# How much of an AV addict are you?



## pioneerfreak

Ok so lately I've noticed myself picking up Home theatre mags and saving up to buy some HT gear. And with the advancements in technology the urge to upgrade is high but even though AV is one of my hobbies I don't think I'm addicted because I'm a very patient guy and can wait for good deals and for technology such as 3d to get better before I buy into it. So how about you? How addicted are you? Do you go out and buy the latest tech in AV right when it comes out? Are you always upgrading? Are you never satisfied with your equipment, wiring and other home theatre goodies? How many times did you get divorced? (joking) Do you spend all you money on AV equipment, movies and accessories?


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## lsiberian

pioneerfreak said:


> Ok so lately I've noticed myself picking up Home theatre mags and saving up to buy some HT gear. And with the advancements in technology the urge to upgrade is high but even though AV is one of my hobbies I don't think I'm addicted because I'm a very patient guy and can wait for good deals and for technology such as 3d to get better before I buy into it. So how about you? How addicted are you? Do you go out and buy the latest tech in AV right when it comes out? Are you always upgrading? Are you never satisfied with your equipment, wiring and other home theatre goodies? How many times did you get divorced? (joking) Do you spend all you money on AV equipment, movies and accessories?


AV is just one of many hobby's, I do woodworking, and plenty of other stuff. I rarely buy stuff because most things aren't a real improvement in Audio/Video. I buy new stuff when the old stuff breaks. I've always been that kind of person though. Even speakers are normally not an upgrade. Euphoria just makes them sound better a lot of times. I predict the next thing I upgrade will be the projector though I may wait out another lamp instead. The longer I wait the better what I get will be normally.


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## bambino

I'm the same as lisberian, i've got too many hobbies that attract me. To answer your question though, if there is somethin that interests me then i'll wait for it and read reviews and look for good deals. I have to budget wisely as i have Twins and a WIFE along with 2 hairy dogs to take care of. Lastweek i just spent a small fortune on woodworking supplies to make life easier on me, not that i couldn't get by with the tools i have it's just that the ones i bought are gonna make life so much easier and projects quicker and i've wanted them forever.:T


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## Moonfly

I'm fairly addicted to it I guess. I'm online on the forum everyday anyway  I'm most interested in subs and bass I guess, as I keep finding excuses to build another one. I think all things considered though, I'm not as big an AV nut as I would be if I had a bottomless pit of cash :devil:


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## bambino

Moonfly said:


> I'm fairly addicted to it I guess. I'm online on the forum everyday anyway  I'm most interested in subs and bass I guess, as I keep finding excuses to build another one. I think all things considered though, I'm not as big an AV nut as I would be if I had a bottomless pit of cash :devil:


Bottomless pit of cash, that would mean a seperate highend system for each room in the house and as many subs as you want. Wouldn't it be great?:dumbcrazy:


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## smoov1444

Deal is....too many companies market products seemingly, just because. Many times the first buyer to jump on a new product will probbably be the first one to cuss. That can be because the Technology hasn't been perfected, or the technology changes too fast. Besides, when you do manage to get topline gear it doesn't need service so often with reasonable care, and it will sometimes equal newer gear sound wise.

What I see lacking in the high-end a/v industry are visionaries. That is, those who can help restore the high-end back to it's glory days (and it can be done) bad economy or not. Most companies think you do this by exhorbitant pricing. That will work for a few, but manufacturers need to think about preserving the industry as well. I could offer a lot of food for thought but what would it accomplish? Companies get rid of excellent ideas all the time by trampling on those who came up with them. No I'm not with any Audio Company, but why would I want my ideas stepped on???


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## torceador

Pioneerfreak,

To answer your question, I need to separate acquisition from use. I beleive your question revolves around what I would call AVAS, or Audio Visual Acquisition Syndrome. It is related to the strong urge to have new equipment as a 'fix', which satisifies for a while and then the urge returns to convince you to buy more. This can be manifested also with guitars, boats, cars, real estate, pornography, drugs, to name a few.

