Ten dollars. The cost of a poster of a 911. Yes, I realize I’m bringing down the curve. As Bob Dylan says at the end of all of his songs, good luck to everybody! 🤗 I hazard a guess the sound I am getting now with a portable Sony Walkman and Grado SR-60 headphones is quite superior to my headphone system 4 years ago which was Modded Oppo 103, Woo Audio all Tube headphone amp and Grado SR-600 headphones. I’m not hot dogging you! 🌭
I just totaled up the full retail cost of my system, including the electronics, the speakers, the rack, the cables, the room treatments, the tweaks... Oh my GAWD!
Demo Kanta No2's- $6,000 Feel off the truck Nakamichi cd player 4brand new - (1993)$100 Prima Luna used prologue 3 preamp $1050 Prima Luna Dialogue Premium used (mint) year old - $2400 Nordost Blue Heaven - $420 2 pairs of Sonus Faber concertinos- one pair Used $800 w/ original stands One pair New (1998 ) $1500 from Tweeter with original stands Monitor Audio Bronze 2 with stands - $450 Monitor Audio Bronze center $300 Yamaha CDS- 300player bedroom used $170 NAD integrated 3125- $100 (1993) Harmon Kardon T920 tuner $80 - pawn shop Paradyne Atom V7 demos $240 speaker wires $200 plus Yamaha Surround RXV 685- $500 video Marginal Energy powered sub off craigslist $100
(70 inch Vizio tv $2000) about $16, 400 and change including tv
I don't buy new clothes - only old equipment - Craig
~$7.5K (mostly used, in good shape). Retail would be closer to $12K. This does not include HT equipment I used to use for my audio, which would add ~$2.5K more, without the TV and video related boxes. It adds up, but it's worth it.
I’ve paid about $35K for what is presently in my system, spread over many years. Equivalent to somewhere between $40K and $45K in today's dollars if adjusted for inflation.
All purchased off Audiogon as used equipment with the exception of the Apogee Duettas -
Apogee Duetta Signature 2 Paradigm Servo 15 subs Bel Canto - Ref 1000 monoblocks BAT VK-42 SE Marantz SA-15S1 Music Hall mmf-7 with Grado Reference cartridge Assorted cables and accessories
I DIY whatever I can, because the sound of quality components is qualitatively superior, and you just can't shoe-horn a vacuum capacitor into anyone's standard box.
So I budget for lower high end and spend that on parts. Then I do it my way.
Main rig <$5000. Living room rig approximately $500 Maybe $600ish with replacement tubes. Bedroom system has ss and tube option and cost about $1600 all in. I have a mix of vintage and modern gear. Each system is unique sounding and I love them all.
About $12k, most was bought used here, on ebay and usaudiomart. This includes CD player sitting in a closet most of the time and Grado RS1 Classic headphones used 99% of time with computer and Burson Play dac. It also includes service fees for the Nakamichi 682ZX deck of which I take good care. This is not much to spend on audio for over 20 years. I overspent a little this year because my 18 years old Redgum integrated just broke - input selector - and I decided not to ship it to Australia for repairs and got instead Burson Audio separates, first the Soloist and shortly after that Timekeeper power amp, both like new and inexpensive, and of course I needed extra pair of interconnects so I got WyWires Platinum. Sounds significantly better than Redgum, similar sonic signature, a bit warmer. No more audio expenses this and next year for me, well, unless something else breaks, I kind of hope.
$1200 for pre-owned Maggie 1.7s, $2500 for pre-owned McIntosh MA252 integrated, $550 for new Lehmann Black Cube (2002 dollars), $500 for new Music Hall MMF5 ‘table (2002 dollars), $150 for pre-owned Tangent CD player, maybe $200-$300 for cables, $150 for power strip. That’s just under $5.5k. KILLER SOUND.
Today I’d estimate $22K, down from a high of approximately
$50K. I’m also an audio hoarder, so probably another $10K in additional components
and speakers.
I bought a new Emotiva PT-100 preamp/dac with bluetooth and new Zu Libtec speaker cables, speaker jumpers and interconnects. This year I'll break down and buy a new SoundSmith SMMC2 cartridge for my B&0 tx2 turntable for $800, but that's about it for new stuff.
Everything else is eBay or Craigs list stuff that I patiently fished for a low, low prices.
List price on my system around 12,500. Actual money spent 2,200. Does not include vinyl, or the headphones that i rarely use... just my stereo system including, for multiple rooms, a rotel rss900 speaker selector and a few pairs of speakers for different parts of the house. The maggies in the listening room get the direct connection and the other speakers in other rooms get the additional speaker connectors...I never run them all at once so I don't have to experience sound degradation due to impedence management being done by the switch.
