About $12.5k right now and even that has been largely spread out over the last 23 years, so it hasn't hurt me too bad really. May add another $1-1.5k before all is said and done. The weird part is that the 2.0-channel rig of just the components themselves is only about $4.5k, but I've slowly been adding a slew of Alan Maher Designs noise reduction gear and wiring that has since grown to about $8k-dollar's worth on its own...didn't set out to do it that way, it's just that everything I've gotten from that guy has made a definite improvement, so I've been more than rewarded to keep going in that direction. To say I'm satisfied is an understatement - despite the fact that my 'tweak' budget is now roughly twice my component budget(!), Lol. |
The real question is: Was the time spent worth it? |
First system: $14000; second system: $7000; third system: $1500. |
Whoops; forgot fourth system[garage-from thrift store and estate sales]$100: Sansui517 and 217, Pioneer 518 T.T. with Shure M95ED, Nakamich B1 cassette deck, and Fried Beta monitors. |
$50,000 would be my closest estimate as much of my equipment was purchased used.
Martin |
First system retail: $46,235; second system: $10,405; third system: $3,055. And rising. Estimated total discount 42% over entire amount. Most was bought here used. |
About $30k and Counting... Still have a ways to go though but starting to turn some corners... Had a pretty nice SQ break through last week that tied a lot of other stuff together for me... Was happy about that but also that leads to better understanding what else still needs to be done... It's like a process of elimination where each thing eliminated creates another but its nice when one thing ties a bunch of others together so well see but I'm probably 80% there and haven't even started into vinyl yet... |
Old system over 30K, current system under 15K, the fact that I enjoy music on my current system is priceless. |
~ $40,000 for "A" system
~ $4,500 for "B" system
excludes hi-end fully separate and discrete 7.1 HT system ~ $18,000 |
About $42K
Wilson Audio Sophia 3
Berkeley Alpha USB and DAC II
Mac Mini well specified and with Pure Music
Merrill Audio Veritias Monoblocks
Lessloss power cables, Cullen Cable Crossover series, Maestro Outlets, Cullen Cable filters
Purist Audio Design Aqueous Aureus speakers cables and interconnects |
As far as my wife knows, maybe $1,500 tops. |
Zavato - ROTFLMAO ... Priceless! |
If I had to replace my system today, including recordings, I am looking at about $20K. |
About $11,000 American. But I bought it all used on Audiogon for only $5,000! Hurray for Audiogon! |
About $9,100 on the 2 channel and about $6,000 on the theater minus display. |
$148,300 All products New
Speakers: Genesis 2.2jr: $120,000
Amplifier: McIntosh MC452: $7,500
Pre-Amp: McIntosh C2300: $5,000
Source: McIntosh MCD1100: $7,000
Cable: Audioquest Oak; $2,200
IC's: Audioquest Colorado; $1,600 (4pr) |
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I did not count my video portion add another 10 grand |
Around $72000 . let's keep it between us dear audiophiles. |
$18,500 not including the TV! Don't regret a penny. |
Focal 1028be
MacBook Air
Oppo BDP-105D
Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum
Various preamp tubes
Various Audioquest cables
One very happy audio enthusiast.
Never thought I would be content at any point with my system, but I'm pretty much there. Might add a sub when I have a larger room, but even that is iffy. |
^ About 13k...forgot how these forums work.. |
Too Much....(sigh).....
My basic 2 channel "A" system rig (the Integrated amp, the cdp, 2 speakers, IC/power/speaker cables) ~ $38 K
EXCLUDED (ka-ching):
(1) The AV system add-ons (....the additional 5 speakers, the subwoofer, the separate 3 channel and 2 channel additional power amps, the separate AV pre-amp/processor, the plasma display itself, and all the additional IC/power/speaker cables);
(2) the "B" audio system
THis hobby is a journey and NOT a destination.
