31, I'm a server engineer (glorified way of saying Windows support guy) at a hospital data center. I used to be an installer/ designer/ contractor for A/V and low-voltage control systems, though. That's where I my obsession stems from. My system book value would probably be about $18k but like most of you in the biz I got some sick deals over the years that made up the majority of the value of the system. |
49, RADAR systems integration technician. Spent almost every spare dime I've made on music. $5K on equipment and another $10K on program material. |
Wow, nice to see all the diversity of ages and professions. I'll be 60 in two weeks and make my living as a risk analyst for mortgage banks.
Dave |
51 years old, co owner of an auto racing service business,system retail some where around 10k, most collected one piece at a time through the years. |
Trumpet Player, Los Angeles Philharmonic - 45 |
55 year old humble and lowly Painting Foreman for Davidson College, NC
Likewise, humble and lowly $4K (retail prices) system
To match my humble and lowly paycheck
But it good to my ears for the money spent.
|
Your plot is very interesting, and I appreciate the possible insights. I would be fascinated, however, by a comparison to the age distribution of forum participants in general. Hope you are still a participant in this one! |
Waffle35,
That is 3K and stay out of telcomm. I am telling you this for your own good. 300-3k is voice. |
39. PA tech, former recording engineer for 18 or so years. Getting off the road and going into telcomm ( No frequency over 2K !! ) Can't list the price in fear The Lass may find out. Did tell her the used speakers were cheap due to age. Like who uses wood horns anymore! |
I work in the broadcast tv equipment industry as a wanna-be engineer. I'm 10,220 days old which is almost what my stereo has cost to date |
retail service manager for home improvement. 35 yrs..married.. baby due Thanksgiving..system retail for approx 50k...but the only items i buy new are for turntable...never could come close to afford the gear if it wasnt for second hand |
Hi
I am a IBT - Handyman by day. Inventor\woodwork by night. Love to work with my hands. My dream job would be a small Hi-Fi shop with 1st class service for audiophiles on the budget-based on trust and fair play.
Also generate a small profit from few houses that I own in N.Y.
I am a 33years old, wife and a cute little girl.
Came to US 16years ago as a exchange student-like it and stayed.
Total system price- 53,000*
* room-audio-video-tweaks ac room treatment
started over ten years ago with $1000 system. |
Marine Scientist and Program Manager for environmental nonprofit, 49, married 24 years, 2 almost grown kids who smile at Dad's "hobby". |
I run a copy machine distributorship. 35 years old. Married. No kids. |
51 married 30yr, three daughters 28,26 and 24. build for myself, small shopping center, ice-cream business. |
Hedge Fund equity analyst, 31, single. |
Patent Attorney, 52, married (27 years), three children (26,22,and 19) |
27: Financial Analyst for Uncle Sam |
Chrisla, you are doomed! Ten speakers pairs lying around after only 10 years in the hobby. I have been around this hobby for nearly 50 years! I would be buried in speakers at your rate of accumulation. It is bad enough that I have two big boxes of interconnects and power cords lying around. |
I am a Senior Semiconductor engineer and have been in the industry since Oct 1981; Born in 1959.
My system is put together with all used equipment from this site.
Soundlab m2's,Theta casanova,Sim Moon Orion dvd/cd player;
triplite lc1800,transparent interconnects and speaker cables, and Cary Slam 100's (with a pair of Odyssey mono extreme SE's still in boxes).But the fever is hitting again to try something!! |
I own a calibration laboratory as well as a refurbished/rental test equipment company. 45 years old for two more weeks!!! With my first paycheck from the lumberyard when I was 16, I bought a Panasonic quad 8 track player, had 4 speakers in a 6x8 room that my parents wouldn't let me listen to unless they weren't home. I've constantly traded up and traded both stereo equipment and test equipment to get where this system is now so even though it retails at about 180k (ugh), it cost much less I hope. I started hi-end about 10 years ago, and still have about 10 pairs of speakers sitting around the house. |
Retired electrician with an american auto manufacturer (54 in August), so I'm not feeling too secure at the moment. I would like to become a Tycoon...is anyone willing to sell their tycoonery? |
own a retail business for 30 years.age 50, system cost about 40,000 changes all the time. |
36: Owner of a Bulk Tank Truck Company |
I'm a 35 years old corporate accountant in Philadelphia. |
41. English Teacher: 80% 8th Grade/20% Community College
Surprised I didn't see any teachers during my quick scan of the responses. |
Okay, this discussion of the data forces me to update my profession and age. I am a retired professor of political science and 68. There is much travel in my future and the possibility that I might need another system for a second home where it is cooler in the summer than in central Texas. |
+++ Was wondering if the data in this thread might be useful, so I charted the ages +++
Jim, you have too much time on your hands. |
I'm 28 and I prepare a PhD in cancer research. I live in Toulouse (South of France). Maybe I will be in USA next year for my post-doc... ;o) |
Operating Room RN, 20+ years. 15 years at tauma center. Now part time in nice country hospital. 52 years old. Time to enjoy the music.