Good deals await those who are patient. ( and cheap or on a budget, I guess ) Example, I got a pair of barely broken-in Magneplaner 1.7's with custom stands for $350 from a guy who was going through a divorce and needed to raise cash and reduce physical stuff so he could more more easily. Def Tech BP-10s from a guy who had downsized his home...had them on Craigslist for weeks at 500..... waited a while, then offered him 275. Same deal with a Def Tech ProSub 1000, guy had mountains of components and an angry wife...got the sub for 125. Same guy sold me a mint Rotel RB-1070 for 175. KEF Q100's from unclaimed freight...new, unopened 120.
Talked to a guy with a Yamaha rx596 stereo receiver (not an av receiver) and a yamaha sacd player with new 3way yamaha speakers. I was mostly interested in the sacd player but did not buy it. a month goes by, hes moving out of the country and currently lives out in the boonies...He sends me an email saying that if I'd drive way out to his place he'd give me the whole system just to get it to a good home, as it was time to leave. I was there in an hour. Sold it on CL 3 weeks later for 300, to help pay for more stuff.
The hobby is fulfilling and addictive, and I suppose the hunt for the bargains on jewels is also fulfilling and addictive.
Nearly all Mac components, purchased over last three years:
C2600 pre amp $7000 MC611 Mono Block X 2 $14,000 MP1100 Phono Preamp $7850 MT5 Turntable $5850 Croatian-made SAM Renegade TT w/ 2 Calista II tonearms $2700 MR87 Tuner $4500 MCT450 SACD/CD Transport $3800 Nativ Streaming Server $1500 MB50 Streaming Audio Player $2000 Focal Stella Utopia EM $66,000 Shunyata Denali D6000TConditioner $4500 TOTAL approximately $119,700
Cables and interconnects and carts not included above
Yes, I'm probably a chump brand loyalist who spent too much, but I am very happy. First system owned since my college years (kids are now grown and we are "empty-nesters" so wife gave me the green light!)
I have a vintage Marantz system from the 70's which, with tuner, amp, and my first set of hifi speakers is one of the most musical sounds in my house.. Cost= Peanuts
I have another system with brand new stereo subs, new maggies, newer class D monos, a streamer, a classic turntable, and a tube preamp . Sounds detailed and lovely with a decidedly hifi sound. Very enjoyable but very different than my vintage system. Cost= More than I should have spent.
Ugh, I did this not long ago and it was depressing. Prices are what I paid so retail around 45k-50k.
Focal kanta 3 - $10k Focal kanta center - $2k NAD m17v2 - $6k NAD m22v2- $2k NAD m27 - $3k Sony A1E 65" - $4k AQ castlerocks for all 9 chan - $3k AQ water interconnects for all 9 - $1.5k AQ tornado pc x3 - $1k ML motion4 x6 - $1k SVS sb16 ultra - $1.5k Salamander stand - $1k Savant automation - $1.5k Isoaccoustic gia II x2 - $1k GIK Acoustics large room package - $1k Oppo 203 - $800 Furtech 15fpi - $700
Great question! I am in the mood to reflect on my personal journey in Hi Fi Audio over the last 30 to 40 years since college. My kids are grown and have moved out. Concert tickets are crazy expensive. My home audio has evolved into two systems. The main system is in our ‘shared family room’ and my ‘backup system’ is in my Bonus Room / Man Cave upstairs so I can listen when my wife gets tried of the music. These two systems have been built over the last 20 plus years. Prices are what I actually paid.
System one: Maggie 1.7i - $2,100 - bought new 3 years ago Maggie DMW bass Panel - $800 - bought new 3 months ago KrellKAV 400i - $2,900 - bought new 1 mo ago - push Bass Panel Son of Ampzilla - $2,800 -bought new 1 mo ago pushing the 1.7s Marantz 7006 - CD / DVD - $800 - bought new 4 years ago Furman15i - Power Conditioner - $800 - bought new 4 years ago LUMIN D1 - $2,000 - bought new 4 years ago Wire and cable - Anticable - $400
System two: Uses the LUMIN D1 noted above - N/C Maggie1.6qr- $1,800 - bought new 12 years ago Peter Gunn mod for Maggie 1.6 s- in progress - EST cost $3,200 Krell S550i - $2800 - bought used 4 years ago Furman15i Power Conditioner - $600 - bought new 1 mo ago wire and cable - Anticable - $600
Total Systems cost to date $22,400.
Not an expensive hobby spread over two plus decades. Keeps me out of the bars. And my cost for access to Tidal Hi Fi with MQA via the LUMIN D1 is $26 per month. Cannot wait for my Gunned Maggie’s to get home and compare the two systems. The Gunned Maggie’s are a retirement gift to myself! Life Is Good!
I’m just over $10,000 other than speakers all used gear. Full blown retail around $20,000 My last set up was over 30 years old. Sold it all off the took the plunge. Best money I ever spent. 😎
Retail price of my system is over 100K. I paid about 45K and I have still room for improvement. Only inexpensive analog front end for now so when it is time to get serious about this you can add another 10 to 15K. As an enthusiast, you only know what you are missing until you hear it in another component or system. So the quest never ends.
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