The acquisition runs in a cycle that is pretty familiar to all of us. A desire for something new usually is seeded when we see someone else with a new gadget. That starts the wheels turning, which leads to the shopping process. In the old days, that meant going to audio stores and picking up sales flyers and brochures for the equipment we were interested in. Nowadays, it's internet trips to web sites to download pdf brochures (which probably will sell on eBay in another decade, just like their paper predecessors) We tell ourselves we want to be smart shoppers, so we do complicated comparisons to get the most 'bang for our buck'.

When we leave the showroom with our puchase, we can tell you almost any arcane fact about what we've just bought, except how we're going to pay for it. There is the inevitable pang of buyers' remorse as we bring it home sheepishly and the wife looks it over and pronounces it to be about the same as the last box with lights in the living room.

Now, to your question. I am and have been afflicted for many years. I purchased a Dokorder 7140 in the seventies, when I earned about four dollars an hour, and got myself in a jam when I didn't completely pay it off. When gold prices shot up in the seventies, I hocked my high school ring and bought an Alpine car cassette deck, back when they made GREAT stuff. I have owned Ortofon, Shure, Acutex phono cartridges, and all of them sported bi-radial stylii, and none of them cost less than a hundred bucks. In other words, I was willing to sacrifice earnings that should have paid bills and bought food to have great audio stuff.

My addiction has changed over time, though. I've learned continual purchases over a thousand bucks are pretty detrimetnal to a marriage (presently on my third). I have always loved doing electronic repairs, and I have parlayed that into a more manageable addiction. I now buy only BROKE stuff. I kick around thrift stores, garage sales and such, as well as eBay and other sites to look for castaway equipment. Usually, I take home something for ten bucks or less. Sixty percent of the time, I can repair it with a few dollars of semiconductors or capacitors. I'll also pick up a like model on eBay cheap that is also broke, on the chance that both are not failed in the same mode. Then I Frankenstein one working unit out of two that were destined for the trash heap anyway.

I am ALWAYS tempted to keep what I've just fixed, so I've made a vow to myself that if it is better than what is in the house, I move it into that position. If not, I sell it. I used to keep carcases all over the place, telling myself I could salvage parts off of them later. But the pile got too big. So now, I keep parts around long enough to finish a repair, and then I purge. I don't make all my money back, but I don't have any credit card debt, either.

The other side of the addiction coin is use. And by that, I mean how much time you spend ENJOYING your equipment. It's stupefying if you consider the millions of pieces of audio equipment that will spend the entire month turned off. But, on the other hand, some of us can't wait to watch a movie, even if we've seen it several times before. (how many times have you watched Bourne movies on DVD, Blu-Ray, cable, Dish, and network television? Come on and be truthful)

Folks on the use side of addiction gather enough quality equipment around to make the experience satisfying, and then don't give it another thought, other than to pick up the remote and fire away. If anything, they are not worried about more equipment but can spend a little too much time watching and letting other things go. (remember I said I was on my third marriage?)

If the tone of my posting is somewhat down, remember an addicition is repeating an act over and over to achieve a desired result that happens less and less.

Do I enjoy my equipment? YES I just sat for over two hours to watch Robin Hood that I got at the RedBox this morning.

Will I constantly buy more stuff that will put me in financial jeopardy? NO I've got enough hearing loss that I am not looking for higher SPL to give me tinninitus. I do like enough sound field to be immersed, and feel like equipment I have now is satisfactory.

However, if I'd only won one of those OPPO Blu-Ray players in the giveaway..............

torceador


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## spartanstew

Hmm, I subscribe to 3 different HT magazines, visit a few different forums every day, In the past 5 years I've purchased: 3 AVR's, 7 HDTV's, 5 BD players, 4 UPS, 5 HD-DVR's, 2 subwoofers, 7 speakers, 3 Amplifiers, I have 150 Blu Rays, 700 DVD's, a Video Distribution system throughout the house, and currently 4 displays larger than 60" (including 2 that are 3D). This doesn't include the hundreds (yes, hundreds) of pieces of gear I've helped friends/family members buy over that same period, or that I'm a beta tester for a couple of different companies. I guess I'm an addict.


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## q2bon2b

bambino said:


> Bottomless pit of cash, that would mean a seperate highend system for each room in the house and as many subs as you want. Wouldn't it be great?:dumbcrazy:


+1

Or a separate castle, upgraded with latest treatments in every room, with the latest gears (nothing below $20K, of course) and countless audiophiles wanting to be your best pal.