About $12k, all used and some DIY. |
Now 37, Registered Nurse. |
Well, hagtech, you are of course correct -- and obviously so, even to those of us without mathematics backgrounds -- yet the matter may be even more complex.
Your answer apparently assumes that the percentage of people in the population who are audiogon members would remain constant even as new members join and older members die or otherwise no longer participate. But this may not be accurate -- it may be that as younger persons raised on video and ipods mature, fewer grow into audiophiles, while those of us who are older are more likely to become and remain interested in hifi. If this is correct, then the population of audiogon may in fact be aging. But a further hypothesis may complicate matters more -- that younger audiophiles are more likely to be computer-literate, thus skewing the percentage of audiophiles who might participate on a site like this toward a younger demographic less representative of audiophiles as a group.
I don't have access to the data -- and to me it's a matter of passing interest only. But the people in charge of this and other sites might actually care about the age of the audiogon demographic.
And in response to the question, I'm a lawyer, age 54. |
Hi Biomimetic,
Yep! it's all a write off and more. |
Thank you, Hagtech, for putting us "non-mathematical" types in our place. |
I realize this is not obvious to anyone without a mathematics background. But easy to illustrate. Instead of 6 years, what if the survey had been going on for 60 years? Got it?
jh Not really, I don't expect that I'll be viewing this thread in another 54 years. :) John |
>>Please add another 6 years to everyone<<
Actually, it doesn't work that way. If the population density stays constant, then the graph is correct as is. The date you made your post does not matter. Density is density.
I realize this is not obvious to anyone without a mathematics background. But easy to illustrate. Instead of 6 years, what if the survey had been going on for 60 years? Got it?
jh |
I am a watch importer by day and at night, I morph into a phono cart. maker. Just let's say I'm over 60...but not yet 70.
Coneflap |
I agree with John, Hagtech. Please add another 6 years to everyone and give us another chart reading. Perhaps in the meantime, other contributors will add to this thread. |
04-27-07: Hagtech
Ok, I'm a geek. Was wondering if the data in this thread might be useful, so I charted the ages.
www.hagtech.com/blog/images/audiogon.jpg
Interesting. Only 3 out of 304 responses were age 60+. Now is that representative of the true audiophile population, or does it reflect computer and Internet savvy? Maybe loss of hearing? I really don't know, and am curious to hear your theories and interpretation of the data.
I found it comforting to see so many in the younger 20 to 35 group. Seems high-end isn't going anywhere. The 35 to 55 group is huge.
jh Have you taken the age of the answers into consideration? For example, this thread is over 6 years old now. When I first replied, I stated that I was 40, I'm 46 now. That would put me into a different category in your 'chart' now. Granted this would take more work, but since you claim to be a geek, you've probably already taken this into consideration. :) John |
Disproportionate numbers of born-again christians? |
Jim, interesting statistics - seeing a strong 20-35 age group is encouraging (I am not alone!!).
Did you feel it would be worth charting the occupation as well? For example: Is there a stronger science and ingeneering or musician background? Higher vs. lower income jobs? |
Ok, I'm a geek. Was wondering if the data in this thread might be useful, so I charted the ages.
www.hagtech.com/blog/images/audiogon.jpg
Interesting. Only 3 out of 304 responses were age 60+. Now is that representative of the true audiophile population, or does it reflect computer and Internet savvy? Maybe loss of hearing? I really don't know, and am curious to hear your theories and interpretation of the data.