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Hybrid81, you definitely need a good matching sub, go for submersive HP+. You don't know what you are missing (everything from about 45Hz- 15 Hz) till you hear it with your stereo, Btw, I have a similar system as yours. |
$27000, within a year in this hobby. |
Apparently modesty and audiophiles do not go hand in hand
perhaps the tackiest thread I've seen on AG. |
Realistically, about $85,000!!! if I paid full retail, but with the beauty of internet and amazing prices on used gear I am probably around $25,000. "Dream Buys" I call them are out there Timing, is everything!!! and luck!. Gear, way below Blue Book, goes really fast, last December, I bought a pair of Sonus Faber, Guarneri Evolution which have (amazing bottom end) their present model for $8,900 only catch I had to drive 8hrs. to pick them up, so there are exceptions, but well worth it in gold... |
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What is retails for in MSRP or what it can be sold on AG for these days? Big difference.... |
RETAIL would be slightly over $120K, but I buy mostly used and have built the system over a 40+ year period, usually not spending more than $1-2K per year. There have been some exceptions, but there have also been years when I did not buy anything. Can you imagine that? And when I say $1-2K per year that would be in addition to what I sold off that year. So it has very gradually gotten to this point. And except for a few small upgrades I think I'm done. |
Back towards the end of '07 it was around $23k. It's now about twice that. |
It piles up quickly doesn't it? I assembled my first real system back in my 20's when I was a carpenter. I had an annual budget of $2K, and I got by with old mid-fi gear until I had the complete system. Back in the late 80's one could assemble a decent system for $2K per component. Before the Internet used gear wasn't as easy to come by. My present system retails for about $5K to $7K per component, but through the joy that is Audiogon it cost me far less than that! About $25K worth retail, and $8K real money. |
On 1/24/14 I posted as follows-
"As far as my wife knows, maybe $1,500 tops."
No longer have the wife.
Stopped counting at $40,000. Gave the ex a bunch of $ too so what the heck. |
Need I say More? LMAO
There's a lot of guys who's wife are totally clueless. As I've enticed guys into buying things they didn't know they needed it always amazed my wife and I how many guys paid cash for things that go beyond their openly approved budget |
Just did a quick re-tally of MSRP's over a year or so total rig re-haul via trades, upgrades, box swaps and additions all in at $91,485.00. lol... Sounds great though but thankfully for AgoN and the like we all pay "well" below MSRP's but even at used, huge savings it sure as heck adds up :) |
This is none of your business!!!!
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Our rig is between $9 - 11k less cables and computer. Best part, wife enjoys rig too. Wired for Sound SX1000 monos,STP-Preamp, DAC-2 DSD, Denon DVD 3910 For SACD playback.VPI Prime with Soundsmith AIDA, Cardes Clear light I/C cables, Cambridge 640p phono stage. Synergistic Tesla speaker cables, KEF LS5o and Fritz Grove speakers too when xtra bass extension is tolerated in rest of house. All of this greatness is crammed into a 1000 cubic foot room. Approx 9x11x8. 🎶 ❤️😎😎😎❤️🎶Much cheaper than therapy. |
My Sony CD Walkman and Sony ultralight headphones: $27. Batteries extra.
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About 35K, headphone rig only. I gave up on speakers as my room is trash.
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System #1 about $10,000 all in.
System #2 a little under $2,000.
The latter is in the man-cave and therefore is the system I spend more time with. Although modest by high-end standards, I spent a lot of time with speaker positioning and a few low-cost tweaks and, damn it, it sounds great. I can, and often do, listen to it for hours at a time. I had plans to start upgrading that system, but now I am afraid to change anything.
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In today money with inflation calculator my audio system will cost 5,000 Dollars..
I pay it 220 bucks if i counted the real price i pay by a streak of luck...( i pay 20 bucks on Ebay for my 500 bucks dac 😊)
But the actual real value without this luck would be more near 500 bucks at the moment of purchase ...
Anyway i learned that the more important aspect of audio is not the gear price but more the way we embed the gear pieces in their 3 dimensional working dimensions: mechanical, electrical and especially acoustical...
I am not envious of any system anymore, even those system better than mine by design ... Why?
Because there is a minimal threshold of acceptable sound quality which can be translated in acoustic cues rightfully accessible by the ears because of the controlled speakers/room optimized relation...
For me with dynamic, bass clarity, imaging, soundstage it is the ratio listener envelopment/ sound source width, or LV/ASW ratio, the more important one and the most difficult to get right with timbre perception relative naturalness for my ears ...
My best to all...
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