[Folsom]

Well// if you actually DID spend your whole life chasing records.. then back in the mid 1990's to at least 2007 or so you had a great time!!!
Record collections were being sold off and the used market was full of great used LPs at dirt cheap prices, in great condition too.
I bought THOUSANDS for ten cents, twenty cents each from Half Price Books. Over 2000 of the BEST Jazz from a local dealer at rock bottom prices and in VG+ condition.
So timing has a LOT to do with it.
Trying to buy now? I laugh...

I'm too young. I didn't make a mistake, I never had the opportunity.

[genjamon]

I was also young, but did have the opportunity.  But not the taste at the time.  Damned lack of perspective in youth, and lack of system ready for it.  But, well, hurrah for Tidal/Qobuz!  I'm spending the least on music in my life, and have access to way way more music.  I never would have bought enough classical albums (in either vinyl or CD) to gain an appreciation for it, but because of the ready access to SO MUCH classical (and jazz, and blues, and whatever you want to explore), I am developing new tastes for genres of music I had never appreciated before.  Again, the album-purchasing model would never have yielded this result.  The ready-access subscription streaming model does. 

Maybe we should create an audiophile estate planning sub-circle in the markets section - to help younger audiophiles connect with older ones who are trying to think through what to do with their amazing collections in their wills/estates, and who don't want to go through the trauma of trying to sell via Ebay, Craigslist, whatever.

[DaveC113]

I'm not sure the vinyl fad will last past the boomers dying off, we'll see. And when they do we'll start seeing more record collections being auctioned off, I think opportunity will be there for those who value it... personally, no thanks! Vinyl can be good but a good tt setup costs far too much. I'd rather have a good high-rez vinyl rip than my own mediocre tt, unless I start making more $ a good tt is simply not an option.

Digital is always getting better and better, and hi-rez streaming is much less expensive.

[S Clark]

"Best way to save moeny on audio is to..."   Don't really agree with the basic premise, but I'm all for saving money. 
Used gear and kits have been my pathways to reducing cost.  I had perhaps 300-400 vinyl before 2005.  Over the next 10 years that expanded to around 3000 due to a local record store not valuing jazz and classical.  Most of that collection was at two bucks a pop. 
Used amps, turntables, phono pre's, cables, even cartridges.  Speakers were kits, albeit big ones.  Most my stuff was bought at about 1/3 new price. 

[Folsom]

I would love to be on inheritance lists. In fact I thought about giving discounts on high end gear for contractual obligations to inherit vinyl collections. The problem would be I’d have to know when they die otherwise if they have any relatives I’d lose out unless they avoided inheritance all together because it was a waste of time for them.

[genjamon]

yeah, I was thinking mainly about having a good central place where audiophiles congregate where wills could direct families to market collections (or gear for that matter) after the passing of a loved one. They may know their loved one was part of a community of crazy audio geeks who would value their collection and/or equipment, but not have a clear idea how to connect and best market to that community efficiently. The right kind of online space would enable collectors to place suggestions for doing so in their wills.

And those who wanted to be more proactive could certainly attempt to develop relationships (and even contracts) ahead of time if it made sense to everyone involved.

And it could involve the turntables too, Dave!

[Wind Chaser]

Just go to estate sales and sooner or later you’ll hit the jackpot.

[genjamon]

Well to be honest I’m more on Dave’s side of the issue for my own interests. But yeah, I guess you’re right.  Not worth thinking about how to preserve the value of lives spent curating truly quality collections of music.  Better to just take a random walk in the hinterlands of estate sales, metal detectors in hand, fingers crossed we’ll find treasure, with no knowledge of where it came from nor how we came to find it.

[toocool4]

If you learn to be happy with what you have and not worry about what anyone else have, then you will not go wrong.
Too many people are not satisfied and think that new stuff will fix the issue, no it will not. The new purchase is short lived.
These people have other issues which they need to address.

Since i always do my research properly, as in i listen to kit and take them home and use it in my room / with my setup. Hence i don’t make mistakes that often. I always buy new and i keep everything for a long time and i am always satisfied with what i have. Hence i have no desire for the constant upgrades.

