Ken Fritz's $1M Dream System update

Did anyone hear it?

"Yes private and we don’t know the reality. Seems we should not speculate negatively on a man that has passed."

There are direct quotes from his own children verifying his selfish obsession and lousy parenting.

He was a pathetic human and died alone and miserable. 

I followed the online auction, and based on my math, the ENTIRE AUCTION, all 668 audio items in the house, only brought in $167,000 based on adding up all the final auction bids.  Unreal.  In an interview, Ken estimated his entire system build and room cost him around $1.25 million.

In my opinion, the Krell gear was the only gear that brought a decent return.  The Denon PBN turntable was a STEAL.  PBN tables without arms can sell for $30,000.  This had 2 Kuzma arms that are $10,000 each and cartridges that also run almost $11,000 each.  That's $40,000 costs in JUST the 2 arms and cartridges.  I spoke with somebody at PBN, and this current build would run approximately $60,000.  The winning bidder got an endgame table, a Super Denon on Steroids, for $10,750.

The "Frankentable" went for $19,750.  Considering $19,000 is what I priced a Kuzma Tangential Arm at, and his turntable had TWO OF THEM, plus another Kuzma arm, and all three arms had cartridges that cost over $10,000 each....yeah, it sold for pennies on the dollar. Ken had estimated he had close to $150,000 in it in just PARTS. In the end, it was an albatross.

@grannyring -- I’m not saying anything negative about Mr. Fritz. I never met him and I don’t speak ill of the dead. However, the forum members making comments could have read the exact same article I read in the Washington Post that delved into the family break-up prior to his death.  The article started off with,"He spent his life building a $1Million Stereo.  The real cost was unfathomable."

Ken was estranged from one son, and after his terminal diagnosis they attempted a reconciliation which went WAY SOUTH, with Ken’s son’s last words to him being, "I hope you die a slow and miserable death." Apparently, all of his children were estranged up until the end when he reconnected with one son (in the documentary) and his daughter.

The Washington Post article was a tough read -- it pulled no punches. It looks to be behind a paywall now, but I highly recommend trying to track down a copy to read. Then go hug your spouse, kids, and family. I know I did.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/interactive/2024/ken-fritz-greatest-stereo-auction-cost/