What's your profession? Age?


Just thought after the "how much is your system worth" post that it would be nice to see what all these people do to get $80K systems, and perhaps how long it takes. I'm a 29-year old economist for the gov., just completeed my Ph.D. last month, and my system is at about $10K. Just a pup hoping to keep upgrading...
128x128felthove
Age 62. Physicist turned high school math teacher 25 years ago. My system is a Radio Shack CD player feeding a Stax SRD-P Adaptor feeding Stax Lambda Pro headphones. I know what good sound is all about and this cheap compact system does the job for me. I can't afford multi kilobuck systems but I like to read what people who can afford them have to say. So I surf Audiogon. Call me a high-end wannabe..yeah..that's it...I'm a high end wannabe !!
Howdy Gerrym5, I used to sell Test and Measurement equipment for HP before my current employer (#2 T&M company in the world). What division do you work for? I used to work out of the Huntington office and left just before the HP-Agilent split. Just wanted to say hi.
41 year-old USAF Officer; I fly F-15Es (no my hearing isn't shot..I wear ear protection to guard my audio investment!) An active audiophile since age 17. My combined audio/home theater system rings up at about $20K...but a major upgrade is in the works!
I'm a 37 year old building contractor and owner of Record Research Labs. (Hey, I had to put the college degree to work somewhere!)
I'm a 41 yr old Material Handling equipment distributor. Got into this a few years ago through HT, and have upgraded steadily to the point that 2 channel is what's driving this runaway bus. Looking at a couple of honest-to-goodness amps (either mono's or stereo) to biamp the mains. I'm at approx $12k, with more work before me. Lovin' life too.
I'm a electrical design engineer, almost 40 years old, married with 2 kids. My two channel audio system is about $20K if new. Have a separate home theatre system but that is not really audio. Have been in this hobby for over 20 years. Never knew or have any urge to learn to play any musical instruments but it might change soon. Recently the family bought a new piano for the 5 year old son. I have decided that I'll be learning to play the piano with my son (with professional tutor - of course).
my business is masonry restoration, tavern owner and landlord to rental prop. dont know what i make, only my hairdresser knows for sure. and spend whatever sounds good to my ears...
Professional musician, Houston Symphony. Previously w/NY Philharmonic. Age - 39.
musician aged 31 live in ohio/band is in london u.k--some work in LA california---when i aint doing that i play in cover bands here in the u.s
got somthing to fall back on ''landscaping''
i buy used linn gear cos i'm a muso''spent a lot on equipment...thats my life in a bag..wish i was a brain surgeon!
I am 56 yeras old (and lovin it!!). I am the Administrator for a large NYC Law Firm.....
Its been hard lately, I've been "working" a lot I hope things keep up:) you know I am 20 now, I wonder how long I will be able to maintain my level of performace, hopefuly long enough to get my Eidolon's! Its really amazing that my ears aren't spent with all the girls screaming nonstop.
Wetland/soil scientist, nearing the big 5-0. If y'all promise to send presents, I'll even reveal the date!
I'm still not sure what I want to be when I grow up (I'm 46), but for now I drive a tractor trailer. I owned my own but sold it after 10 years to spend more time at home, which includes the stereo. Value ~17,500 retail which translates into worth half that. I also have a fully equipped garage & that is my true refuge from the world as it is detached. I'm not sure if I'm going to finish my geography degree or become a professional photographer. Note: That is today's plan subject to change at my whim.
29 year old litigator in one of those big old NYC lawfirms. The upgrade bug is riding me hard, but so far I have limited myself to about 13k retail (with about 11k in 2 channel and 2k in HT) for a fair bit less than that actually spent. It looks as if I am still but a poor stepchild in the audiophile pantheon, but there's still time....
Mezmo, with the salaries and bonuses we've been paying you young whippersnappers, I can't believe you are a poor stepchild :>)!! I'd think your main problem would be having any time to enjoy your system, given your profession.
Ha! Rcprince, I cannot in good faith deny the wisdom of your words -- on all counts. Though, I have to admit, I can still only imagine approaching a system that clocks in around the digits posted by many of the audiogon illuminati around these parts. But, (at the risk of repeating myself and with the appropriatly resigned twinge of quasi-self-deprication) there's still time... Cheers, Mezmo
i am a 54 yo physician assistant/home health care agency owner who also has a surgical assistant business.
I'm 39 and a IT professional, work on Nortel DMS switches running DA and ACD in a call centers. Also do some networking and VB programming if needed.

