# How do you afford HT... what's your profession?



## n737nc

I work a full time job for an airline, plus I own my own auto detailing business. Basically, I work my butt off, putting in 14-16 hours a day sometimes. 
Even with all this work, I strugle to afford my addiction the the HT hobby. I've been building my current system for about 4 years now, mainly concentrating on the audio portion. It's not high end equiptment, but it makes me smile :bigsmile: 

Last thing on my list is a front projector, and electric screen. But it seems I can never get enough money to get those 2 items :hissyfit: Even looking around for used equiptment, I just can't seem to get the funds together. Something more important always comes up(clothes for daughter, toy's, food, mortage, etc...)

I see a lot of you guys spending ten's of thousands of dollars on your system, and I'm curious what you do for a living?


----------



## mrstampe

*Re: What do you guys do for a living?*

A lot of guys have turned to DIY, through the guidance of this site and others, in order to afford more home theater than they could buy at the retail stores. By doing it yourself, you also gain a sense of pride and satisfaction along with a greater understanding of the things you enjoy.

If you're reasonably handy and motivated to do so, you can build your own speakers, sub, PJ screen and entire home theater room. That's not to say it's easy! Just possible. Get to know some other DFW enthusiasts or come down to Houston for our Home Theater DIY meets. I think you'll find that this community is very willing to help.

Regarding the expensive hobby we've chosen, unfortunately that's the name of the game. There will always be more out there that I want and can't afford. Though deal hunting on audiogon.com, videogon.com, ebay.com and craigslist.org, you can find some real gems over time.

I'm a cardiology fellow (read: long hours for little money) and a medical officer in the Texas Army National Guard.


----------



## FlashJim

*Re: What do you guys do for a living?*

Baby steps. There is no way to get around it ... it's an expensive hobby. Right as I decided to concentrate on the audio, my TV died. I bought a new TV and the audio was on the back burner for a while. Ok, it still is.  I have my sub in place, now I want to work on the mains and center.

Most people become HT junkies. You get your first taste and before you know it, it's a full blown addiction. At least I have an understanding wife. Playing with my toys keeps me home. My former hobby was playing with cars. It kept me on the road all the time. I didn't spend as much money on the car as I do with HT, but I was never home. When I was home, I was always in the garage tinkering with the car.

Almost forgot ... I'm a Pro Geek. I'm the AS/400 System Administrator for a manufacturing company. I also own a few websites.


----------



## MrPorterhouse

*Re: What do you guys do for a living?*

I am a Scientist. I work for Sherwin-Williams and I research and develop the worlds most advanced coating technologies. Currently, my role is long term development for our Chemical Coatings Division, where we market coatings to the electronics industry( exterior of components, tv's, dvd players, computer housgins, etc...), military coatings, wood and furniture products(both commercial and residential), heavy equipment(John Deere, Cat, etc...), Aluminum Extrusion coatings(Pella and Anderson windows), metal building products, and many other types of coatings. Prior to my current role, I worked for the Automotive Division where I developed paint for the Vehicle Refinsh market and the Aerospace market. 

One exciting project that we are working on is a tricked out paint for the Apple iPhone. I'm not personally responsible for this project, but I consult a bit. The coatings engineer for Apple that we deal with was my boss for a while at Sherwin-Williams, so we've got a pretty close business relationship.


----------



## Sonnie

I had to change up the title of the thread in order to keep it on topic... otherwise it would be a Chat Box thread.

I've never been able to afford it and need to quit spending, but my family does come first. I provide for them and then play. My finance business is my bread and butter profession and then I tinker in a few other businesses. Obviously I spend quite a bit of time here at the forum, but have yet to reap any profits thus far... we seem to be giving it all away. :scratch:


----------



## tonyvdb

I have done it a little at a time over 15 or more years. I was single for 10 of those years so was able to spend more on equipment then most but now I'm married and the family needs come first. Fortunately for me the wife enjoys the home theater and lets me spend a little on it from time to time.


