What's your profession? Age?

44 and To use a quote from Texas Chainsaw...............HES JUST A COOK

Manager for a computer services company. Age 45.

Keep on plugging. Save your money. When you see something used that fits the bill, jump on it. Yes, it takes some time but it's worth it. You'll get there for a lot less than 80k.

I have less than 19k invested for:
NEC XG135 PJ
Stewart Screen
Key Digital HD LEEZA (waiting as we speak)
AR TT - Rega Arm - Sumiko Blue Point Cart.
SDI modified Panasonic DVD
Modded Pioneer 414 digital out through Theta Time Linq
Dynaudio Contour 3.3
Dynaudio Contour Center
Alon Surrounds
Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature (my weak piece)
Theta Casanova
MIT, Harmonic Tech, and home brew audio cables (Thanks Jon Risch!)
Home brew Canare/Belden video cables

The only things I bought new were the Theta Pre/Pro and the Leeza. Retail to buy all this would be in the mid 40's. Gotta love Audiogon!

Age 33...project manager for a big bank...and my rig is about 25k or so retail.

26yr old telecom collapse survivor.

Telecommunication Network Analyst, Surveillance Diagnose and repair hardware, translation, and customer troubles on Nortel DMS 500, Lucent 5Ess, Siemans ESWD, STPs, SCPs, and SOnus systems.
Needless to say, i have to put up with one wicked learning curve.

$7,500.00 Home Theater setup (bought all new, Did not know about Audiogone while i was building it, or it would probably be a 14,000 set up)

That system is DONE.

Now im looking into building a 2channel amp/preamp system from the ground up, 100% seperate from my existing HT

25, Elementary School Teacher. As you might guess, funds are tough to come by.