What price do you put on your gear?


I'm referring to it in a corporeal sense and more specifically, is it sentimental to the point you would never part with it or if someone is over for a visit and makes you an offer, would you sell on the spot?

I used to think pretty highly of my system (regardless of the actual cash value) but recently realized it doesn't mean that much to me other than it provides me with music. I even thought of it in terms of a car or sofa-sometimes you just want a change or you change or the thing gets old or... I suppose I've been leaning towards this mind set for a few years by going through several components and recently sold and replaced the entire system. I do think part of the gear swapping was dialing in the sound I prefer but at the same time maybe I was making a point to myself.

I write this because I was briefly faced with an extremely challenging and life-changing scenario that didn't come to pass but made me take a quick inventory of life.

Audio is a great hobby that I've enjoyed for many years and will continue to do so and I also still work with pro audio gear. I don't plan any big changes although if I see myself obsessing over something hopefully I can realize it before my wife does. It's something I've known for a while but just haven't verbalized.
128x128driver
Sounds like healthy self reflection. More audiophiles should take a page from that book. I've seen people take out loans before thier tax returns came in to get new stuff. THere was one guy that had no job, lived off of his wifes modest salary, and bought equipment (expensive equipment) to keep himself occupied while she was at work.

Oh well.
Post removed 
I can imagine an experience such as you must have had. I'm also glad it passed without real damage. Been there, and many of us, if not most, will sooner or latter.

Bottom line, for me at least, - while you must have passions in life to make it interesting, what you really need is close family and good friends. You can live with out the passions but life ain't worth a crap without your family and friends. :-)
Post removed 
Newbee you are correct. It would be hard to be passionate about anything without the support of family & friends, how true!

Elizabeth good job! It's refreshing to see an audiophile staying with one thing, at least till you can maximize its usefulness.
The speakers are sacrosanct but everything else is replaceable. Just had to find a new place to live and it was difficult trying to find a suitable home for them.
since the enjoyment of music is my goal as long as the sound doesn't drive me out of the room, my $350 Brookstone personal stereo using nxt technology is fine much of the time.

thus if i could get a "good" price for my components, i probably would sell them. i could always replace them at some future time.

as i have implied in previous posts, a walkman or a table radio is all that is necessary to enjoy music.
If somebody offered me genuinely good money, I'd let them take the system on the spot. Then I'd use the money to buy an even nicer version, or try something different, depending on my frame of mind. I love listening to music, and I love the way my system sounds, but all the gear is just replaceable stuff, and I often go look to do so at my own decision, so doing it when terms popped up that were highly agreeable wouldn't be a problem.
10 yrs ago i lost my entire house to a fire with my system cj ,linn, proac ,5000 cds and  1500 pristine albums ins laughed at my collection value . I didnt care much about the gear . The collection toook almost 30 yrs . I survived the fire it happend at 5 am while sleeping took me 10 yrs to restoke on the audio gear .. But im back buying the same dam lp’s agains lol
good luck
It's not all bad, buying same titles again throws you back in time and makes you feel younger.
a lot of my gear has no deep value to me, other than I like having lot's of options when I want to play around with it.
I do have custom built speakers I would never part with and a few receivers I really like , all vintage stuff.
If someone told me it had to be gone in two weeks, all of it, I would search out people I thought would really appreciate it like I do for what it is and give it to them!