----------



## Prof.

tonyvdb said:


> I have done it a little at a time over 15 or more years.


Likewise for me...Except I've been doing it for over 30 years.:dumbcrazy:
I never had a lot of money and every thing was done on a shoestring budget...

I started out by learning how to build speakers, and then made my own.. Later when I could afford it, I bought some better quality ones.. 

When I switched to front projection, there was no way that I was going to pay many hundreds of dollars for a screen..so I read everything I could find about DIY screens, and then I started making my own screens, trying many different ideas, until I produced one that suited my needs..which I still have..

I don't want to put you off HT, but if you don't have a lot of money to spare, you can only do it over a long period of time..


----------



## Guest

Nick I mean this with all sincerity,enjoy what you have because I can guarantee you that there is someone who is drooling over your current set-up.If you could blink your eye`s and have the system of your dreams you probably would not appreciate it as much as say the speakers you have now that you analyzed to death before you bought them. All good things come to those who wait.


----------



## mike c

I keep blinking ... nothing's happening. :coocoo:


----------



## salvasol

My profession??? ... :scratchhead: ... Oh, yeah, is all over the news ... crashing market :sob:

Like most .. I'm setting my HT little by little :yes: ... looking for bargains raying: to upgrade the system ... it takes time if you don't have a ton of money (specially if you want high end stuff :thud


----------



## atledreier

I'm an instrumentation engineer, working with oil installations offshore.

So does my wife, and she enjoy the theater too. Plus I have a good deal with a local supplier, so I get their stuff cheap. The return is they use my theater as demo occationally.


----------



## drf

In short. I can't.


I have learnt to DIY anything that doesn't require a license (e.g a DSP with dts and dolby algorithims)
And compromise on everything else until you have nothing left to compromise on. I have only been putting together my theatre since start 2007. Fortunately I studied electronic engineering and have experience in pro audio which has given me a reasonable foundation for room accoustics and speaker building. I expect it will take 3-5 years before I have finished all the electronics to play back 7.1. Mind you the only thing I can't DIY is the media source and digital decoders. :bigsmile:


----------



## imbeaujp

Hello, I am a project manager and my wife is an engeneer. We bolt are 40 years old and do not have child so we can spend money on many hobbys.

I bought all my Rotel components and Yamaha Speakers on e-bay. I never pay more than half the price of a new unit. But for that, you got to watch ebay twice a day !

JP


----------



## udaman

*Re: What do you guys do for a living?*



FlashJim said:


> You get your first taste and before you know it, it's a full blown addiction.


So true....


n737nc, like other suggestions. Look for used gear. You can find some really good stuff for sometimes half the price. Start a litte at a time. Read and ask questions on many of the forums. A lot of nice people are willing to help.


----------



## Prof.

mike c said:


> I keep blinking ... nothing's happening. :coocoo:


:rofl: :rofl: Good one...


----------



## SteveB

I sell a girl's best friend that doesn't require batteries, think Marilyn Monroe. Ok, I sell jewelry.
I shop, read, shop, compare, talk myself out of it then shop, compare and then look for the best deal I can find. I also look for people that have a hook up on the items I want. I am a BMW fanatic and frequent BMW forums as much as I'm on here. Back when I decided I wanted a plasma TV I asked on the local thread if anyone had a hook-up. I was able to get what I thought was a very good deal on my NEC plasma from another forum member. As some of you may have gathered my current lust is to upgrade my speakers.


----------



## eugovector

I'm in Higher Ed, low-level. How I afford home theater is by learning, shopping smart, and not getting wrapped up on having the best, but rather, the best bang for the buck.

I have a buddy who spent what I paid for my entire system on an LED backlight DLP RPTV. It's a nice TV for sure, but he has underperforming speakers, a cheap DVD plaer, and no room treatments because he spent al his money on the Best TV he could afford.

Buying HT is just like anything else in your life, you have to budget. A portion goes to paying your rent, a portion to food, a portion to clothes, a portion to cars. In HT, a portion to audio, a portion to display, a portion to source components, and a portion TO YOUR ROOM.

