When does HT obsession become too much?? (1 Viewer)

[PaulDF]

So at what point can we HT buffs be considered OBSESSIVE??

And, and what point does the obsessive become unhealthy?

My "obsession" really started about 7 years ago, in my late 20's. A big ol' prologic system, and I thought it was good. Then the powered sub, new speakers, DVD player, new TV, new receiver, more new speakers, a new subwoofer, new DVD player, and again new speakers...

I'll admit, the quality of sound I have now is quite remarkable. And the quality of video might soon improve drastically (if I get to make my next upgrade).

My wife has made the comment that I/we (on these HT forum sites) are all "obsessive". I have been thinking about this and she is right....

In the last 3 or so years since I've really been into audio and DIY, I'll bet the ratio of tweaking, calibrating, researching to buy (not just for enjoyment), and DIY (building/finishing etc), to actually enjoying the finished product, is easily 20:1 or more...

So she is right, about me at least... But hey, its a hobby. I'm sure there are much worse hobbies I could be into! I don't know where it will end (if it will), for now I will keep reading my AV magazines and forums, and try to upgrade what I feel I am justified to! So far I haven't taken any big financing to make any upgrades, I strike when the opportunity presents itself. I'm sure somebody out there will envy what I have, and I'm sure I will much enjoy it myself...

So does anybody know where to draw the line between healthy and unhealthy obsession??

 

[todbnla]

I think the biggest problem we all have is upgrade-itis, it never ends.

 

[BrettB]

The wife will let you know.

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

Somehow I managed to not ever get trapped into that cycle. Probably because I lucked into an amplifier that I'd never be able to better on my budget, and then speakers that matched it like a dream. After close to ten years with them, I finally upgraded those speakers, but the amp ain't goin' anywhere.

 

[Jay Taylor]

A good thing about being obsessive with a home theater is that virtually everyone loves experiencing the end result. This helps to take away some of the nut factor. :wink:

 

[andrew markworthy]

Um ... technically speaking, the '-itis' suffix denotes a swelling or inflammation rather than a state of existence per se. Oh alright, I'll shut up ...

To be HT obsessed I think you've to fulfil two criteria:

(a) to have the attitude that the next little tweak will bring a significant improvement, regardless of the cost of the system
and
(b) you must have a low level of reality awareness.

To illustrate the first point, I can think of a friend who spent an eye-wateringly large amount of money on (to adapt a phrase of George Bernard Shaw's) a system that God would buy if He had the money. Is he HT obsessed? Hardly - he's practically never played the system and has no idea what he's got (e.g. mention 'DTS' to him and you get blank stares). On the other hand, I have another friend who is perpetually tweaking and fussing over a cheap(ish) system to get the best possible picture and sound out of it (to be honest with zilch real effect, but that's another story). Said friend is definitely HT obsessed on the first part of the definition. However, there is the second part of the definition.

Most of us can get carried away with our hobbies, but most of us also know that they are only hobbies. My friend although always tweaking his system, is perfectly aware that this must appear bizarre to anyone else and can talk about other things. Thus, he isn't HT obsessed. Nor I suspect are most of the folks on HTF. We wax lyrical about HT because that's what this forum is about. It doesn't mean that's all we can talk or think about.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

I've spent the last week and a half researching and pricing 23-27 inch lcd flat panel tvs to replace a perfectly good Sony KV-25XBR in my bedroom that is turned on for a total of less than an hour a day. The new set is highly unlikely to be used any more than that, yet I'm looking to spend a thousand dollars on one when I badly need a new stove and dishwasher which for reasonably good models would together cost $200 less than the new tv.

I think that very much qualifies as an obsession.

 

[Henry Gale]

Six years ago I got my HT to a point I was very satisfied. This was mainly due to a state of the art Pre/Pro. I was the first on my block with DTS.
Someone carried all of that out of the house last year, along with most of my DVDs.
I'd like to have the hardware back, but it's the movies I've been really driven to replace. And knowing that 7.1 is the standard now just leaves me cold.... 5.1 was mighty fine for me, I don't need or want 8 speakers in a 16'x16' room.
I've also been burned by obsolescence a few too many times. That pre/pro was a Proceed AVP, upgradeable, until the company went belly up.
My Pioneer Elite DVD player was the latest thing, except 20 minutes after I bought it progressive scan was the latest thing.

 

[Mike Heenan]

When someone complains what a DVD case/boxset looks like on their shelf, I think that's a little too obsessive (yes this has been said on this site, several times). I mean, do you buy the dvd's to watch the movie or what?

 

[Kevin M]

Yes, I am constantly befuddled (yet never surprised) at this attitude, some people actually claim they will not buy a certain DVD because of the box art....it's about the f**king movie MAN!

A fairly recent example that I remember was where after years & years of bitching to Universal for a 16:9 enhanced transfer of John Carpenter's The Thing they finally deliver one...and all that half the people who were demanding it could do was complain about the new artwork.....

Although I'm not so sure that this is necessarily a form of HT obsessiveness rather than just certain people never being happy unless they are complaining.

 

[Ryan Wishton]

When has HT obsession become too much?

1. When you are flat broke yet have rooms filled with devices.

2. You don't have any money saved for retirement, but you do have a $30,000 HT setup.

3. When your hobby starts to take away complete attention from your family and/or friends.

4. When that shiny brand new 2005 edition of whatever gives you a hard on, yet your wife, husband, or whoever is just left overs who you try to ignore.

 

[Joe Schwartz]

You're obsessive when you spend more time reading HTF (or AVS Forum, etc.) than you spend actually using your HT system.

 

[JustinCleveland]

We have a winner!

 

[PaulDF]

Wow, this is like a roller coaster ride...

Now I'm obsessed, now I'm not, now I'm obsessed...

Admittance is the first step to recovery (like there is recovery )

Good stuff guys

 

[Ron-P]

This could not be more true. I swore to myself I would never go beyond 5.1, why? There's just not enough software to warrant the cost of the upgrade. So, what do I go and do not two days ago, buy an Outlaw 950 7.1 pre/pro and then yesterday, a second Monster HTS-2500. Now I'm on the lookout for a 5th Adcom amp to power the additional set of surround speakers I'm looking to buy.

I probably spend as much time tweaking, changing, DIY'ing stuff in the theater as I do watching movies.

It will never end.

 

[John_Bonner]

If you're into DIY, build yourself a HTPC. With all of the research, tweaking ,calibrating, etc..you can change that ratio to 100:1

 

[David McGough]

When you tell your kids they can't go to camp because of money and you later spend 3k on a wolfer dohitchee

 

[Mort Corey]

Compared to some other hobbies I have/had, HT gear is pretty reasonable. It's also something my wife can appreciate so that makes it even better. It's been almost six whole months since I've upgraded anything so I feel in recovery in some small way. HD-DVD may change that in the near future.

Mort