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And My Budget Is...

Almost always, when someone asks for a component recommendation, they always finish with "and my budget is $X". And I'm wondering how they arrived at that figure.  Now I'm not encouraging frivolous spending by any means and I would never make a purchase that is not financially responsible, so stop right there.  But maybe setting an arbitrary budget is not the way to do it. Back in 2004 when I re-entered high-end audio after a hiatus from the 80's, I went to audition a Naim CD player at a dealer in NYC.  At that time "and my budget is" was $1500, which to me was a lot of money for a CD player.  So I listened to the $1500 player and it was good, but nothing to get excited about.  When I expressed this to the dealer, he smiled and installed the $3000 model.  Well, I could not believe the difference. I had never heard a CD sound that way.  The realism of the whole experience just transported me to another level and I purchased it on the spot.  Yes, I did think it was expensive, but I shifted my priorities around after listening and said that the extra money was worth it to me and that I would restructure my budget in other areas to make up the difference.  So what I am saying is - rather than just setting a budget of X, maybe the better way is to listen to something you really love, that is not ridiculously out of your price range and then decide whether the difference is worth it to you. I would think that most everyone here spends more on audio than the average person would believe possible and many could stretch from that $1000 dac they say they want to that $5000 dac they love if they really wanted to. When my wife passed almost 7 years ago, I thought my life was over, but as I pulled myself out of the pit and built my life back up, I started living by this principle: Treat yourself responsibly well. Responsibly well.  And I think you should too.  Be healthy. 
chayro
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gerryah930
144 posts
 
Chayro-

Great post. My wife has terminal cancer and I have cried bucketfuls of tears - I am not sure how i can face her death without coming apart. 

In any event, since I find solace in music, I have been responsible, but I have not punished myself through denial of things that I enjoy, because otherwise the bleakness creeps in...Thank you for sharing!
mahler123
3,382 posts
 
I will be the contrarian here.  I like it when people state their budget in posts.  How many threads have you read where people ask for help, let’s say for a turntable.  In response someone types paragraphs recommending something like Air Force One, at $50 K or whatever, only to have the OP say their budget is $200?  I try to tailor my recommendations to the budget stated, but I will frequently recommend something above that budget and say “if you can stretch it, X is really worth the extra cost”.
  The OP has had quite a loss in his life, and earns my sympathy, and if I had experienced a similar loss, and had only myself to be accountable to, I perhaps would be a bit more free spending.  As it is, I frequently go over my initial budget on just about everything I buy, and my wife rarely, if ever, utters a peep, but we are both looking at retirement and analyzing our finances and trying to decide where we want to retire.  I would love to trade my excellent DAC for a dcs Stack, and could if I wanted to, but really?  If I was a Widower perhaps I would, but no amount of money blown would ever make me get over that loss
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barts
723 posts
 
Responsibly well.  Excellent phrase, seems like something Marcus Aurelius would think or maybe Seneca or one of the other Stoics.

I too don't set budgets, by that I mean I have a reasonable idea of where in the scheme of everything a purchase should fit.  Also there is the factor of my own comfort level with possessing ridiculously expensive "things".
My impulse is to donate a nice chunk of change to a food bank, makes me ill to think people go hungry in this country and I can eat whatever I want.  

Regards,
barts
oldaudiophile
318 posts
 
Chayro, I like your style!  Last time I went shopping for speakers I set my budget at $2,000.  Nothing I listened to made me think it was any better or that much better than my old 20 year old Paradigm Monitor 9 (the originals).  So, I started listening to things in the $2,500 range.  Still no "WOW" factor or not a big enough one to move me.  When all was heard & done, I ended up spending $3,500 to get the "WOW" factor and, mind you, it wasn't that big of a "WOW" over those old Paradigm but enough of one to put a smile on my face and feel it was worth it.  Paradigm make some good stuff!

I don't know how typical this is for most audiophiles but I invariably end up spending more than I think I will when shopping for stereo toys.  My approach is similar to yours, I think.  I venture out with an idea in mind, listen to things in an identified price range and, then, always ask the stereo man (it's usually a man - they'd probably move more product if they hired women) to play something demonstrably better at a higher price point.  After some jockeying around, my heart, wallet and relative good reason finally decide what I walk away with.  Of course, my comptroller (i.e. "She Who Must Be Obeyed") has a lot to do with this, as well.  Actually, this is kind of my approach to spending a bunch of money on pretty much anything.
ebm
9,311 posts
 
Bless you enjoy your CD player and stay well.
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