stereo or 2 monoblock amps: $1-2.5k range
Universal dvd player.
Possibly a separate scaler if I get the projector, but I doubt it.

I can see this turning into a greater than $20k hobby, but not by the end of 2003, my business is down so much, its stupid that i even consider these things.

My love for audio and video equipment spans about 18 years, thanks to dad. I am now 32. I purchased a Luxman receiver/cd player, Klipsch speakers, and 35" t.v. in 1992, spending about $4800. The Luxman receiver died after the 5 year warranty ran out, and no one could fix it. I still have the Luxman CD player, but 6 months ago I gave the Klipsch speakers to a friend. Why??........

About 12 months ago I began a search for a new 5.1 HT system. I ended up getting an excellent package price on a Paradigm/Anthem system from a local dealer.

Current system:

Anthem AVM20
Anthem MCA50
Paradigm Reference Studio 100's
paradigm Reference Studio ADP's
Paradigm Reference Studio C/C
Paradigm Servo-15
Vampire Interconnects
Analysis Plus Oval 9 speaker wire

Total-$10,500.

Various other purchases over the years:

Lovan Equipment Rack-$600
Panasonic DVD-$250
CD's/DVD's-who knows??

I hope to be purchasing a new display in the next year or so.

All in all I have spent about $17K over the last 10 years, not including software. Enlightening, in a morbid sort of way! I never would have thought I would spend that kind of money on h/t equipment, but getting home after a long days work and putting in a favorite cd or movie is a peaceful thing! I suppose it has been worth it, but where will it end?? I still need that new t.v.!

Say, that Lexicon MC-12 sure looks nice, and I love that finish on the B&W Signature 800's. Hey, I wonder how a Bryston 4B sst would sound with those fronts............

Interesting responses, and thanks. Believe it or not, this hobby pales in comparison to the guitar collecting I used to do. I winnowed my guitar collection down to four electrics and one acoustic, but at one point.... suffice it to say that Home Theater, while pricey, is going to be a lot cheaper in comparison. The price of the better gear is truly staggering in this particular hobby. An acquaintance of mine showed me his stereo setup last year, and he had about $75K invested in it. The speakers were 7' tall : ). His speaker connects were $5,000. It DID sound as if he had the Cleveland Philarmonic in his living room however. Very nice, but worth over $50K??? Not to me, but to each his own. There are plenty of folks who would label the posters on this thread insane for spending the $2K-$10K figures mentioned thus far. The moral of the story is: before you start passing judgement on people's discretionary purchases, consider your own.

I have about $12k invested in my current main setup -- spent over a span of about four years. No, I never imagined that I would spend that much, but I am quite pleased with the results. Also, as unbelievable as it sounds, I have no immediate plans to upgrade anything right now, and that is a first since I started upgrading four years ago.

HK AVR-520_____________________________$514
DIY GR-Research A/V-1 mains_______________$280
DIY Adire 122L sealed Tempest sub__________$320
11 year old Parasound HCA-2200 MK-1 amp___$600 (got it for cost! A friend of mine worked at a local stereo shop!)
11 year old Denon 5 Disc Cd player__________$350
DIY modified Art DI/O DAC_________________$200 (this was a fun one!)
32" Toshiba TV___________________________$320
DIY cables and interconnects_______________$100
DIY room treatment_______________________$150
Cheap Apex 500W DVD from WalMart_________$80
Total for my "2.1" system_________________$2,914
(After the first of the year I will get the following to finish out my 5.1 system)
2 more DIY A/V-1s________________________$280
Gr-Research DIY A/V-C center channel_______$200
Grand total_____________________________$3,394
Not too bad when you consider $900 of the system was purchased over 11 years ago! And the TV would have been purchased even without the HT setup.
Now if you throw in the cost of the tools I purchased along the way to do the DIY, you would have to toss in another grand! But I would have eventually got the router and table saw no matter what!
Ronnie

Over 12K in three years. Looking for the perfect tube preamp to compliment my HT/Music system. Also after I finish my basement/HT I will be on the lookout for a front projector. I have budgeted 3-4K for it (although I dont have the money). Other than that I am not looking to upgrade in the near future....hmmm that last statment sounds very familiar.

I have spent $1825 plus sales tax and a couple extended warranties. And what do I have to show for it:
32" RCA
SVS 25-35 PCi
Marantz SR 4200
Onkyo 5.1 speaker package
Sony DVD
RCA VCR
and a few yards of cables and onterconnects

Is it money well spent? Right now it seems like a good way to spend my cash but the second something goes wrong with my car, I might regret some of it.

Well, I've only been into home theater for just over a year now. Here's what I've spent:

M&K 750THX Select speakers - $2200
Denon 1802 receiver - $400
Denon 1600 DVD player - $400
Xbox(gotta have it) - $400
Panasonic 47" - $1650 after tax
Equipment rack - $275
Cables + connects - $300(conservative guess)

Total - $5625

You know, I'm pretty content with the system the way it is, though my next upgrade, which is a ways off, is going to be some bigger DIY speakers and sub as well as a move to separates. As much as I've spent, I hate to think how much $$$ I could have wasted buying the wrong stuff if it wasn't for this forum. FUN hobby, and the enjoyment from watching film at home more than makes up for the $$$ I've spent. It's worth it!

Hey Yogi, have you looked at the DIY Foreplay preamp. I just ordered mine with all the upgrades for around $300.
My current HT system:
Sony 36" flat screen - 900.00
Parasound HCA-2002II 2 channel amp - 750.00
Parasound HCA-2003A 3 channel amp - 900.00
Marantz AV-550 Pre/Pro - 280.00
Panasonic DVD player - 150.00
Mitsubishi VCR - 450.00
Velodyne 1012 sub - 500.00
Audax DIY mains, center, and rears - 1200.00
Sony SCD-C555ES SACD player - 620.00
Canare DIY Interconnects - 150.00
Total 5900.00
Next year upgrades for new home:
IB Sub in ceiling using 2 15" Tempest drivers, 250watt plate amp, and Behringer feedback destroyer - 600.00
Outlaw ICBM - 250.00
Sony TAP9000ES - 450.00 - For HT and 2/5 channel SACD music
Foreplay Tube Preamp - 300.00 - 2 channel music only
DIY Proac 2.5 clone speakers - 800.00 - 2 channel music only
Total 2400.00
I've found that by building my own speakers I've saved a huge amount of money and gained a huge level of quality as compared to store bought.
I had no idea I have invested this much money until now. Don't tell my wife

Funny, I did this last week and was amazed at the results. I did it two ways though, retail vs. what I actually paid. A small time working for Tweeter, bargaining, and buying some used all resulted in a MUCH lower figure.

Retail/Paid
Main HT/Music System $15,000 / $9,000
Second Music System $2,500 / $1,750

Total $17,500 / $10,750

Software:
CD= $6000 at avg of $13/ea
DVD= $300 at avg of $20/ea

I just got into this whole HT thing so I'm sure the DVD total will climb quickly though I'll probably rent much more than buy.

I got into this hobby 7 years ago as a freshman in college. I had just bought my first stereo system and first CD. It was a Koss Micro System and the disc was The Beatles Anthology Volume 1. Subscriptions to Audio, StereoReview, Stereophile, Home Theater, Listener, The Audiophile Voice, What HiFi?, HiFi Choice, and the occasional Absolute Sound and Perfect Vision issue and I've ended up here.

The only things I'm looking to get in 2003 are a universal DVD/SACD player and my TV ISF calibrated.

Cheers!
Bill