I have about 20k+ in my system, about 2000 CD's and a couple hundred albums.
I'm 25 and an underwriter for a title insurance company. I have quite a modest system at somewhere around $5k retail and much less used. Luckily, I spend what little I can afford to upgrade as much as possible. I'm only a few short weeks away from that new record brush.
I am a 28 yo Webmaster/Photographer/Network Admin and run about 9 websites for a large manufacuturing company. I have 2 systems I have purchased in the last 6 months worth about $4000 (only paid about $2000) and one in my car worth $5000. I really got into home audio/home theatre since I work at home so much. Bought a lot of my stuff from audiogon/half/ebay/ubid.
55, investment banker who works with high tech companies. My passion, other than for my wife, is for consumer electronics!
50, real estate lawyer, on my own going on eight years, practice from home, let's me listen to music as much as I want and not have to contend with too many people telling me what to do or think.
56, psychotherapist, research methodologist, and independent catholic bishop. Iconoclastic; never met a sacred cow I didn't want to tip. I don't suffer fools gladly and I have zero tolerance for people who have all the answers.
I was wondering if you were a Bishop. Funny how I could sense that (of course your name helped) I'm a semi-retired (due to health) Architect specializing in golf clubhouses and very high end residential. I'm 45 last time I checked.
J.D.
Well Will, I can readily understand independent catholic minister, with some difficulty, priest, maybe, but how does one become an independent catholic bishop?

You can email me if you don't want to go into it here, but since you've mentioned it more than once and it's part of your name, maybe you want to talk about it.

Paul, an irregular RC, not independent just not very observant.
37, unemployed artist, looking for job as a janitor or laborer somewhere in southwest US, or LA area. Thanks!
26 years old IS/IT consultant (Telecom industry). I just got my first real system... worth around $28K CDN (around $17K US).
21, College student, and my system is about $1.8k retail, $1.4k purchased new on deals...

It is scary how much you guys spend on systems!!! :)
Well lets see I work for the airlines ground crew 30 years and still have good hearing 49 years old and 3 stereo systems in house 30k in one 13k in one and 4k in the bedroom.
Well Im 43 a Field Technician for the City of Chicago , I have spent some bucks since I came to Audiogon, 8k living room system ,2 k bedroom , lots of cd's too many there everywhere.
I'm 50 and unemployed. I used to have a $120,000 megabuck system and have since downsized to a small system that cost under $10,000 retail (I bought everything used) consisting of smaller floor-standing speakers, an integrated tube amp, a cd player and Purist cables. It's funny because I enjoy this small system more than my megabuck system.
I'm 49.have loved music all my life.I am a musician,having played the trumpet since 12 yrs.old.I make a modest living selling chemicals and servicing injection systems in hospital and nursing home laundries.Got bit by the audio-phile bug in 1978 working at a high end dealer while attending college.Got out of audio for about 15 yrs.Picked it up again recently and this time will never let it go,praying the whole time for my wife to be tolerant.
I am the manager of the Biomedical Engineering department for a group of hospitals in central Texas. I am 45 years young.
My system is comprised of all Melos tube components, and Vienna Acoustics Mahler speakers (soon to arrive). I would estimate the list cost of my system at $22,000. However, this is not an accurate number strictly speaking. Many of the upgrades done to my system over the years have been bartered. I also build furniture a hobby, and have traded those services in making speaker enclosures for several acquaintances that were designers, in return for components that they either designed as well or had on hand. Given the cost of running two very expensive hobbies without over stretching my wife’s patience, this was the best solution to both issues so to speak. So strictly speaking, I have likely spent 1/2 of the above amount. I suspect that trading other talents for equipment is not an uncommon practice with other members of this group.
I am a letter carrier for the United States Postal service. My system retails for about 28K. MY wife gets the new car and I get upgrades.
21, I am a College student in Canada at University of Waterloo. I love this hobby and have about 10K of mostly new gear bought off Audiogon.
29, Audio Visual Engineer. System about $12K with wife and one infant. Moving more toward home theater but still have the music system in the basement where no one can get to me...
Pharmacist and 43. Up to about 17K retail but I just started last August. If I buy a new house because I want a dedicated listning room, do I count that in the cost?
I have been spending most of my extra income on gear lately...and buy and sell some gear on the side..
I do some audio system consulting and other than that...
bonus money typically goes to upgrades...
It is hard to stop...
but I love it..
I am a 28 yr old Computer Engineer for Walt Disney Feature Animation. I am just getting into this game, and stuggling with my first purchases. I have narrowed my speaker choice down the the JM Labs Cobalt line. I recently listened to them run from a reciever, and even with that, they sounded wonderful to me. Now if I can just pick some components...

I tend to reseach this stuff to death before I decide, but to me that is half the fun.

Cheers,
Z
I am in sales, selling to financial institutions. Age 45. My current system retails for $25K. Most of it was purchased slightly pre-owned for around 30-50% off. This does not include the $10K or so that is laying around and not being used.