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## q2bon2b

Like many, I have one too many hobbies. AV is important but I am rarely an early adopter, generally waiting for reviews before buying. Also have been gravitating towards preowned to stretch the dollars.


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## pioneerfreak

Torceador wow there is an actual term for the addiction (AVAS) seems like you have lots of experience and knowledge in building and repairing systems did you ever think to come out with your own line of equipment? :O) Call it AVAS lol that would be cool. 

Spartanstew that's a whole lot a gear in your home especially those large TV's which one is your favorite Tv? I also like helping people/friends make their purchases and helping them get some great stuff for their home theatre. 

For me I've been a technology nerd since I was a child tearing apart the family stereo to see what was inside and building it back together lol When I was 12 in the 80's I went to Pakistan to visit my family and helped my cousin build a speaker system with receiver from scratch. When I was in my 20's I was a projectionist at a theatre for a few years and rarely went home my equipment and the booth was my home lol. When it comes to buying I really started taking my Home theatre seriously last year with the purchase of my pioneer ELITE receiver. Recetly I purchased a Klipch rc52 centre speaker and plan to do up my home theatre with klipch speakers replacing the sony and kenwoods I have now and in the future do up my basement into a real theatre with projector. And yes my home theatre gets a daily workout it just doesn't sit their looking pretty.

I know what you all mean when you see something new and shiny you get the urge to go out and lay down your hard earned cash for it and this is how I felt with the ARCAM FMJ 800 power amp but then I look at the receiver I have now and say "that is a beauty!" and the feeling to buy the Arcam goes away. I have a modest home theatre (pics coming soon) that I'm still upgrading and after that that's it until next year when I start up my basement HT project. I do invest my money into my other hobbies like jogging, astronomy (Buying new telescope soon), acting classes and travel and when I lived in Tokyo for a year I spent most of my time in Akihabara (Electronics Mecca of the world) lol. Am I addicted?...............yes yes I am but I'm also addicted to my other hobbies so everything equals out in the end :O).


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## spartanstew

pioneerfreak said:


> Spartanstew that's a whole lot a gear in your home especially those large TV's which one is your favorite Tv? I also like helping people/friends make their purchases and helping them get some great stuff for their home theatre.


Well, my favorite's not a TV at all. We have movie night once a week on a 126" screen in the theater. It's only a 720p projector that I've had for about 6 years, but still does a great job. It's been next on my upgrade list for quite awhile, but I've been on the verge of moving for about 9 months and don't want to upgrade the PJ until I know exactly what I'm doing with my living situation.

Aside from that, we do most of our TV viewing on a Mits WD-65738 and love it. Once calibrated it puts out a fabulous picture and as soon as the adapters drop in price a bit, I'll be 3D ready to boot.


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## pioneerfreak

spartanstew said:


> Well, my favorite's not a TV at all. We have movie night once a week on a 126" screen in the theater. It's only a 720p projector that I've had for about 6 years, but still does a great job. It's been next on my upgrade list for quite awhile, but I've been on the verge of moving for about 9 months and don't want to upgrade the PJ until I know exactly what I'm doing with my living situation.
> 
> Aside from that, we do most of our TV viewing on a Mits WD-65738 and love it. Once calibrated it puts out a fabulous picture and as soon as the adapters drop in price a bit, I'll be 3D ready to boot.


That Mitsubishi is an awesome set I'm looking for the awesome but hard to find Sony KD-34XBR960 TV for my room.


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## TypeA

I have two hobbies. Second half of 2008 I spent $10k on mechanical restoration of my classic truck, Ive spent very little on it since then. In August of this year I spent $4k on new sound for my home (that includes receiver and blu ray player). So I tend to live off PB&J and buy everything as quickly as possible. It seems to lessen the financial pain AND prevents the desire to upgrade for longer periods of time if I do things all at once. Ill still spend on media; blu rays, netflix membership, magazine memberships, and xbox 360 games, but that might amount to a few hundred a year.


