Average system cost

warnerwh · « **Reply #20 on:** 10 Oct 2006, 03:03 am »

Last I remember Stereophile claimed its average reader's system retailed for 11,000 something. This was years ago so their reviews of very expensive equipment doesn't appear to jibe with the average readers system value.

I'd guess alot of equipment that can be purchased for 1-3k is a great area to review. Maybe only 1-2 on electronics. Personally I'd leave the wire out of the equation. For example I would not claim that this amp didn't sound right with wire A but with wire B it was great. As soon as I read that I don't bother to read any more as no way any wire is going to transform an amp or preamp from bad to good. I've been in this hobby far too long for that.

As far as system cost the room acoustics should be considered being as they effect the sound as much as the speaker does in many cases. The improvement can be more profound I bet in some cases than changing speakers. At any rate a reviewer who reviews equipment in an untreated room I give no credence. Just my .02 cents.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #21 on:** 10 Oct 2006, 05:45 am »

Quote from: Daygloworange on 10 Oct 2006, 01:21 am

What's the average audiophile/enthusiast system worth? Interesting question. I wonder if there's a way to do an anonymous tally among people in the circle here? Just for fun. Break it down. 1k to 2.5k....2.5k to 5k....5k to 10k....and so on.

Could it be done?

Sure it could be done....just post it as a "Poll"....

jules · « **Reply #22 on:** 10 Oct 2006, 06:30 am »

Seems a bit like a "how long is a piece of string?" question to me.

Most people here didn't go out and buy "a system", they accumulated it

and in the process probably spent several times the value of the system at any static moment.

What might be more interesting, would be to know how much serial audio addicts [and I reluctantly include myself while protesting that I'm very restrained about it] are prepared to spend per year on their systems.

At the same time, I don't think this would be typical of the average person who walks into an audio shop.

Anyway, whose going to tell the truth about this? Maybe claims might just include a small element of gross self deception

Jules

TONEPUB · « **Reply #23 on:** 10 Oct 2006, 07:58 am »

So far so good. I really appreciate the feedback and will keep checking up on this thread. I have posted it on a few other forums and am getting a bit different in terms of an actual number, but again, some good ideas.

Our dilemma as a magazine is that now and then a mfr. doesn't want you to review their middle of the line product, they want you to review the flagship product. We are always trying to keep a balance of what we review, so we usually have stuff at all ends of the spectrum and are adding more web content to address the 200-2000/item gear.

Because I do this for a living, I've been fortunate enough to get a few good deals here and there and have had the help of a couple of really good sets of ears with my room. However, we still want to get more people into this world, so we don't want to forget or minimalize the people just getting into this wacky world of ours.

Even though my main reference system is getting really close to six figures, I spent all day goofing around with the Squeezebox and am very excited about this device. At the end of the day it's about really enjoying your music, regardless of investment.

I think a new question to post someday is how happy are you with your system?

Again, thank you all for your assistance, Ill keep an eye on this....

Jeff Dorgay
Publisher
TONE-Audio
www.tonepublications.com

PorkpieHat · « **Reply #24 on:** 10 Oct 2006, 09:35 am »

Quote from: TONEPUB on 9 Oct 2006, 03:55 pm

I agree with you, I know it's a wide spread, but I was assuming about 2k on a preamp, the same on an amp, about 1000 on a CD player perhaps another 1-2k on a table/cartridge/phono preamp and the rest on speakers or perhaps some better cables, power cords, power conditioner or even a rack.

I'd say if you spend $4000 on amp/pre and $1000 on a CDP, you'd have a $1000 level CD playback system and you're not getting the benefit of $2000 you've put into the amp/pre. My rule of thumb is that the CDP, amp and pre should be about the same, and the speakers worth about the same as the total of the amp and pre.

JLM · « **Reply #25 on:** 10 Oct 2006, 10:12 am »

I consider myself middle income/aged and have $3800 invested in my system which includes construction extras in my dedicated audio man cave.

Most audiophiles fail right out of the gate by not having even a decent room in which to listen. So there should be more reviews of headphone systems.

Next, most don't have any room treatments that those horrible rooms they use need so badly.

Value (sound quality, content, service) is a very high priority to me. AC vendors score very well on that count.

Budgeting should start with speakers as the only transducer (doing the tougher job of changing one form of energy into another) in a modern audio system. Digital source technology is moving so fast that it makes for a poor investment.

I'd like to see more reviews of less expensive equipment, primarily for young/budding audiophiles. IMO focusing on $10,000 plus systems (rightly) scares the straights.

prokennex · « **Reply #26 on:** 10 Oct 2006, 12:29 pm »

The room certainly contributes to the sound of any system. The dimensions, shape, and overall acoustics of the room can make or break the best of systems.

I'm guilty of not treating my room. It wasn't until recently, I tried some eight nerve adapts on the front wall and I must say it was quite the change for the better. Other room product's I'm sure would also have a good effect.

After discovering this, it still amazes me that you can visit a dealer and see no room treatment. I have never seen dealers in my area use any room treatment, yet they have a $100,000 system in the room and say room treatments are to costly.

The cost of my system including some room treatments is approximately $10,000 Canadian, what's that about $8800 U.S. If I would have discovered the audio circles earlier or if the online forums would have been in existence earlier, I'm sure that price would have been lower.

