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

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.

Insanity.

I can truly identify with the son.

No one deserves a dad like that. Mine was consumed with political power during my youth. Same end result. Only positive, I never indulge in politics. I bet his son will never give a crap about audiophilia.

@exigem2 I go into a lot of houses after family members pass and this is my number one takeaway. Please plan to get rid of whatever stuff you "collect" so you don't leave the burden to your family. Antiques, records, Beanie Babies, lawnmowers, etc. Most of the time your "valuable" stuff will end up in the dump or practically given away, leaving your family feeling guilty that they're throwing away "your" stuff. They'll most likely spend a not inconsiderable amount of time trying to get something for it before throwing in the towel.