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## tcarcio

I don't think with me it's an addiction because I will go through times when I actually don't touch or change anything and am actually happy with the way it looks and sounds. But then all of a sudden the upgradeitis bug bites and everything is changing again.....I love it though and I have allot of fun with it once the swearing stops.....:rant:


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## class a

I've been doing this for about 18 yrs. and have been having a great time. I've has a long interest in audio and music my father back in the 50's was a TV repairman. That made him very popular w/friends and family we'd get invited to dinner at some house every weekend and always after dessert someone would ask him to check out the TV. He always kept his toolbox in the car trunk. Our home audio consisted of a tube amp he built, homemade speaker and turntable I forget the make of the TT. Anyway after College which I majored in Radio/TV went in the Army and worked for Public Affairs. Did a radio show at Fort Ord. So I always had the audio bug. After some years later I started to get the urge again. My first AVR was a Technics with a mixed set of speakers but I'm always looking for the perfect sound I'm a trader and always looking for demos or high quality vintage gear. As a result I got great buys on Threshold and Forte amps that run my surround sound. The last 4 speaker setups were all demo or used B&W 600's, Vandersteen's, Thiels (2.3's got used for $1000) and the current Aerials model 6's demos the 5's and cc-3 used. I guess you can call me an addict and a audio scavanger.:sn:


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## TypeA

class a said:


> my father back in the 50's was a TV repairman. That made him very popular w/friends and family we'd get invited to dinner at some house every weekend and always after dessert someone would ask him to check out the TV. He always kept his toolbox in the car trunk.


Very interesting back ground, this made me laugh tho. Since the dawn of man we've been really really 'cheap' creatures :rofl2:


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## class a

Very nice setup!!!!! However going through the pic's I noticed Bose 901's. Was that your original setup or just a differnt room? By the way if we went back in time we could replace that screen w/a 13" B&W Dumont TV W/O remote. Amazing what we get today if you adjust for inflation. :sn:


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## TypeA

Thanks. The Bose were my original set up, it was a system I had used for 10 years. Everything was bought at pawn shops for a fraction of what they cost new. The 901s, VCS10, 301s, and a harman kardon avr7000 receiver all sold in august for $500 on craigslist, literally, the day before my new Infinities started arriving in the mail. Phew! Replaced by the Infinity/Hsu/Onkyo 9.2 system you see in the pics. I also had a Bose acoustimas 6 system in the bedroom driven by a cheap sony receiver, that system also sold on craigslist for $300 about a month later. It was replaced with a pair of Infinity P162s wall mounted with AM40 brackets. Audio and video (mitsubishi HC3000) in this zone is provided by the zone 2 feature of the Onkyo 3007


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## Zeitgeist

I've spent plenty of time collecting equipment... hooking it up.... EQing it... calibrating it... and so maybe that's the addiction there...

But not enough time actually watching movies and using it!!


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## nova

Divorce? Um... twice.
Dunno if I'm an addict or not. I've spent a lot but don't save for the latest and greatest. Ebb & surge... I buy some stuff, enjoy it for some time, then buy some more.


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## mjcmt

I do spend a large amount of time devoted to this hobby and photography. Though my budget is miniscule, I spend plenty of time on this and other forums.


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## Ricci

It's bad...:sad: All of my hobbies revolve around music or sound for the most part.


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## Trick McKaha

I'm not addicted - I could quit any time. Yes, I had 3D video recording and playback equipment about 10 years ago, and now again with a 3D projector and a pair of HD Heros rigged together. In a band, we put a couple ADAT recorders to pretty good use back when - now we use an Alesis firewire based box into a computer. 5.1 surround mixing when we want it. Another projector before the 3D one. Separate amps for woofers and tweeters. Radio remote operating the HT equipment kept away in another room. Macros. 

No problem. I hardly ever fire it up before breakfast.


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## JCD

I actually think I'm pretty balanced now... I find myself wishing I had more time to play around than I have been, but I'm not "Jonesing".

That being said, I'd be pretty _sad _if all my audio/visual toys were taken away...


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## Powerhead

Not sure if I'm an addict, but I'm clearly getting there. Lately I've been main-lining home automation (Control4 or Prodigy?), having flash-backs on equipment purchases (Should've gotten the Klipsch not the Velodyne!) and tweeking for whole-house video distribution (HDMI, Composite, upscale, downscale, 5.1, 7.1/7.2?) OK, I'm an addict! Now that I've recognized it, can someone point me in the direction of a good 12-step program for electronics geeks?


