.......most frivilous item you've ever bought for your stereo system-- make it over $100. bucks. BTW, the "car thread" prompted me to start this one.
I'll confess. I bought a 2nd Levinson M37 transport when I already have a perfectly fine M37. I love this transport as besides having excellent sound characteristics and build quality, it allows for PERMANENT disc and track programming and will store the programs for 1,000s of discs.
I couldn't help it-- the component was beautiful, the price fair, and lust was "running high" at the time. Cheers. Craig
An entire second system that was supposed to be just for living room casual listening but ended up being major league (with Electrocompaniet CD player, Linn LP 12 w/Lingo and Linto and vandenHul MC-1 Special, Magnum dynalab 102 tuner, and Nak CR-7 tape deck), though not as expensive as my big rig. Then an entirely separate, and third, system for HT only, that has, among other things, 2 laser disc players, a tuner, and a DVD player hooked up to it.
I guess it was when I bought my Graham 1.5T (actually, traded a pair of ARC M300/Classic 150s for it) tonearm, since at the time I had a Well Tempered TT which couldn't use it and no particular prospect of getting a replacement for the TT. It was such a work of art, though, I had to get it. This probably shouldn't count towards this thread, since ultimately I did get my Basis TT which could use the arm within about 8 months.
Mdomnick--not frivilous--you'll love those tubes. I bought the Red Rose R-3 speakers. They are to be used while my main system is down during a construction project. They were the most satisfying small speakers I have heard, and should keep me from going insane while the big rig is down. (maybe that's not frivilous either--sounds pretty necessary actually--therapy--less expensive than a shrink)
Probably a toss up between $650.00 for a stylus gauge that measures in one hundredth's of a gram, and the Purist Dominus ($1565.00) power cord for the motor of my Walker turntable.
No wait!! It was the $980.00 for four original genuine NOS Genelex KT 77 tubes in factory packaging including hand written spec sheet. Purchased for the regulator positions in the power supplies of my Aesthetix gear.
You know what ? Also could have been the custom 6061 Tig welded and cryo treated stands for my turntable and phono stage. Sound Anchors spent weeks (and $7,000.00) meeting specifications. Told me on delivery "NEVER ask us to build another pair of stands like this again."
Vinyl...LP's of all sorts, cost be damned. Multiple copies of "rare" LP's, I'm awash in vinyl. I love it, but truth be told I coulda bought the Porsche I lust with the money I spent on analog tunes. No regrets
I fell into the HT trap back in the late 90's. So, the Lexicon, etc, etc. I thought to myself "self, this will do good 2 channel and there's all these new HT 5.1 formats, not to mention DTS, it's gotta be good!". Ahem,....... Not a year later I commenced to taking over the master bedroom here as a dedicated two channel room, Big $$$ in BAT 50SE, Levinson 33H's etc, etc, etc.
Now if you think that was self-indulgent.......... I recently bought a tube pre for the HT system........ Some new (to me) IRS Betas for mains, and on and on.
Well people, I had kind of forgotten about HT-- a whole other story, eg I have every "backup component" I need for music in my admittedly "half-assed" HT system. I mean who actually "needs" a Muse M2 DAC in their HT system?-- not to mention, SF Line 1 pre-amp, McCormack DNA-0.5DX amp etc-- well, OK the amp and pre fit, but I very very seldom use this gear for music with our 46" TV, but it is all hooked up. So I suppose all this "extra" gear is pretty self indulgent.
Maybe you've noted re the "car thread" that my wife and I drive pretty modest vehicles.
Jeff; I was interested in hearing from you and Sean too 'cuz I know from your postings that both of you have a LOT of gear-- backups to backups, multiple redundancies etc. Here's to lust (make that zest, bliss, happiness etc.) Craig
I'd like to contribute to this thread, but i've never spent any money on a product that i didn't think was well worth it and completely usefull. I am a perfect shopper and not one that leans towards excess : ) Sean >
Craig, you're absolutely right about LOTS of gear but in my own twisted way I can almost justify having so many set-ups. It's not self indulgent to have a tubed CDP in a garage system is it? Lot of relective surfaces in a garage, a man needs tubes in such a harsh environment! As for my bathroom system..well, some read in the "library" others tap their toes to tunes (from a sitting position). The outdoor system irritates my neighbors to no end, I suspect they're jealous cuz their mass-market rack systems in their living room can't hold a candle to my pool-side rig. I consider this a community service, allowing everyone around me a glimpse at a decent sounding stereo, enriching their lives as it were? Honestly, I have a very hard time parting with gear (unless it turns out to be disappointing, then it's easy). Stuff gets swapped in and out of my various systems all the time to test synergy and can at times lead to some confusion. As an example, I moved my ML Aerius aside for a bit in my home office system and inserted my ProAc Tablette 2000's, after a little bit of time I had a tough time deciding which I like better. So, owning many different pieces of gear allows me to conduct all sorts of listening experiments. Keeps me off the streets. We all know what happens to the value of audio gear, more often than not the cash offered for stuff just doesn't make sense to sell it off, at the prices things fetch I'd prefer to keep it than "give it away". As I've upgraded my two main systems, new systems were put together to a point I've honestly run out of ideas as to where to add more. Wait...I don't have a kitchen system! Everyone should have a kitchen system shouldn't they? Ah hah, a use for my extra Linn Classik!
