2. analog
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How can anyone afford this ?

I consider myself a dedicated audiophile. I am 36(which I am guessing is a little younger than the average here) and single. I have been interested in high-end audio since I saw my uncle's Mcintosh and Threshold equipment for the first time when I was 5.
Since joining the workforce and saving a little I have always been trying to put together a nice system on a budget. I do OK financially(I am a systems engineer) but I do live in NYC which may put some of this into perspective.
Over the last 6 months I have struggled to buy(all used on Agon) a pair of Dynaudio Audience 42s and a Threshold CAS2 amp, Chang CLS3200, and cables(I haven't gone out[I don't have a girfriend], purchased anything else and really haven't eaten too much to be able to afford these and it is still a real stretch). I am using the amp with a direct connection from my CD/DVD player(Cambridge Audo Azur 540D...slightly modified[op amps, PS caps, bypass caps] that I have had for almost 10 years). A fellow has a Threshold FET2 series II(to match with the CAS2) he is holding for me but that seems like a pipe dream at this point along with a turntable.
A few years ago the analogue bug hit me.
I had a setup consisting of an Audio Analogue Settanta integrated and a Nottingham Horizon SE turntable with a Rega RB300 tonearm with the Incognto rewire and structural mod. This was not an expensive kit by any stretch but for me it almost put me in the poor house. I had to sell the entire rig to pay my bills and it hurt.
It seems over the last 10 years or so I have not been able to keep a kit for more than 6 months before I had to sell it. Whenever I don't have a rig I am constantly scanning the online Ads lusting for the next bargain to set up a system and cannot even listen to music on a mass market rig(I have been spoiled).
Anyway, I guess my question is how can anyone normal afford this hobby? What type of money do you have to be making to be able to enjoy this hobby.....$100,000/year? $500,000/year? Do you need to be worth millions? $5,000 barely gets you in the door(some interconnects cost more) and you could possibly spend millions. I am not looking to put together a $10,000 system(not even close...and that is modest in this hobby) but if I wanted to I don't see it ever being financially possible. If I had a girlfriend or a family(hopefully someday) I would not event be able to think about this hobby with a good conscience. I guess I am wondering if all these people in this hobby are millionaires? I am close to selling my rig again to pay the bills(the amp needed repair/recap and that was $450). Any advice for an audiophile who lusts to put together a nice rig but can't afford it? Should I get out and save for 5 or 10 years and then try again? Maybe I am in the wrong hobby but it is more addicting that crack to me(and more expensive). Maybe I should be a crackhead instead...that might be the only thing to make me forget about it. Thoughts?
adamd1205
rhljazz
1,255 posts
 
No car payment, no house payment, and no credit card payments. Never put anything on a credit card that you can't back up with cash.
That leaves some cash to have fun with audio.
mmakshak
589 posts
 
All of sudden, WHAM! I was hit by what Hotmailjbc says. The vitriol was amazing. I think what you saw with the economy shutting down, was due to greed. I do think the obvious age discrimation that exist in hi-tech needed to be dealt with(by having a union?). I see this latest attack on the middle class was aimed at the upper sections of it. What happens to one segment of us, happens to us all. BTW, no one believes the trickle-down theory of economics.
manitunc
795 posts
 
Certainly, I wouldnt suggest anyone should go into debt to finance a hobby. That's a sure way to stop enjoying it. I also find that I am beginning to care more for the aesthetics and functionality of what I buy than I did in the past. I have always liked the sound of my Oracles and I think they are the best looking turntable ever. My Sotas are probably just as good, maybe even better in some respects, but they just dont have the same pizzazz, even my African Rosewood plinthed model. I guess I am moving away from my black box look in components to something that looks like it is worth what I paid for it. I doubt if I will ever get to the ultra high end stuff though.
mceljo
1,357 posts
 
Not to bring religion into this discussion, but at church this week the guest speaker was talking about American history and how people thought about things around the time of the original 13 colonies. Basically, he pointed out that even though it sounded like it was all about equality what they really meant was equality for those that were part of the elite class. Evidence for this was the fact that blacks were only counted as 3/5ths of a person for voting (there were more examples). There's always been a mindset that not everyone is equal even though we all are guilty of considering certain types of people less than ourselves. He also pointed out that there is nothing in Capitalism about helping others. Keep in mind that this guy has served in the armed forces and isn't a "nut." His point was that Christian's were ingoring their call to help the less fortunate and instead were relying on the legistated help (i.e. wellare) that will really never work.

I guess how this concept ties into this discussion is the trickle-down effect somewhat requires people in the "elite" classes to set things up such that the less fortunate have the opportunity to benefit from the economy or the overall wealth. With the goal of Capitalism being the success of the individual above all else it's unlikely that the people in power would ever set things up to benefit those that they consider lower than themselves. It's basic selfishness.

By the way, his point wasn't that something was wrong with the government, but that anyone claiming to be a Christian should take an active role in supporting those that were less fortunate rather than relying on others to do it for them.
manitunc
795 posts
 
The goal of capitalism isnt the success of the individual above all else. There is no goal per se. The principal simply states that if left alone, the markets will eventually correct themselves, and the true value of an item will be known through supply and demand, and that includes the value of labor. However, humans can never truly leave the markets alone, and we legislate to cause behaviour we prefer. The tax code is an example of trying to legislate behaviour. for instance, why have an interest rate deduction for home mortgages? Because we want people to own homes in the belief that home ownership has other desireable benefits. We could just as easily allow deductions for rent payments, as they do in Canada.
Of course, no country in the world operates in a pure economic theory. Its all a mish mash of what went before plus what we hope will work in the future, along with what some got away with.
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