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

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.

Actually, Bell Labs was located in Murray Hill, NJ. I used to go to their sound proof room when I was a kid. A million dollars does not buy you great sound. Have you been to a reviewers system lately? LOL

The trick, pioneered in the early 1930s by engineers working at Bell Labs in New York and Abbey Road Studios in London, was in the two channels of sound. Recorded from separate microphones and played back through separate speakers, they could simulate the swirling warmth and depth of life.