He spent his life building a $1 million stereo. The real cost was unfathomable.

My grandfather collected books his whole life. Filled several rooms in their house with thousands of books floor to ceiling. First editions signed copies and limited printings. His closest friend George was the same with Records, amassing over 100k. Both passed leaving the liquidation to their emotionally distraught wife's, who just wanted them out of the house as it was a constant reminder of their loss. For my grandfather and his closest friend, it was all about the chase of finding new pieces to add to their collection. Neither stopped to think about their legacy and how it should be handled when they were gone. Planning for charitable donations, gifts to loved ones, working with a trusted dealer or auction house all would have been better than leaving it to a family that is grieving to figure out. 

While I am sure he enjoyed the journey, Ken's obsession took a big toll on his family. 

exigem2

Agreed. The true nature of Collecting anything is the "chase". Enjoy the Audio journey or otherwise!

Happy Listening!

Read it today in WaPo. It was a larger tale than just about our hobby. Many, in fact probably most, passionately assembled possessions move to new third party owners for “pennies on the dollar.”

While I’m just a Mid-Fi audio fan, my wife and I (along with a small group of local artisan renovators) are obsessive partners in restoring homes and repurposed 100 year old public and industrial spaces. We share an eye and a skill set for cap and lintel interior trim, bead board and post Victorian Craftsman proportions and techniques. We’ve done half a dozen projects, in which our reimagined elements are instinguishable from original to 99% of anyone who sees the work…even those who ended up purchasing and using the spaces.

I felt sad that the personal joy at the root of Mr. Krell’s audio journey came at a high price to his family life…but the larger truth of “pennies on the dollar” at the end of the day is very common across many modern pursuits.

This was a respectful but far less fawning take on Ken Fritz's quest than the well-edited and shot videos on him and his creation that appeared on Youtube. The costs in terms of spousal unhappiness, alcohol addiction, divorce, estrangement, lost opportunities for pleasure against the singular pursuit of a personal "dream" make one wonder how worthwhile that pursuit was. To see it all go to the auctioneer's block so quickly and for so little should give anyone pause.

For anyone who does not have a Washington Post account (and doesn't want one), you can read all about this by going to YouTube and just typing in Ken Fritz.  The entire story had been there for several years.

Um, no. The WaPo report has new information about a story already out there. So, not the "entire story" at all. Think, man, think.