Even if you have $35K speakers, there will always be someone with a nicer pair, so instead, focus on putting together the best total system that you can for your budget.

Be smart about your upgrade path. You will want to spend money along the way, but if you have $500 now, it might not be a good idea to buy $500 speakers if what you really want is $1000 speakers. If you buy the $500 now, and the $1000 later, you just spent $1500. If you buy $250 now, and $1000 later, not only will you have only spent $1250, but you'll have saved up for your $1000 faster because you already had $250 in your pocket.

Stay away from snakeoil. Don't buy expensive cables, not even on a whim.

Don't fall for 7.1 unless your room and setup can handle it. For most, 5.1 will sound indistinguishable, and you just save $200 on speakers.

720p looks just the same as 1080p when your sitting farther away from a small screen and costs less $$. 

Rent movies, don't buy unless you know you will watch it more than 4 times. 

Cancel your cable during the summer. No I'm not kidding, it's all trash and re-runs and you should be playing outside. Not only will the company give you a promotional price to come back, but you'll probably save enough money to DIY treat your entire room.

Properly setting up your room is free and sounds better than new speakers.

There is no such thing a futureproof. Repeat: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FUTUREPROOF (but speakers come a **** of a lot closer than displays or sources).

Read The Home Theater Shack, and listen to The Real HT Info Podcast


----------



## MatrixDweller

I'm a computer programmer and work for a manufacturing company where I support and build their internal software and intranet. I also consult and sell computer hardware/software on the side (although not much lately).

I typically research heavily what is in my price range and look for deals. I have a friend that works for a local audio store that can get me stuff at dealer cost. I sell my old components on Ebay when I upgrade. I bought my projector used off of Ebay for 1/4 of what a new one would have cost me (took me a month to find the deal I wanted). I also try to DIY where ever I can. I am building my own theater room and build a projector screen.

The wife, kids (3) and living expenses involved set me back though. My wife likes movies but can't tell the difference between my Klipsch and my old Cerwin Vegas or my Denon and my old Kenwood. Her and the kids get a kick out of the projector though and the kids are pumped about having a theater in their house.


----------



## n737nc

Wow, lots of interesting professions in here. 
I've been building my system the only way I can, saving up and building once piece at a time. I remember when I bought my preamp, and didn't have an actual amp till about 6 months later. That was torture! 

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Here is what I've built so far...

Phillips 42PF9630A Plasma
Sherwood P-965
ATI 1505 amp
Toshiba HD A1
PS3-Blu Ray
Sherwood HDMI switcher
Monster MKII power conditioner
HTD level 3 front towers and center channel
HTD HD80 in wall rear speakers
3 subs, HSU VTF3 HO w/Turbo, VTF3 MKII, MB-12
And I've recently added the Behringer DSP1124P

All of these are connected with Monoprice or Blue Jeans Cable. Very soon, I hope to add a decent 720P projector, and an electric screen. But, these are the 2 pieces that are taking me the longest to add to my system.


Nick


----------



## MatrixDweller

I should have added that I bought my Denon 3805 used about a year ago for $500. It's a couple models old but sounds excellent. I'll probably wait a year or so to get a used HDMI receiver. The 3806 is already under $600 used on Ebay so give it a few years and the 3808 will be in my price range. I haven't paid anywhere close to retail price for any of my stuff. If I had to pay full price I'd be down a few rungs on the quality scale (or would still be using my 10 year old stuff). I also got lucky, at the time when I was considering upgrading, and sold a domain name for $1000. Selling my old stuff for $700 helped too. Pretty much anything I buy (toy wise) involves me selling something else to offset the cost.


