Am I considered to be a materialistic person?

Collectors, hobbyists, and enthusiasts should simply enjoy in what they partake, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. This hobby brings tons of pleasure so I say, keep calm and carry on.

All the best,
Nonoise

Agreed! This hobby keeps me sane in this crazy world. I can take a trip back in time by just pulling a record from my shelf and spinning it. I guess I could be doing worse things LOL!

audioguy85 ...

You ARE obsessed as are most of us posting on this site. Humans are prone to addictions. Things could be worse ... it could be booze, drugs, work, gambling, or blondes. Personally, I can't imagine life without music, and the music I love is collectible... at least to me. If I started listening to every cut in every CD and vinyl album I have, there's no way I could finish within the lifetime I have left. And yet ... I continue bringing new music home. Go figure. 

As "nonoise" said ... enjoy your obsession. :-)

Frank

Yes, you're materialistic and, yes, you love your hobby and the music behind it. Admit it. Embrace it. Revel in it. And reign it in when it starts to overwhelm you.

Frank, same here....I could never ever listen to all I have. It would take me maybe 100 years, and yet i too keep collecting new music every chance I get LOL.

Simao, I shall bask in it LOL! Yes, at times it gets a bit overwhelming, but I would not change a thing.....:)

I have this Thrift type store in town that I find my self visiting maybe once a week or so. They do a lot of clean outs of estates etc.....and there is always a new to me record there waiting to be discovered, all for just a buck apiece! Just today I scored a VG++ Bobbie Gentry "Ode to Billie Joe" LP! It sounds fantastic.

Relax.

As the great philosopher Sting has written: We are spirits in the material world.

Nothin' wrong with booze 'n' blondes. ;-)

There's nothing wrong with enjoying a hobby if you stay under budget and your family doesn't suffer because of it.I'll never listen to all I have either.But every album and CD has a story or fond memory attached to it,and it's a comfort to have them near.

Ahhh, spirits, alcohol. Of course. And material, that would be the blondes. So Hefner, he was the most spiritual of us all!

For me it's both materialistic and hedonistic, it began with the music and the discovery that better gear lets met hear more deeply into the music. The only issue is that I often do have to remind myself that almost none of my friends or family share those feelings. 

Depends upon what kind of music you listen to .

Divorced twice now but my audio equipment is still here, it doesn't require SPA days,  Botox sessions, Country club memberships, and has a mute button. I will be six feet under with it and still smiling!  

And brunettes are pretty goo too guys!

My wife thinks I’m nuts because I have invested so much money and time in this hobby. I’ve been somewhat obsessed with audio since I was 12. I’m 60 now, doesn’t look like I’m going to give it up. And yes I am materialistic. I accept that. It could be worse.

Let you wife know Gambling and Hookers aka "Golf weekend in Vegas" are most mens "Hobby" and she should be happy.

Ah, but the truly obsessed audio junkies take it even further. He/she considers the artists he/she reproduces in the listening room each session to be personal friends.  If anyone is interested, you would be welcome to come over sometime and meet my friends Art Pepper, Stan Getz, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Ella, Sarah, June Christy, Etta Jones ... all accompanied by Cal Tjader, Barney Kessel, Ray Brown and Stan Levy.  

Hey, look ... Mel Torme' just walked into the room. HiYa, Mel ... 

Frank

Happiness requires diversification. 

I think that it is pretty well known that for a small percentage of the population, for some unknown reason, music results in the release of excess dopamine which leads to euphoria.  Fortunately, this can be remedied by spending a year meditating at Walden Pond.

Spoken as someone who hasn't been to Walden Pond lately.

good point...what was that movie with Henry Fonda....oh yeah, Golden Pond.

Thoreau's book "Walden" recounted his two years living in a cabin (owned by Emerson) in the woods by Walden Pond Concord Mass.                                  He compressed the experience into one year focusing on the changing seasons.                       Snapsc is right on!

Emerson, Lake and Pond.

