He spent his life building a $1 million stereo. The real cost was unfathomable.

I appreciated and admired Ken’s system for years and enjoyed the video made a long time ago by his younger son. I wondered about many of the things that this article brought to light when learning that the system was sold for a pittance. I am glad that people who appreciated his work benefited from it but also feel bad that his family didn’t get more for all the physical work and emotional toll that it had on them. I’ve worried about that myself and have been very transparent about all of it with my family asking them to go on this site to post it for sale used with appropriate value attached to it so they can get something out of the system too. My wife really enjoys it so I also hope she will use it for many years if I happen to go before her. She knows how to turn it on, unlike Ken’s family it seems, and will have it going by the time I get home from work. I feel like the article was a great cautionary tale to all of us who have hobbies that can border on obsessions. We need to step back and evaluate what is truly important and if I were true to myself I would list my family first. We also need to recognize that not everyone shares our sentiment about these things. I often get a check when someone visiting shows a spark of interest as I’ll go on too long about how it all works. In the end it’s about the experience and how it sounds, I do love seeing people’s eyes light up when I play their favorite song. 
 

Thanks,

Steve

@srs148  no he could have stood by his word and got a bit less money. A man is only as good as his word.

"A man is only as good as his word."

Seldom have truer words been spoken. He got a little more money at the cost of his integrity. Then again, it seems he had none to begin with...

This is one of the sadder things I've read in awhile.

While this man's "problem" is perhaps the pennultimate example of a "first world problem," his personal and family pathology, his failure to love and nurture due to his obsession, and his willingness to alienate his son--are universal.

There are an infinity of ways to be unhappy. This is one of them.

@desktopguy  There are an infinity of ways to be unhappy. This is one of them

Or both. Here’s a poem  

Make love

Make war

Do both

Get married 

@posbwp55 i thought your comments were well stated and thoughtful.

The world around us is our mirror, and judging someone does not define who they are—it defines who we are. More often than not, the things we detest and judge in others are a reflection of the things we cannot accept about ourselves. The yardstick we use for ourselves is the yardstick we use for the world.

@tcotruvo ,

So, by your logic, given what’s written about him in the article, if anyone comes to the conclusion that he’s a selfish, self absorbed, no integrity jerk, then that’s who that person is also?? Interesting.

Question; what’s your judgment on say, reading an article about someone who sexually abused a child?? I find that detestable, do you? I find it that way because in part I believe it to be inherently disgusting and would never conceive of doing such a heinous thing. If you find it detestable, by your own words you find that detestable because you can’t accept it about yourself. So, unless there's something horribly wrong with you, which I doubt, your logic is flawed.

Correct me if I am wrong but there is only one person who had actually met this man. Believe none of what you read and half of what you see. As if there are no disgruntled children with an axe to grind. 

Judgment is part of life and it helps us differentiate between right and wrong. Having said this, true judgement can only come from knowing an individual sufficiently to discern their actions accurately. This no judgement stuff is feel-good nonsense that is moving society away from the belief in moral absolutes.