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## BIG'EN

Definitely an addiction! The way I know is every time I start another project I haft to hear the same lines.

“ YOU ARE BUILDING SOMETHING ELSE ”

“ YOUR EVENTUALLY GOING TO RUN OUT OF ROOM ”

But the quest must go on.


BIG’EN


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## IrishStout

It the same as with beers, golf, and computers, I don't have the funds to support it :rofl: :hissyfit:


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## Owen Bartley

It sounds like I'm not as far gone as some of you nuts  but I have the bug. I love doing little tweaks, playing with my setup, even just cosmetic stuff like making my cables prettier and more organized. I regularly whip up designs for a future dedicated room, subwoofer, or speaker project when I'm bored. And I read the forums and browse manufacturers websites all the time. With that said, I guess I have a good degree of control, because not much has changed lately, although my plans for the basement are getting bigger. 

I tend to go in phases too, when spring comes and the weather picks up I get more into my car. sometimes I'll be spending more time on computer hardware and tweaking sites, and lately I've been spending a lot of time looking at watches. But it always comes back around to the HT. Right now I'm very happy with the setup and we use it daily, even if we're just catching up on our favourite shows in HD and surround.


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## viccmw

With AV gears, wouldn't say I am an addict although chasing tech is fun eg. seriously looking at getting an Audyssey MultEQ XT32 AVR. When it comes to watching...that's another story - an addict through and through. I watch almost every night, to the detriment of WAF (in a different sense )...


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## Theresa

The addiction of av was in remission with me for about eight years or more but came back in a flash last fall. Since I have spent far more than I could afford. The only other hobbies I have are listening to music, watching movies, computers, the web, and photography. I used to have hobbies such as latch hooking but found they were just boring (but relaxing) even though they are more in keeping with my gender. This whole audio/video thing seems more addictive than heroin, coffee, and cigarettes, but won't kill me. I got started early helping my dad put together Dynaco kits. Its a lot more fun these days except for missing vinyl. I lost my turntable and Shure V15 type IV (or was it III?) in a move. Still have a lot of records. Someday... I will get a good turntable again but will always miss the Shure. Speaker building is the most fun part of it for me. I don't do carpentry but have set up a terrific speaker system with kits and electronic crossovers (miniDSPs). Speakers really are the most important part of the system.
I hate being seen as butch but it is a butch hobby. This bothers me at times, being the only woman around all these macho types.


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## doubeleive

personally I upgrade around every 2 years I can "legitamize" purchasing the higher end of consumer a/v but not the exotic stuff I mean honestly I can't hear the difference between a $2,000.00 amp and a $20,000.00 amp so it makes no sense to me to spend that kind of money for something that wont make a difference anyway other than to say I own it. Course I always drool over the a/v equipment that are shown in the homes of several tv series I watch.... you know they provide that stuff for free just so well drool....


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## Theresa

I used my Yamaha DSP-A1 for more than ten years with a Sony basic amp for the subs. I bought the cheapest processor and amps to replace them, Emotiva and am very satisfied. Its speakers I have upgrade-itis with. I love to build speakers (no woodworking though) and am always looking for better drivers but can restrain myself for a long time. I used a pair whose design I got out of Loudspeaker Design Cookbook for years. Now I've got several kwatts of amps and actively crossover the L/C/R and subs and it sounds better than it ever has but I continue to crave ScanSpeak mid-woofers.


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## hearingspecialist

Ummm, I dream in DTS MasterAudio and hiccup in TrueHD.:T


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## ILOVEMYHDTV

WHAT'S MY NAME????


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## Theresa

I obsess about my DIY speakers. I love them and am always thinking about what might improve them. I just ordered 2 ScanSpeak drivers for close to $500. Other pleasurable activities had to give way to this. Nothing beats having the best speakers around and the process of putting them together, adjusting the active crossover, and then listening to them. Its far better than mj. Electronics are secondary, once you have decent ones, to speakers and the improvement that great one's make.


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## PT800

I've had the audio bug since I was 13, or 14, when I bought first stereo, and quickly added more speakers to it.
I've built a number of speakers, based on a '77 JBL model. Bought the newer version of those speakers in '06.
I had as many as 4 systems setup, at the same time, in the last house I owned in the US. When I moved south of the Equator, I shipped one pair of custom speakers, 5 new JBLs and a pair of 15" subs and all new Parasound gear and new Marantz TT. And only a few other things, most of what I brought here was audio. 

