I have a '2007' Saab 9-5 that I paid 28.5k for. I paid exactly the same amount for my Eidolon Diamonds in a premium finish. I love my Saab but the system is what really transports me into another place and time. How do you put a price on that?
System and it's really not close. One thing that has not been mentioned is the fact that, for me, the system is the result of 20 some years of development. That matters too. I like cars and have been through phases where I love them but for now, we have a pretty normal, humble pair. I do miss the 02 911 Turbo on a couple nice days out of the year but for the most part, I am happy with the balance today.
Pretty much even, 2008 Solstice convertible w/1700 miles for good weather, 1999 Prism w/130,000 miles for winter and bad weather. Just rebuilding the system and when finished will have almost exactly the same into it as the Solstice cost.
Now you are talking. Cars? You buy new and 2 yrs later a new body syle comes out and now your new car is old. Car payments? Screw that. Been there , done that. I have a donkey for a car, '95 Lexus. [Hey! don't insult MY car. I like my beautiful Lexus. P.S. You don't have a car, you only borrow mine. But it is true that your system cost WAAAAAY more than my car. --Glory's wife]
Learn how to ski. Spend your extra $$$ on lessons and go sking with 63. Nothing like getting on the steeps and your instructor tells you to dive down the hill and your head says No lean back up the hill. Better than an audio system anyday. Well almost better.
Peterayer, I hope that is "commensurate" rather than 'commiserate', but it is an appropriate comment. Some might take issue with the order of 1 and 2 though... (and some might then take issue with a new #2 and 3 but understanding priorities is important to the answer to the OP's question...)
I spend way too much on my cars and they give me a lot more trouble than my system does. So far I've got a lot more invested in the stereo, although with the addition of the EV the cars are catching up...
I can't quite figure out exactly (secretly, I don't want to know).
I started modding my Corvette Z06 a while back with Katech Racing (famed Corvette racing team engine and chassis developers), heads and cam set ($6500). After that is was all downhill. I got into racing as a hobbyist, well with some sponsors so to speak. Anyway, headers, both street and race, open pipe exhaust system, different nufflers for racing, full Corvette T1 racing suspension which is way stiffer then any other car I have ridden in, Porsche GT3, Turbo, M3, AMG, etc. Motor balanced and blueprinted, then all of the coolers, rear end, tranny, engine oil, aluminum racing radiator, heavy duty hose kits (think 9 gauge cables, ha) cross bar, specially made rear end gears, top speed autobahn gears (185MPH plus) and track gears (Hockenheim), carbon fiber heat extractor hood, specially designed race breaks (modified Porsche GT3) from Movit.de and the list goes on. After several engines, a few trannies and a lot of clutches, I was really depressed when the car was down, so I started getting back into my hi-fi as a hobbyist, well before I know it, I am enjoying that much better, because it never dies and is pleasantly fun, versus the adrenaline rush of racing around a track with only millimeters between you and the other car.
I love racing and attacking the autobahn with all my racing experience makes the simplest of drives feel as if I am still on the racetrack (not good, when the spouse is with you). With everything invested in my car over the years, I have paid for my car twice.
In the audio domain, I think I will surpass that within the next few few years as I keep buying LP's, and looking at getting bigger mono tube amps. No more mods for the hi-fi, yeah right.
As most of you have probably done, costs are accumulative over a period of years. I don't want to think about what I spent anymore, it will just give me headaches. Ciao, Audioquest4life
I wouldn't say more pertinent, but maybe more interesting. My question ran to the application of disposable income among this crowd on traditional "big ticket" items (car) vs. this peculiar madness. Yours runs to a different set of prioities - music vs music toys. My question implies (or, at least, intended to imply) no value judgement (neither luxury car nor luxury system purchase is particularly "honorable"), your question sort of does invite a judgement - if you believe that the music is more important than the system (like I do), anyway.
To your point, I think that my music collection, like my system, probably falls between the price of my car and my wife's. It's a tougher calculation, though (too many small purchases) to state with confidence.
I think my use of "pertinent" was aimed at people actually listening to music on their systems rather than having it as status symbol, much like a Mercedez car on the drive.
I agree that the comparison between system cost and cost of record/CD collection is a more interesting topic.