----------



## warpdrive

I have no kids and am a programmer making just enough so I can afford a few disposable income items, but it's not extravagant by any means. Because my needs are actually small (small house), I don't need crazy amounts of power or large speakers, which means I can dabble in the affordable, but high quality range


----------



## Ricci

I run an SLA(stereo lithography apparatus) lab for a major electronics semi-conducter mfg:nerd:. SLA, SLS, and 3d printing are really interesting. Look it up if you aren't familiar with these rapid prototyping systems. They are used by most major manufacturers(GM,Ford,Chrysler,Toyota, Sony, Toshiba,etc). Klipsch uses SLA's to do prototype horn lenses and other parts. It keeps me on my toes, since most everything is rapid production and turnaround.

I afford my gear by being frugal and getting the most bang for my buck. It's rough trying to save up for things when you've got a toddler and all the other bills! One piece at a time is how I do it.


----------



## lcaillo

I am an electronics tech and pretty much can't afford it. I end up fixing or partially fixing scrappers in my spare time and working on a low budget. For instance I bought a broken PDP cheap from a client that had a fried upconversion section but works fine with 1080i, so I use it with my HD cable box and upconverting DVD. I pick up used stuff on the cheap when I see it available and did a budget speaker install with MTX in wall speakers and an IB sub.


----------



## Fincave

I work as a chef, over worked and underpaid! The only way that I can afford my gear is by strict budgeting, do not have the money to buy items on a whim. I have a few things that I am looking to buy but they have to wait. I pretty much set aside money every month and when I have a certain amount saved up I can then buy a new toy. Not needing to be an early adopter or having the very latest gear saves a lot of money. Items come down in price fairly quick after launch and if you are willing to wait you end up paying a slightly more reasonable price.

Being patient and building up slowly is the only way to go for those of us who are not lottery winners or celebrities!


----------



## n737nc

How ironic that I started this thread, and something else has happened.

Got about 3/4 of my money saved up for a projector, and now the washer has gone out  Headed to Home Depot this afternoon to buy a new one


----------



## FlashJim

n737nc said:


> How ironic that I started this thread, and something else has happened.
> 
> Got about 3/4 of my money saved up for a projector, and now the washer has gone out  Headed to Home Depot this afternoon to buy a new one



Frustrating, but it could be worse. Things like this happen to me all the time. That's why I'm only as far as I am on the HT.

Real Life gets in the way of Reel Life.


----------



## eugovector

n737nc said:


> How ironic that I started this thread, and something else has happened.
> 
> Got about 3/4 of my money saved up for a projector, and now the washer has gone out  Headed to Home Depot this afternoon to buy a new one


Quick aside on washers:

My parents had a 12 year old Maytag. It was working fine, but they decided they "needed" a new one (kind of like audiophiles with their equipment). 3 months out of warranty (2 years), the new one breaks. The repair guys comes out, says he's been repairing washers for decades, and they should have keep their 12-year old machine. It was overbuilt. Every new machine, regardless of cost, is built to last no more than 5 years, so if it does, it's a miracle.

Buy the cheapest washer you can, save the rest for HT equipment. Believe it or not, your HT equipment may last longer than your washer.


----------



## salvasol

eugovector said:


> ... Buy the cheapest washer you can, ....


The cheapest will be to get a used washer :bigsmile::bigsmile:


----------



## eugovector

salvasol said:


> The cheapest will be to get a used washer :bigsmile::bigsmile:


Exactly, see if you can find a 12 year old Maytag


----------



## drf

We bought an LG about 6 years ago, my parents bought one 9 years ago and my inlaws got one 4 years ago. To date they are all as good as the day they were delivered.


----------



## imbeaujp

Why don't you hand wash ? 

(Joke)


----------



## drf

washing is over rated anyway!!


