How much is enough ?
- Thread starter Paul
- Start date
How true about the price of gear. Most people on this forum have 10's of thousands of dollars worth if gear. However, now is a great time for audio. There is a lot of really inexpensive gear that can give you good and enjoyable sound although not to the standards of this forum. You can put together an enjoyable system with sub $1k amps, DAC's and speakers. Just look at the products from Schiit, PSA Sprout, Elac, IFI, Emotiva, Wharfdale and many other brands.
I have a system which consists of a Dayton Audio DTA100a tripath amp, Emotiva Big Ego DAC used with an AQ Jitterbug and Monitor Audio S1 speakers. It brings a smile to my face every time I listen to it. It has very good air and transparency with good dynamics. It is not the last word in detail or resolution but it is smooth and musical. Cables by Blue Jeans.
BayStBroker
New member
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2015
- Messages
- 292
I've been toying with the concept that the optimal amount (in total) spent on an audio system is equal to the total amount spent on the owner/listener's primary automobile. So most people will need to spend more than $20k and less than $60k on the audio rig. Exceptions will exist at the extremes.
I believe this amount adequately and realistically balances affordability with the relatively high priority that a music enthusiast should place on owning a stereo that has maximum sound quality.
I am assuming (a) the owner will use the system on most days when he has leisure, and (b) the owner does not own a boat or a sports car (if budget matters are any constraint at all). I assume (a) because audio is kind of an indoor sport for cerebral, introverted folks. If you don't listen to your stereo in the summer time, then deduct that proportion of the year from the optimal percentage of the audio rig cost relative to the automobile cost. I assume (b) since we have make hard choices with regard to discretionary spending. Most of us cannot have everything, nor do we have time for all of the leisure pursuits that have appeal for us.
I believe this amount adequately and realistically balances affordability with the relatively high priority that a music enthusiast should place on owning a stereo that has maximum sound quality.
I am assuming (a) the owner will use the system on most days when he has leisure, and (b) the owner does not own a boat or a sports car (if budget matters are any constraint at all). I assume (a) because audio is kind of an indoor sport for cerebral, introverted folks. If you don't listen to your stereo in the summer time, then deduct that proportion of the year from the optimal percentage of the audio rig cost relative to the automobile cost. I assume (b) since we have make hard choices with regard to discretionary spending. Most of us cannot have everything, nor do we have time for all of the leisure pursuits that have appeal for us.
BlueFox
New member
Maybe, but not for me. I still drive my 2005 Mazda3 that I paid an even $20K cash for in October 2004. Not spending money on a new car gives me more to spend on the stereo.
As an engineer, I look at the facts/data, and base my decisions on that. So, I am almost 69, and my father went a few years ago at 86. I figure, baring any medical breakthroughs, I am in my last 20 years. Since I am still working, I have a lot of discretionary income, and spend some of it on audio. At least for as long as my ears hold out. At some point, I need to retire, and then will divide my savings by years left to live, and get an idea as to what extra I can spend on non-essential items, like stereo gear. If in 10 years my ears are still good then maybe the TOL Magico will be a good purchase.
It doesn't work for me either. I paid $10K (with trade in) for my 2016 Nissan Versa which is the most fun to drive I've had so far. It's an anti status symbol if you will; being extremely comfortable in my own skin I don't have to "prove myself to the world", and the car is environmentally friendly. My system costs more than six times that. I love my choices.
jdandy
New member
For me, how much is enough is when I say it's enough. That declaration has nothing to do with what anyone else is doing. No one else's spending habits effect me in the slightest.
What's funny is "enough" seems to be a moving target. Each year I tell myself this year I won't spend more money on audio equipment because i am happy with the gear I own. I said it last year and and didn't stick to it. I said it again this year, no more spending. Guess what, I've already shelled out another $10K since January 2018, and that's on a system I'm trying to downsize. Obviously I haven't reached "enough" yet.
Maybe next year.
What's funny is "enough" seems to be a moving target. Each year I tell myself this year I won't spend more money on audio equipment because i am happy with the gear I own. I said it last year and and didn't stick to it. I said it again this year, no more spending. Guess what, I've already shelled out another $10K since January 2018, and that's on a system I'm trying to downsize. Obviously I haven't reached "enough" yet.
Maybe next year.
My upgrades have been influenced by what I heard in my audio friends' systems, which showed me what is possible in audio. But I always thought on my own terms about the amount of money that I would want to spend.
I agree that enough is enough when l say it's enough. At this point I have such high performance and value price ratio that I really don't know how to efficiently upgrade from here. I probably have one of the best monitors you can buy (for system, see signature), extremely resolving and musical digital source and amp that provide a first class signal to the speakers, probably some of the best subs you can buy for a medium sized room like mine, and some of the best cables for a still reasonable price (I am not willing to spend 5 x more for a 10 % increase in performance).
Sure, the monitor/subwoofer concept itself is a compromise. But so is every system concept that I have heard. And the positives of my current system are much greater than I had hoped for (I am thrilled, frankly!), while the disadvantages are much less than I had anticipated.
So is it enough? At this point I'd say yes, for the reasons cited. Might I suprise myself in the future? Sure. But until my current system, I had a clear and reasonable upgrade path. Not anymore.
Sure, there are better DACs, but this DAC is so incredibly good that I would have to think in terms of 20 x its price for a potentially really substantial upgrade (except for the current version 2 upgrade for this DAC itself). Would I want to spend that money on a top level DAC, an item that in terms of price/performance ratio usually becomes obsolete quite quickly? Not really.
CPP
Active member
For me, how much is enough is when I say it's enough. That declaration has nothing to do with what anyone else is doing. No one else's spending habits effect me in the slightest..
Pretty much agree. I've never been a "keep up with the Joneses" type of person" to appease some ego. I always look around for additions or changes that my old ears can distinguish like a new DAC and a pair of JBL L-100's but recently a new priority occurred. My daughter gave me my first grandson. So at 2 1/2 months old, :yahoo1: I've already set the little guy up with the Gerber insurance policy that can be turned around for assistance for college use, so enough is enough as of right now, I'm going to spoil this little guy for a while, so when this little guy my new little fishing buddy grows into music as I've got a couple of old Martins that I would like for him to grow into, and maybe he will enjoy audio and get some hand me downs from Grandpa. He is already a Dave Matthews and Tom Petty fan as is my daughter, so who knows what this little guy will become.
jdandy
New member
Chris.......Very cool. Looks like Grandpa is going to spoil the heck out of this little man. He is most fortunate to have you in his life.