And I'd still like a pair of Revel Salon2, JBL K2s9900, JBL Everest II. And a few Parasound JC1 mono block amps.


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## hgoed

My addiction defeated my addiction, at first.

My bottom was when I realized I had spent about 30grand on audio equipment as an unemployed grad student, only to realize (a bit too late) that the most influential aspect of my system was the lame apartment that I could hardly afford to rent. I'd spent a years worth of federal grants which were supposed to help me develop my first marketable skill, but hey, wanna come watch a flick? In shame, I gave up and went about 15 years with nothing but a pair of headphones.

Now I've got a room I can manipulate, and as long as I don't lose my cool...

Ok, I've got some 'splaining to do...wifey's coming home, and she's going to be wondering what all these speakers and this huge TV are doing in the living room...it's OK, we can still afford Spam...


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## AVoldMan

Over the years it's been an on again off again thing. The last decade or so it's really been a try and catch up to technology thing. I miss the old days when everything was more or less improving a little each year. I did not have to try and keep up with everything!

Back in 2000 I wanted the newest, largest (32") flat screen CRT SDTV from Sony. Then after only a few years the real flat screens plasma and LCD started becoming available with prices that were high but dropping. I told myself I just bought a TV, I'll wait. Finally, 2008 I could not hold out any longer, everything was digital except me. I bought a small 42" Panasonic plasma then spent 8 months trying to calibrate it with a colorimeter and HCFR PC software.

The last 6 months I have been trying to upgrade from a 5.1 AV receiver (without any HDMI connections) to a 7.1 audio system. I am now trying to calibrate and make sure that it is tweaked for best performance.

I hope I'm settled in for a little while...


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## Theresa

These past nine months have been one thing after another. I finally felt well enough to set up my system. My old DIY speakers had been destroyed in a move about 5 years ago so I got a pair of Eton Symphony 7's and then a Madisound Rediscovery for the center. Then I discovered that my Yamaha DSP-A1's rear channels weren't working so I got a couple of Emotiva amps and a UMC-1. Then I decided that I wanted to act on my long time wish to have an active speaker system so bought miniDSPs. Then I bought a pair of ERD-1s for the surround with the $100 credit from buying the UMC-1. Then I decided my ancient NHT 1259 subs were not good enough (they couldn't handle anything below 30Hz). I then got a Exodus Shiva X2 and put it in a PE 3cf cabinet. Then I decided that two were better than one, something taught me by having two NHT 1259s, so I bought a Tempest X2 (they were out of the Shiva at the time) and had a carpenter build a 4cf cabinet for me. Then I decided to get a Behringer EP4000 to power the subs and got a balanced miniDSP for it. Now I'm replacing the Eton midwoofers so as to match that of the center.
There was probably more but this gives you an idea of the buying binge I was on. All because I was suddenly healthy enough to set up my system and had an inheritance from one of my uncles.

p.s. now my monitor acts flaky occasionally, whats next?!


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## CHASLS2

I'm hooked pretty good. Always trading speakers and such. Just got a sub today to go along with my Klipsch RF7's.


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## ojojunkie

always wanted to try anykinds of gears old & new, then sell some when have them accumulated..


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## ru4au

I was on a layoff from being hooked after my divorce...just now getting in the position to get back into it....most definantly an addict again in just a short period of time....future upgrades Epik Legend....after that 4) NHT M5 for surround.....after that......lol....the list goes on and on


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## JBrax

CHASLS2 said:


> I'm hooked pretty good. Always trading speakers and such. Just got a sub today to go along with my Klipsch RF7's.


How do you like your RF7's?


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## JBrax

There are much worse addictions to be had out there. I find it to be good clean fun. It's also a great family bonding time with "family movie night." It is however an incredibly expensive hobby/addiction. It's all worth it when someone says wow or this is better than going to the movies.


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## Prof.

JBrax said:


> I find it to be good clean fun. It's also a great family bonding time with "family movie night."


Very important in this day and age! :T


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## m R g S r

Over the last year and a half I've built / purchased more audio stuff than I want to remember. (and I think what my bank account could have been without all the !)