[JLM]

If you learn to be happy with what you have and not worry about what anyone else have, then you will not go wrong.
Too many people are not satisfied and think that new stuff will fix the issue, no it will not. The new purchase is short lived.
These people have other issues which they need to address.

Since i always do my research properly, as in i listen to kit and take them home and use it in my room / with my setup. Hence i don’t make mistakes that often. I always buy new and i keep everything for a long time and i am always satisfied with what i have. Hence i have no desire for the constant upgrades.

+1   

[Wind Chaser]

Too many people are not satisfied and think that new stuff will fix the issue, no it will not. The new purchase is short lived.

Not if it’s a big leap forward. Lateral moves achieve nothing and incremental baby steps are just that. But if you really kick things up a few notches, you’ll hear all your music again for the first time. 

[toocool4]

Not if it’s a big leap forward. Lateral moves achieve nothing and incremental baby steps are just that. But if you really kick things up a few notches, you’ll hear all your music again for the first time. 

Yes that is true, but i am talking about people changing kit every 5 minutes or changing because the latest stuff is out.

When i make a change, i make a big one and only after having a good listen to what ever in my system. Also it must be significantly better than what it is replacing.

[rollo]

Yes that is true, but i am talking about people changing kit every 5 minutes or changing because the latest stuff is out.

When i make a change, i make a big one and only after having a good listen to what ever in my system. Also it must be significantly better than what it is replacing.

  Those types sound like impulsive fools not hobbyists. Exactly. A new anything must be heard in ones system before purchase. A total MBG is a must for me.

charles

[Elizabeth]

 My story about old record collector farts dying.....
..
....
SO a coworker tells me about this really great Classical record collection of a deceased musician, and gives me a phone number.
Turns out a fellow musician had the record collection, and was wanting to sell it for the deceased.
Yes they are all really wonderful and in perfect condition....
I arrange a time and get the address.....
...
..
So I get there, the woman shows me the stacks of records in cardboard boxes.
(Clearly they have been perused many many times by others, since they are no longer in any order.. the boxes half full... I see plenty of fodder labels and zero valuable records. A sure sign this is not worth anything.. And yup, I pull one out of the jacket, cat hair, food, fingerprints, greasy ones.. scratches yes more that a fair share of scratches...
She asks me if I will take them for $500?
I stifled a hearty laugh.
I just said sorry not interested.

[thingfish]

Yes that is true, but i am talking about people changing kit every 5 minutes or changing because the latest stuff is out.

When i make a change, i make a big one and only after having a good listen to what ever in my system. Also it must be significantly better than what it is replacing.

The approach that saves money in the long term is to learn as much as you can about audio and audio equipment, and electronics. I would suggest gaining some skills with a DIY kit.
You may be able to grasp then how components, directly in some cases, relate to what you hear, and gain insight into every facet, rather than just otherwise enjoying aimless buying of equipment.

[Barry_NJ]

My system is built for me, and I'm generally pretty happy with it and don't churn equipment.  Having other financial priorities really helps with keeping the churn to a minimum. I found joining a local audiophile group, and attending meetings at the homes of others, to listen to their systems, usually left me very happy with my own upon my return home. If someone's system did turn me on, I still wasn't generally disappointed when going back into my room.

[JLM]

My system is built for me, and I'm generally pretty happy with it and don't churn equipment.  Having other financial priorities really helps with keeping the churn to a minimum. I found joining a local audiophile group, and attending meetings at the homes of others, to listen to their systems, usually left me very happy with my own upon my return home. If someone's system did turn me on, I still wasn't generally disappointed when going back into my room.

+1

[bacobits1]

+2
Barry absolutely correct! It gets pretty stupid and quick.
Buy wisely always. Buy the "flippers" changouts, never pay retail!

[smargo]

My system is built for me, and I'm generally pretty happy with it and don't churn equipment.  Having other financial priorities really helps with keeping the churn to a minimum. I found joining a local audiophile group, and attending meetings at the homes of others, to listen to their systems, usually left me very happy with my own upon my return home. If someone's system did turn me on, I still wasn't generally disappointed when going back into my room.

Plus 3,4, and 5 -  im taking 3 spots for this one