Don't care much about blondes. Of course, you are materialistic to a degree. We are physical, you know, 'materialistic', in a manner of speaking, whatever else we might be. When it crosses certain line and becomes something which is hard or impossible to consider normal - that's another matter. Women are jealous and envious, no doubt. So are men. 

Monks are not materialistic.
All others are.
It is a matter of degree.

You may be paying more attention to your gear than your wife.
That's competition. Love the story about the San Jose techie
whose wife thought he had overdone it and while he was traveling
had goodwill make a pickup of all his stuff.

Buy her a toy that she may find replaces her need for you.
Like a Sybian. 

Monks are in deep denial of the human nature, they are materialistic too.

I don't love anything else I own but my stereo, it's always been like that, probably always will. I make no excuses, respectfully care not what others think about it. It's just me. 

Love my toys. I have three separate sound systems-one for vinyl, home theatre dolby atmos, and a small emotiva bas-x100 which I use with a pair of HD600 headphones and B&W 685 S2's and a thrift shop sony SACD 5 disc changer I found in a thrift shop. I have two Canon DSLR's with an assortment of lenses from 16-400 mm. 13 watches and six firearms. My records go back40-50 years that I bought back in the day and CD's when I got that bug back in the 80's. My best thriftshop find is a first edition Parlaphone mono pressing of Sgt. Peppers' Lonely Hearts Club Band with all the inserts which I have played twice, cleaned up and put away. Got it for $3.98. I am retired, live alone and am Prince of my domain. My cat Fatboy is King and he is rather disdainful of it all. But it all keeps me home at night as I would rather be home than anywhere else.

Think materialism is part of human nature. Archaeologists have dug up ancient graves  and found Og buried with favorite spears and trophy saber tooth tiger teeth, jewelry, medicine pouches etc. Regardless of what level we suffer from. Even homeless people pack it around in shopping carts.

Thank you all for the overwhelming responses!! I think I feel better now about my obsession with my equipment and music! I kinda look upon it all as my mistress....lol. ugh If the wife only knew what I really spent on this stuff over the years...aye yi yi....oops I gotta go, Nancy Sinatra is in the room 😁

Tell her, don't hide.

I do tell her, but I fib a bit on what was paid out...I have toned it down of late, as I am pretty happy with what I got. I also keep telling her, honey I swear that is the last resord I’m buying....I’m such a liar lol.

Strictly looking at it, yes you are materialistic. And doesn’t matter what you tell or don’t to her.
“Obsession with my equipment" is enough to answer your question. No need for endless tries to convince yourself or others about the contrary.
Finally a serious topic, not the shabby ss vs tubes.

Yes, as others have said. But at least it’s an obsession you can share with others. Almost everyone can listen with you and appreciate how great it makes their favorite artist sound. They may not understand the obsession but they can appreciate the stuff - at least for a while. 

Not all hobbies give you that!

I don't see the harm in being a little materialistic. Human nature. But, like anything else, it can be carried to extremes. A little of almost anything is fine. If it begins to hurt someone else, or disrupt your life and family, then its starts to be a bad thing. In my humble opinion.

Give me a tasty blonde, anytime! 

Three things, in no particular order, comprise my short list of obsessions: Long rides on my Harley; afternoon, late night, sometimes all night listening sessions of my favorite tunes and taking care of my large yard full of trees. I'm most grateful my wife is  patient with the Harley and music thing and greatly enjoys the trees, as it makes a great haven to accommodate her love of wild birds.
Maybe a bit materialistic, but it keeps us sane.......Jim

What she doesn’t know, she can’t get pissed off about

12 percent for the increase in dopamine for normal humans... Audiophiles Im pretty sure get even more Dope! 

Ebay is a dangerous thing....I keep finding hard to find records I need......I mean want lol...

I suspect you were right the first time. Need. Doc, ya gotta help me! I got bugs crawling all over me!! 

Hahahaha...well I guess I need them🤔....there is no help for me I'm afraid. I was just in a record store in Boston and the guy had a bin dedicated to just rca living stereo records...I could not just buy one...no....I had to buy like 10! 🙄🙄🙄

The Greeks got it,all things in moderation .
In general if you think you have done no harm, you also have done little good ..