ami,
I’m not sure why you have to leave the hobby just because you’re leaving the high cost. I don’t think there is a dollar value that makes one an audiophile.
From one who is tight with money, at least as far as this hobby is concerned, I think it would be great fun to assemble a system that is gratifying and costs less than ’n’ amount of dollars where ’n’ is the goal that you set for yourself.
If you already have that with your $350 dollar system and no longer feel the need to be on the equipment treadmill then spend the rest of your time and money finding good music............which should be at least half of what it means to be an audiophile I would think.
Audiogon has a fairly active ’Music’ forum.
But in the end I agree with you. I’m happy with the core of my system and don’t see any value in trying to find a reason not to be. |
When I got into all of this I thought I might replace the 'system' I have down at my cabin. An 80's era 25wpc Toshiba receiver, 90's era Bose 2.2 bookshelves and a low end CDP. Before I did that I optimized speaker position, installed larger gauge speaker cables and to be honest, what most audiophile would consider to be a crap system sounds okay to me and I'm leaving it alone and keeping my money.....for now..... |
@stringreen That analogy only goes so far. All the cars you list are exceptional and in the right hands can be real beasts. But you can have as much fun in a Miata if you know what you're doing. Especially on a race track where cars like that belong. I drive a lowly 350z on the race track 5 or 6 times a year. At the beginning of that first session I'm nervous, shakey, stomach in knots....then you get on track and it all goes away. Could I have more fun in a Porsche? Maybe. Maybe not.
Point is, with cars you can have tons of fun doing what performance cars do with 1/10th or 1/100th the price of an exotic. And I think that is the point of the OP.
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Someone mentioned using the money for something else.
To me that’s the thing. I consider myself to be financially fortunate. I have the ability to enjoy a number of hobbies at moderately high levels. I could certainly enjoy one hobby at really high levels but that’s not my style.
And so I think about a nice set of speakers. Say $4000-$8000. Certainly only midrange in this wacko world. But it would be an upgrade to what I have.
Then I think about last April. My wife and I went to Italy for a week for our 30th anniversary. We’re foodies and like nice hotels. It isn’t something we indulge that often but we pulled out the stops and stayed in nice hotels in Verona, Venice, Padua, Riva del Garda (Lido Palace!) and Parma. We ate well. I mean really well. All of which is to say that trip set us back maybe $8000.
So what I’m saying is that if I had the choice between that trip (which is now just a memory) and $8000 speakers I wouldn’t have to think for a second even if I didn’t have nice speakers already. I’d do the trip again.
So sure, if you can enjoy a $500 system and save 10 grand then heck yes, get out and enjoy other stuff! The type of money that audiophiles suggest is necessary to really enjoy music will buy lots and lots of gratification in other places and ways.
Edit: And not to get preachy or anything, but if we don't go nuts spending money on ourselves we can also afford to drop a buck or two for those in need. |
@noromance Save your money and go! I'm a frugal guy and don't regret a penny I spent over there. Find places where they don't speak English and the menus aren't translated. |
@elizabeth "Today I spent $360 on two power cords."
Yes, but you've already confessed that you have a problem....and that's intended in good humor, Elizabeth.
From what you've said in other posts you seem to enjoy the chase. Nothing wrong with that if that's what works for you. And trust me, I get it. Been down that road with other hobbies. It has its own level of excitement and gratification. |
@tomic601 I do not have a Miata. I have a 350z, which is less capable than a Miata but faster in the straights of course. I do not race. But all I would need to go there is a cage (rather than the rollbar in it now) and a race suit. I have everything else-HANS, harness, gloves etc.
The cost of racing a 350z would be in tires and brakes. I could race with a Spec e-30, American Iron or a Thunder Roadster for even less.
I think about racing but have decided not to pursue it. More because of all the stuff that goes with it than the cost.
When you run DE-4 with a lot of friends you're about as close to racing as you can get. Plenty of unsanctioned (and unspoken of) competition, balls-to-the-wall wheel-to-wheel, passing in corners, etc......but without all the other stuff. Maybe an occasional reprimand from the track staff.
I'd love to try racing. Even just to say I've done it. Just having too much fun doing what I'm doing and weekends are free since I instruct.
The point of all the car talk is that you can get track level thrills on the cheap just like you can do audio for less. Maybe 80% as the OP says. |
@tomic601 I go to the track with one of my best friends (’67 Mustang, 645hp at rear, he does all the work on it) and his wife. His wife is one of my wife's best friends and they hang out all weekend in the tent and bring good food and drink.
I think my wife would be okay with modest racing expenses. Even I would draw the line at the expense required to be a front runner in any late model class. But to me its more about the inspections, log books, impounds and such. Not to mention we’ve witnessed some very contentious red faced confrontations on a number of occasions and that’s not something my buddy or I need on a weekend at the track.
Anyway, there is a part of me that really wants to learn racecraft. But, I’m too old and have too much else to do.
And to steer back on topic, I’m fortunate that my audio system was free. Even though my wife doesn’t blink at $500 brake pads and $1000 tires every 5-6 events she simply does not get this audio stuff. |
@roxy54 I can't speak for Ami but in the original post "No more" was used as a stand alone sentence, which I think is appropriate, as in "I used to do all this stuff. No more." As in "not any more" or to put a literary spin on it "nevermore".
Otherwise saying "I don't do that no more" instead of "I don't do that anymore" is improper English but a is common colloquialism. So it could be a regional thing or maybe English isn't a first language for Ami. You never know. |
@ami if English is not your native language then you are still far ahead of many many (if not most) Americans in regard to your writing skills. You are light years ahead of 99.99% of us, including me, in regard to mastering more than one language. |
@tomic601 "so yes, some of my high end toys are not messed with and others modified and thrashed to within inches of doom ( mine and the toy )"
I don’t have any high end toys at all, but my 350Z is now pure track car. I’ve been off roading more times than I can count. Crashed it once in the rain at VIR(no injuries...to me anyway). Rebuilt it. Put a roll bar in. Now it is worth almost nothing....and that is liberating on track.
One of the nice things about our audio toys is in general there isn’t much way to trash them.......I’ll never know if my Proceed will damage my Aerials.
Edit: I actually do have one high end toy and its the reason I don't have any other high end toys. 250 acres of woodland in prime hunting country with a cabin and 10 acre lake. Been paying on it for 17 years. |
On this topic of life experience:
@falconquest triggered a memory about listening to the radio at night when he was a kid. I did the same thing. First through fifth grade. Late 60's and early 70's. Jacksonville, Florida, always tuned to WAPE, the Big Ape. The Who, Pink Floyd, Joe Walsh, Zep, Stones, Skynrd etc etc etc when all that good stuff was coming out. A constant stream of the some of the best rock ever. I listened to it until I fell asleep every night and it played while I was asleep until my dad came in and turned it off when he went to bed. I remember the concert announcements of all these folks too wishing I was old enough to go. I absolutely loved listening to that little FM clock radio. I never had any notion of hi-fi then but I probably enjoyed music as much then on that one speaker radio as I do now. Maybe more.
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I still remember my mother letting us put on her Simon & Garfunkle, Herb Alpert and Kingston Trio records on the record changer console unit. Looked like a piece of furniture.
My own albums came later. And for me they were expensive. So in addition to the music on them the cost also made them special. And pretty infrequent too.
Edit: Man I sound like an old fart. |
