Read it today in WaPo. It was a larger tale than just about our hobby. Many, in fact probably most, passionately assembled possessions move to new third party owners for “pennies on the dollar.”
While I’m just a Mid-Fi audio fan, my wife and I (along with a small group of local artisan renovators) are obsessive partners in restoring homes and repurposed 100 year old public and industrial spaces. We share an eye and a skill set for cap and lintel interior trim, bead board and post Victorian Craftsman proportions and techniques. We’ve done half a dozen projects, in which our reimagined elements are instinguishable from original to 99% of anyone who sees the work…even those who ended up purchasing and using the spaces.
I felt sad that the personal joy at the root of Mr. Krell’s audio journey came at a high price to his family life…but the larger truth of “pennies on the dollar” at the end of the day is very common across many modern pursuits.