I found it comforting to see so many in the younger 20 to 35 group. Seems high-end isn't going anywhere. The 35 to 55 group is huge.
jh |
Now 37, arbitration guy for online auction remarketer of wholesale vehicles, gear about 12k now... |
Yeah, but you can write it off. |
Music Recording Engineer in the Film and Record Industry. I'm 55. Two systems
Audio room $60K, Video room $50K. It's not a hobby. |
I'm 42 and edit TV shows, commercials, corporate videos, etc. I have produced and directed a few music video and music DVD projects, one of which is distributed nationally in the stores. (even worked on a Sufjan Stevens project!) I'm hoping to sell a TV show pitch- then I can really get a good system!
I sometimes mix projects on my home system, so I get to deduct some of it, which really helps with the cost. It can be tied to a full non linear video editing system (about 30K) in the next room to evaluate mixes done on that system, and see what the videos look like projected via DLP for clients.
After this latest analog front end upgrade I am waiting to be delivered I'll probably have about a $45K retail 2 channel system (HT adds another 4 or 5K including projector). Some bought used, some demo gear - so it didn't cost that amount.
I Listen to mostly LP's these days. I was lucky enough to rediscover vinyl around 1990, when people were selling their vinyl by the milkcrate load to local stores. I bought in a fairly short time (2 years ) about 4,000 records including a nice jazz collection. I knew very little about jazz at the time except I liked it, and found a great guy at a local record and book store was an audiophile and had an encyclapedic memory for musically and great sounding LP's. I still have many Jazz LP's I have yet to clean and listen to, and lately have been opening up some sealed OJC reissues, which is fun.
I'm doing my first analog upgrade since around '90 when I bought a nice used table, which has served me well. I kind of feel guilty about this recent massive analog upgrade (about $13K with phono pre) and family members don't understand it since I have good 'table, but it will most likely be my last front end upgrade since to get to the next level of quality would probably be $20-30K on a front end alone, and I don't see much chance of that happening.
I decided not to post under my real name for a few reasons. |
Profession: Heating, Electrical, Ventilation & Air Conditioning Service & Installation Tech.
I startup HVAC systems & intergrate them with building automation control systems.
Age: 51 Young.
System & SW: Costs too much & I fear it will never end. |
I'm an IT Developer for a major electronics corporation. I have a Geology degree. I'm 35 years old (in 2007). |
Am amazed that there aren't more folks from industry.I was in retail for hi-end between 1995-2001 and thinking of getting back into it as consultant because over crowd can barely set up VCR (now DVD-R) with lowing cost of computers,internet radio,Recivers with Ipod docks,better sounding Wifi,chip amps,and cups of DEQX like tech at reasonable price.A music server with touch screen 5 years ago could cost $5K-$10K and basically a 486 machine with software and touchscreen.Now you can get single box that is no larger than CD plarer with HD,inputs for HD whose prices are dropping like a stone (meaning no compression needed economy wise) and WiFi to boost that could ruyn to 6 watt chp amps and hi-effciency speakers or a computer all for under 41K.Recivers are now at $600 level have USB inputs,some HD radio and Ipod docks.Finally the promise of digital has caught attention of this tube and LP guy.
Chazzbo
P.S.Brought way too little cash home since much of it went to a system that most freinds thought I was nuts given what I made to won.But it's heterosexual make-up artist going home do really want to eat caviar through your eyes and go home and bite into Milk Bones???????Terribly sexist analogy I know but it fits right? |
I am an industrial electrician- and electrical engineering student at Purdue University. I am 31 years old. I have loved high end audio for years- and my system now consists of:
Pass Labs Aleph 3
Adcom GCD-750 and clock-modded Rotel RCD-990 (for sale BTW)
B&W CDM-1's
My favorite artist is by far Tori Amos, but I like Sam-Phillips, Son Volt, Richard Buckner, - and my latest "must listen", Brand New.
I am a minimalist at heart and Mr. Pass's creations fit the bill perfectly. |