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## moparz10

i look at as you can't take $ with you. if that doesnt work buy now pay later :spend:


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## ILOVEMYHDTV

i concur!! the items i purchased; even some that i borrowed money for a couple of things. But I USE MY GEAR EVERY DAY.....my toys do not sit an wait for me for the weekend.


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## HUSKER

I haven't read the whole thread yet, I guess I've wasted way too much on HT Gear,,,I'm jealous of my Grand-kids, they think high end is the latest ipod/phone/pad and head phones...way cheaper than chasing the next Amp or whatever.

Gotta go read my latest AV Mag to calm my addiction. 

Husker


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## Muzikal-JRNE

Hi. 

"My name is Joe and I am an audio addict." 
"I have spent about 50 hours over the past 2 years calibrating and tweaking my audio system."
"Changing the toe-in of my speakers by a few degrees is significant to me."
"I put the "I" in DIY."
"REW is AWESOME!!!!!!!!"

Cheers, Joe


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## Picture_Shooter

i have way too many hobbies and I seem to swith too much between them.

Kind of like your dog that loves to chew bones and when you throw 2 or 4 more bones out the dog goes crazy. 
Well.... I confess I get that way with my hobbies.

As for "How much of an AV addict and I?"
Its probably the only hobby that keeps me @ home and you know the it's suppose to be cheaper to stay put at home. Unlike A/V, I spend way too much money!! 
I am not going to give myself too much credit since technology changes so much. So am a 85% addict to Home Theater / AV. Oh and my name is Mike


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## ozar

LOL... I thought that I was addicted to AV until observing and reading about the habits of others on various AV forums. In the end, it's true that I do love great audio and video, but I don't have the money or the time to be totally obsessed with it. That said, I do find a nice home theater system to be far more enjoyable than going to our local movie theaters.

One thing that I've learned from all this is to do your homework before hand, then go get whatever you really want right from the start. If you try to cut corners and purchase less than what you wanted, you won't be happy with it and you'll end up spending more money than was necessary because you'll still end up buying whatever you wanted to begin with, or at least that's the way things happened for me.


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## J&D

For me the addiction has faded over time as interest moves between other hobbies. There are times when the batcave sits empty for a few weeks and once my son is off to college his routine gaming marathons in there will mean even fewer hours.


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## hdmiii

I love this hobby. I have dedicated many hours to re-eq'ing subwoofers, re calibrating, moving speakers, subwoofers and absorption panels around. I will be happy with the sound one day, then redo everything the next.:dumbcrazy: 

I have to admit that I am obsessed. My wife just got after me for being crazy. We were watching Bon Jovi on Bluray and I was trying to get her to move from her claimed seat on the side, to the middle seat where everything is calibrated and eq'ed, so that she would enjoy the sound to the fullest. It was to the point where I couldn't relax and enjoy it, while she could have cared less about where she sat. The experience she was having was like being at the concert but I was fixated upon what she might be missing. :unbelievable:


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## louisp

Well, I'm not selling my blood or pawning my wife's jewelry yet.

:unbelievable:


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## SteveCallas

When I first started building the system, I was on multiple forums everyday, I would listen to a lot of speakers at shops and get togethers, I would participate in or conduct blind listening tests, and I was purchasing pieces of equipment at a pretty steady rate. Once the system had all of the components it needed for me to consider it "complete", all the extra curricular activities related to the hobby died down, and I would just use and enjoy the system everyday. That complete state has lasted for about 2-3 years. 

I'm getting back into things a little bit now due to a computer audio system upgrade, in turn causing me to also upgrade my receiver in my main system, in turn causing me to switch from 7.2 to 9.2. I won't lie...that in turn has me eye balling these Sharp 80" LCDs, and that's probably going to happen now, but I'm not in any hurry.


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## arttu

I quess I´m a bit of an addict.
My main criteria for choosing a house was that it had to have a space for a dedicated home theater. Then when I found a suitable house I sweet talked my wife to accepting it and built the thing. Now In every six months I will come up with an idea on how to improve my HT and can´t sleep until I´ve done it.


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## ILOVEMYHDTV

absolutely !