At 45 I still slowly add or change equipment but with the help of the audio circle venders, members and some other forum members, I feel I get greater help and value for my hard earned money.

Ray

RH Customs · « **Reply #27 on:** 10 Oct 2006, 06:31 pm »

I would call my system on the low end, but it does fine for me being it is only around $1,800. As for the HIGH end's I have to audio friends systems that are around $1,000,000 each. So there is a huge "average".

RH

mtodde · « **Reply #28 on:** 11 Oct 2006, 01:02 am »

I've been doing a lot of upgrades this year and my system will be approaching the $20k mark when my amp & pre-amp upgrades are complete later this month.

JoshK · « **Reply #29 on:** 11 Oct 2006, 01:17 am »

Quote from: RH Customs on 10 Oct 2006, 06:31 pm

I would call my system on the low end, but it does fine for me being it is only around $1,800. As for the HIGH end's I have to audio friends systems that are around $1,000,000 each. So there is a huge "average".

RH

$1,800 can get your good audio enjoyment. That said, I think I have more then that in parts costs of incompleted projects lying around. Who says DIY is cheaper?

$1mn for an audio system is a bit obscene IMO. For that kind of dough, I'd buy really nice property, build a house with a kick ass AV room designed for audio first and built myself a SOTA system. Maybe have enough left over for a few mistresses.

Daygloworange · « **Reply #30 on:** 11 Oct 2006, 01:22 am »

Yeah, I agree. A million bucks for a system? What percentage of that was spent on the room? Is it a vanity thing, or are these guys real serious music buffs? I wonder?

RH Customs · « **Reply #31 on:** 11 Oct 2006, 01:23 am »

Well there rooms are Fully treated and run a Audio Boutique, that has IC's for $5K plus, so ya. As to vanity, that is a given, and just give them the ability to show off. lol

RH

Daygloworange · « **Reply #32 on:** 11 Oct 2006, 01:30 am »

Yeah, I thought that that might be the case. Just what are these systems comprised of? Any pics? Links? I'd be curious to see what they have for a million bucks.

RH Customs · « **Reply #33 on:** 11 Oct 2006, 01:35 am »

I have not seen them, but they talk about them all the time. They both have Acapella Campanile (http://www.aaudioimports.com/store/ProductDetail.asp?catID=43&subCatID=1&productID=56) speakers and who know what else. To much money for me, even if I had that much.

RH

95bcwh · « **Reply #34 on:** 11 Oct 2006, 02:08 am »

I have seen these people, and they have come to my home to listen to my system. It is true, that the money they've spent on hi-fi could easily afford 2 Ferrari..

Quote from: RH Customs on 11 Oct 2006, 01:35 am

I have not seen them, but they talk about them all the time. They both have Acapella Campanile (http://www.aaudioimports.com/store/ProductDetail.asp?catID=43&subCatID=1&productID=56) speakers and who know what else. To much money for me, even if I had that much.

RH

RH Customs · « **Reply #35 on:** 11 Oct 2006, 02:25 am »

As you have , I will not mention there names just to keep things cool, know what I mean Barri? See at the HAS meeting.

RH

JLM · « **Reply #36 on:** 11 Oct 2006, 10:24 am »

joshK,

Where do you live? You'd better check again, the price of a good mistress is much higher than you think.

(Maybe you've got some of those non-english speaking imports in mind.)

BobM · « **Reply #37 on:** 12 Oct 2006, 04:14 pm »

Quote from: JoshK on 11 Oct 2006, 01:17 am

For that kind of dough, I'd buy really nice property, build a house with a kick ass AV room designed for audio first and built myself a SOTA system. Maybe have enough left over for a few mistresses.

Not in New Jersey you wouldn't Josh! But a short trip to the Pocono's could get you your property and AV dream house, for weekend use. Just don't try to build it yourself or it will never get completed.

Enjoy,
Bob

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #38 on:** 17 Oct 2006, 01:45 am »

Quote from: jules on 10 Oct 2006, 06:30 am

Seems a bit like a "how long is a piece of string?" question to me.

Most people here didn't go out and buy "a system", they accumulated it and in the process probably spent several times the value of the system at any static moment.

What might be more interesting, would be to know how much serial audio addicts [and I reluctantly include myself while protesting that I'm very restrained about it] are prepared to spend per year on their systems.

Jules

Man, that's hitting the nail on the head. I've probably got somewhere in the ballpark of about $8-10k sitting here at the moment...but I shudder to think what I've spent to get there!

At this point I don't really spend a lot per month/year on gear on any steady basis. I tend to make little tweaks for awhile then fall off the wagon in a big way.

My system is pretty modest- I will probably make some wholesale changes within a year, but right now the video portion has been burning most of my cash.

Bill Baker · « **Reply #39 on:** 17 Oct 2006, 02:24 am »

Quote

but I shudder to think what I've spent to get there!

OUCH!! That is a number that may scare the hell out of most people. We can all sit down and figure how much we have in our system as it stands at the moment but when we start adding how much we have spent on the hobby throughout the years..... OUCH!

The only thing that eases the mind is knowing that most will buy-sell-trade to get to where we are at the moment. Unless you are a fanatic, there is know way of knowing how much we truly have invested in the hobby.

I know the retail cost of personal reference system is scary but I guess I don't count being a dealer.