Audiophile spending

Abstract:

Interesting post. I'm roughly 40/60, music to gear, but that includes the recent build up of a secondary system. I want to catch my breath and hear what I've assembled for a bit before doing too much more. The split is probably roughly the same on music/system values, but my lp collection is 30 years old, tapes probably 15 years worth, cd's as source only in the past 4 years (and not very extensive at that, as I generally can't bring myself to duplicate existing product). My 78 collection is fairly large, but probably isn't more than a 1/4 of the total software dollar. And lastly, listening time is definitely limited by time and not dollar. Time also limits my spending - I don't get to the store all that often (though when I do, beware Mastercard!)

A tag-along question I'd be interested in is how much time do people spend in "active" listening vs how much music gets played as background to daily life? For me, stopping and just listening is probably less than 25%, but music plays at my house pretty much all the time I'm there. It's wonderful to just park and ride, but the laundry needs doing, the light bulb is blown, the kitchen chairs need a paint job, etc. But the one place where I always have good tunes going and enjoy them the most is in the shop - whatever I'm doing out there always goes best when supported by good music. I love music, I love shop work, and the two combined are always better than either alone.

chas

70/30 music to gear, the music is first with me. But I always try to buy the ablums in which I think sound good I rarely by something I havent heard before, cause if you have the best equipment but bad music it's gonna sound bad no matter what. You should check out chesky.com their albums sound amazing, it's good music and right now they are giving way Marin Login Prodigys
Happy listening, Peace

We have purchased approx. 300 CD's in the past year. 90% of the CD's were purchased on the used market in the range of $1 to $5 each (the current going rate being a little higher now at $3-$5 each). I gave 50 or so of the CD's to my parents (all of the big bands and classic female vocals), so we are down to 250 CD's. The total actual cost of the CD's so far is well under $1500. A low retail estimate (for the CD's) would be $4500. Our main system (without cables and other accesories retails for approx. $6000 (we payed a little over $3000). At this point we have averaged 50% of our expenditures on source material. I have spent most of the last year at home and listen to music an average of 8 hours per day (at least an hour of this time is spent doing bio-feedback exercises while listening). When I am in the computer room I listen to a Sony mini system running inexpensive Polk Audio speakers and often listen to old cassette tapes on this system as well. I do not consider myself to be an Audiophile, but do enjoy the hobby and music in general just the same. Yesterday at the flea market I picked up two compilation CD's on Verve plus Counting Crows and an early Ry Cooder CD for $12, it was a slow day.

I think the ratio doensnt necesarly dictate preference of music over gear. When you get into systems that cost fity thousand dollars and up it would be pretty hard to have it 50/50.

I would say I have $5000 in cd's and $65,000 in gear but I have been planning expanding my collection considerably. I go through phases when I concentrate on building and tweeking my system and other times expanding my listening knowledge.

I will even admit at times I like the gear more. I enjoy the science behind it and the fufillment of tons of research turning into a combination of well matched components. The payoff is when the sum of your system is greater then its parts it brings unequal enjoyment to the music. It always comes back to the music.