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## yoda13

arttu said:


> I quess I´m a bit of an addict.
> My main criteria for choosing a house was that it had to have a space for a dedicated home theater. Then when I found a suitable house I sweet talked my wife to accepting it and built the thing. Now In every six months I will come up with an idea on how to improve my HT and can´t sleep until I´ve done it.


lol, I told my wife the same. When we moved in our current house, central vac, garage and dishwasher were my main "wants". Now, I will not move anywhere if it doesn't have a "closed out" room, preferably in the basement, rectangular shape and no windows.

Also, I will change the wallpaper on our laptop with the next item I will purchase. I dust my equipment every second day minimum and if we have a baby boy, I will probably name him Denon instead of Denis.


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## pharoah

Moonfly said:


> I'm fairly addicted to it I guess. I'm online on the forum everyday anyway  I'm most interested in subs and bass I guess, as I keep finding excuses to build another one. I think all things considered though, I'm not as big an AV nut as I would be if I had a bottomless pit of cash :devil:


haha thats my problem to.i need a bottomless pit of cash.


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## bluemax_1

Yep, definitely addicted. Always on the lookout for the ultimate setup, or trying to tweak things for that extra improvement. That said though, I do love my setup and as with many of us a/v nuts, feel that it surpasses most commercial theaters.


Max


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## pharoah

bluemax_1 said:


> Yep, definitely addicted. Always on the lookout for the ultimate setup, or trying to tweak things for that extra improvement. That said though, I do love my setup and as with many of us a/v nuts, feel that it surpasses most commercial theaters.
> 
> 
> Max


my setup is good for music,but defo doesnt surpass a commercial theater for movies.


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## louisp

Heavy addiction for many years but after intense wifey therapy I am very happy with our setup.


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## bluemax_1

pharoah said:


> my setup is good for music,but defo doesnt surpass a commercial theater for movies.


Oh oh, hope I haven't given you any upgrade bugs. Many of the addicts I know eventually wind up with systems that have better audio and video than commercial theaters.

There is no doubt that the audio in my own system trounces any theater I've ever been in. Better clarity and far better bass. Great dynamics, sweet for movies and music and infrasonic extension down to single digit Hz.

The video end has better contrast, colors that pop and as with the audio, everything is calibrated so I know I'm seeing and hearing what I'm supposed to see and hear.

The last 2 movies I saw in a commercial theater were Cowboys and Aliens, and Underworld:Awakening. I recall how washed out C&A looked and with U:A , I kept thinking, "The blacks would be a lot blacker in my HT, and I REALLY want to hear the full bass potential of this in my HT because I'm SURE I'm not getting all of it here". I was right, U:A has some incredible bass that goes loud and far deeper than any commercial theater can reproduce. For that matter, so did C&A.


Max


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## jcwhite57

I probably qualify as an AV addict. Years ago I was into audio but got out of it after marriage & children. When the children got older, I started the HT with a Barco 808. Worked my way up to a Sony G90 along with all the trimmings. As for as I'm concerned, the HT is complete. Just got back into audio with the purchase of some high end vintage gear set up in its own room.


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## pharoah

bluemax_1 said:


> Oh oh, hope I haven't given you any upgrade bugs. Many of the addicts I know eventually wind up with systems that have better audio and video than commercial theaters.
> 
> There is no doubt that the audio in my own system trounces any theater I've ever been in. Better clarity and far better bass. Great dynamics, sweet for movies and music and infrasonic extension down to single digit Hz.
> 
> The video end has better contrast, colors that pop and as with the audio, everything is calibrated so I know I'm seeing and hearing what I'm supposed to see and hear.
> 
> The last 2 movies I saw in a commercial theater were Cowboys and Aliens, and Underworld:Awakening. I recall how washed out C&A looked and with U:A , I kept thinking, "The blacks would be a lot blacker in my HT, and I REALLY want to hear the full bass potential of this in my HT because I'm SURE I'm not getting all of it here". I was right, U:A has some incredible bass that goes loud and far deeper than any commercial theater can reproduce. For that matter, so did C&A.
> 
> 
> Max


if i win the giveaway i will defo upgrade big time.cant really afford to otherwise.


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## bluemax_1

pharoah said:


> if i win the giveaway i will defo upgrade big time.cant really afford to otherwise.


Yep, there's the rub. As with many hobbies, a money tree in the back yard would really help.


Max


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