Well, I've ben wracking my brain to find an answer, for I am, like Sean, anything but a compulsive shopper (-;, but perhaps my two sets of spare Quads will do, which I keep fired up, but won't use, until their brethren in the listening room happily start ye olde crackle and pop game and begin to fold on me. (Getting those serviced usually takes 1-2 months) (Pace Albert, yes, sooner or later I'll end up with the big steely framed ones from Dr. Roger West!)
Sean; We KNOW about you, and you can no doubt BS with the best of us;>). Jeff, was that Prozac Tablets-- the new "laid back" models? LOL! I like the way you people think, and feel that I "fit right in". Cheers. Craig
Well maybe not a tweek but a useless thing I purchased was a projector-I seldom use the freaking thing!!! but I just had to have it. It doesn't help my sound, it doesn't do much in fact but its the favorite part of my system to all of the ladies :) thus leading me to believe it is self indulgent. ~Tim
I just bought 2 'very' used Mullard 12AU7's from auction here.One is suppose to be good,the other noisy.Sorry Craig,Im not following the rules of your thread as I got them for a buck!Im not sure what I'll do with them.Nick-nacks maybe?
Yeah, Viggen nailed a big one for me too, ie the amount of time I spend here on the 'Gon, and the i-net in general. According to my wife, I SHOULD be mowing the %^$#%&** grass etc. Beers. Craig
it might be any of four different choices......maybe it is the Transparent Opus MM speaker cable ($23500 list) or maybe the Kharma Exquisite 1Ds ($70000 list) or maybe my Wind's stylus guage ($650 list) or maybe the Linn CD-12 ($20000 list).....
....of course there is the Rockport Sirius II, the Clearaudio Insider Gold and the Jena Labs custom switchbox.....
actually it may be the mint copy of the Half-Speed Nautilus pressing of "Live At Filmore East" the Allman Brothers i just bought for $225....totally fantastic.
i admit i don't regret any of them....they all exceeded my expectations.
David, i had been on the lookout for a "good" copy of this lp for awhile, $225 was very self-indulgent, but the record just flat makes me smile and remember back when.........
if you are ever in the Seattle area come on over and listen to it with me.
Equipment, shiquipment! At this point, I am wondering about my sanity since I'm building a house around a listening room. Was there an existing house that met all our non-audio needs? Would that have been a lot more cost-effective? Do I have a wife who lovingly tolerates my "little" excesses! Yes. Yes. Yes.
The only reason I know I must be sane is because Albert Porter, Sean, Cornfedboy (and others)are my support group in building this thing. I know I'm OK ... I know I'm OK ... I know I'm OK ...
Oz- wonder no more.this 'hobby' is a major obsession for most of us.some may refuse to admit it though.Im in the process of house hunting.my main concern is finding a house with a killer room!I wouldnt be moving if the house I own now had a better room.I could add on but the only spot for an addition would put the room too close to the neighbors house.cant have that with my head banging music.I want a big basement room.thats where I head first when looking at a house.do 'civilians' think Im nuts? at this point I dont care.I guess a move to a different house with a killer dedicated basement room is my most decadent,self indulgence.
Occasionally, I guess we all "think with our ears". Thanks for the feedback David. KP, what a great idea. Too bad the jets in a hot tub would be too loud!
While I'm a real piker compared to some of the gentlemen here (especially KP), the question we must ask ourselves is does any HT rig, even one used for music 90% of the time really need speakers vertically bi-amped with Acoustic Zen Silver Reference interconnects? Mine Does! And NO! It's not an extravagance!
I share David99's obsession. We are house hunting at present and I am vetoing anything that will not be an upgrade for my stereo, but currently disguising it with other excuses like "don't like the area", "not enough sun" etc.
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