Myself personally, my music collection (CD's) would be just behind the cost of the sytem, but if I cheated and added in the 1200 plus vinyl albums stored in the loft, then the whole music collection would cost twice that of the system.
It is all interesting stuff, we can then form our own opinions (which will be totally wrong) of the actions of others (based on their answers).
Presently - my system as my car is a '97 Accord with 200+k miles which has allowed me to upgrade my audio system over time. I am now looking for another car so it may become a toss up.
"Outlier: The cartridge on my turntable costs more than my car ;-)"
Excellent.
I have just remembered, at one point my system cost more than I paid for my house, although not in the same time period, house bought 12 years ago, system in 2008 cost more than the purchase price of the house.
It just goes to show how crazy we can be with our music systems. No wonder other people think we are all mad. LOL
My car just underwent a EUR 0,6k value increase since I had to purchase a new set of tyres. That still doesn't bring it nowhere near the system's cost, but I found a striking similarity between choosing some new cable and choosing tyres given the fancy tech talk as well as accompanying exclusive-product bits some manufacturers offer (just observing, not criticizing being a Cable Believer myself). Indeed, by mere virtue of buying a certain type of tyres I now am a member of the PZero Club which is a feeling just short of driving Ferrari or Bugatti, so there!
It also means I will have to save another month or so for a cord I had set eyes on.
Or should I go for some cryo'd silver exhaust pipes perhaps? (Nooooo, nip that in the bud, right now!)
Definately my system. I'm Driving a 2006 Toyota Tacoma extended cab pickup, and I love it. When I run it into the ground one day I will buy another one because it's a great truck. I Bought it new with all the lights, bells and whistles, then upgraded the stereo system in it, had a custom leather interior done, and tinted the windows. I'm into it for around 26 G's. Just this past July (7-1-2010 to be exact), I purchased a brand spanking new pair of MBL 101e Mk2's! Damb speakers cost almost 3 times what my truck did! Sure hope they last as long! On top of that I am driving them with B.A.T. VK600se monoblocks and B.A.T.VK51se Preamp, all Transparent Reference balanced interconnects and Bi-wired speaker cables. Add to that all my source components (Theta Digital, Linn LP12 t.t., Magnum Dynalab, etc) and the dollars stack up pretty quickly. Who Knew?? Good thing my wife is a music lover, AND very supportive of my "HOBBY". Which is why she still gets flowers and chocolates after 26 years of marriage!
Another interesting question is: which one is worth more today on the used market? Both the housing bust and Audiogon have had interesting impacts on resale values with these two products. Neither has become something I want to dwell on too closely.
I have spent more on audio than my current cars but if I added up all the cars I've owned then I'd have spent more on cars. I spend less than an hour a day driving and manage at least three hours for audio so the audio gets more use.
In 1970 I purchased my first BMW which I still own and drive. I don't have any audio items from that period of time. Forty years of enjoyment is an excellent achievement. My oldest piece of audio in continuous use is a Sony cd player from 1989.
Well, I'm still driving around in my first car, a very reliable 1987 BMW 528 that I bought for $1800 almost 9 years ago. I paid more for that for almost every single component in my system.
I like that cartridge ;-) As we have disposed of our car, the system comes in at full weight, but we might get a fantastic car for that. But then again, I go for bows, and then we wouldn't get that far.
my watch, my fishing/hunting trip budget, my books, my music...heck everything i have is worth more than my car.. to calculate the audio? 40 times as much as my car. the only money i spend on cars is maintenace and gas. you have to have priorities. ha. i just got rearended by a kid with no insurance and spent my insurance companies refund on all new cables. people see my dented bumper and back off realizing i must not care...........i have put more than one high dollar car wash out of business,,,,,,,,,
the one meter IC between DAC and pre cost more than my car. MY cartridge cost more than my car. Why? Who can afford a nice car when he's hooked on high end audio? I'm not an heiress, after all.
It is pretty much a tie. I have a custom supercharged 800 hp BMW 540i, a daily driver BMW 535i and a week-end hauler GMC Sonoma PU. My A/V sytem cost $100,000. I love them all, and I have been blessed with being able to enjoy them every day.
My 2003 Mitsubishi Evo costs the same as the cumulative expense for my system. Then I got a Nissan GTR. I will get better speakers in the near future but still the car will be up there. I can justify 90000 for good handling at 120mph but not 50000 for an amp.
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