----------



## n737nc

Thanks for the advice(on the washer)  

There is no way I would be able to pass a cheap or used washer off on my girlfriend. When we have the money, she lets me buy the best that we can afford, so I need to give her the same respect when it comes to her "toys". Of course her birthday is less than 2 weeks away, so this became her birthday present


----------



## salvasol

imbeaujp said:


> ...Why don't you hand wash ?  ...(Joke)


Well is not a joke for me addle: ... we use the hand wash cycle in our Whirpool :bigsmile::rofl2:


----------



## drf

n737nc said:


> Thanks for the advice(on the washer)
> 
> There is no way I would be able to pass a cheap or used washer off on my girlfriend. When we have the money, she lets me buy the best that we can afford, so I need to give her the same respect when it comes to her "toys". Of course her birthday is less than 2 weeks away, so this became her birthday present


Thats sneaky, just remember not to get angry if your birthday present turns out to be a lawn mower or a couple tins of paint for the bedroom :newspaper:


----------



## doctor subie

This being my 1st post, I'd thought this would be as good a place as any to do it. I'm an internal medicine doc, soon to be transitioning to hospitalist medicine (where I would only take care of hospitalized patients). the pay is decent, the schedule potentially flexible.

Funny, that in medical school, I would have considered myself more of an 'audiophile' and was the person who subscribed to Stereophile, believed in high-end cables, and buying equipment above what I could realistically afford. Now, I'm more judicious in how I spend my money, and am getting back into audio/HT, and especially into 'affordable gear' or good gear that is affordable. I can't justify spending $10,000 on a projector, or exorbitant $ on a piece of equipment, but I suppose if I came across a windfall of $, I may...


----------



## Bob_99

> Of course her birthday is less than 2 weeks away, so this became her birthday present


IMHO and after 32 years of marriage I would suggest that if you really care about this person, get her a real birthday present. It doesn't have to be expensive because of the cost of the washer but I think she'll appreciate you more in the end. Just my 2 cents.

Bob


----------



## n737nc

Ok, the comment about the washer being her birthday present was a joke  She will not be getting this washer as a birthday present, I believe that all of my HT gear would be in the garage if I ever did that. 

She has always been well taken care of on her birthday, and this year will not be any different. 

Nick


----------



## Bob_99

> Ok, the comment about the washer being her birthday present was a joke She will not be getting this washer as a birthday present, I believe that all of my HT gear would be in the garage if I ever did that


My apologies for not recognizing that you were joking and I should have recognized the big grin at the end of the paragraph. I'm not always the fastest boat in the fleet.

Bob


----------



## Guest

n737nc said:


> Thanks for the advice(on the washer)
> 
> her birthday is less than 2 weeks away, so this became her birthday present


Speaking of gifts;I gave my wife a Nike 12.5`Driver [thats a golf club in case you didn`t know] and now I got 12" driver,only difference being mine is SVS version.PB12/Plus. :hsd:


----------



## Guest

drf said:


> washing is over rated anyway!!


If you have a good HT system, you won't care that you're enjoying it in dirty clothes.


----------



## drf

Bob_99 said:


> My apologies for not recognizing that you were joking and I should have recognized the big grin at the end of the paragraph. I'm not always the fastest boat in the fleet.
> 
> Bob


Ditto, ecxcept I porbably didn't realise because it's something that I would do :hide:.


----------



## daniel

I'm a teacher. I used to teach for children with learning disabilities. Before that I was a phys. ed teacher. Now I teach English as a second language(elementary school).


----------



## Funkmonkey

I am a carpenter/welder and have graduated from headphone obsession to HT obsession when my old TV died a couple of months ago. Not sure how it happened but rather than buying a $1000 TV from Costco I did a bunch of research and spent a lot more than that. Now, I need to get the Audio up to scratch. More research, reviews, and auditions in my future... Not sure when I will have time to work, so I can actually afford it though.


----------



## PhotoByMark

Spent the last 6.5 year owning my own business (pet shop/specializing in reef) but recently shut it down and now I am back doing software development. Currently doing contract work. I can see that getting to the ultimate goal of a full blown HT might take awhile but I can also see how this can into a full-blown obsession and eventually I can achieve that goal.


----------



## Guest

I'm a network/systems administrator. I've got one in college and another going to college next year. My primary source of HT money comes from the annual IRS refund. I know I should probably recalculate to keep all the money instead of giving them a free loan, but, I don't use coupons either so I could be saving a lot more money everywhere. 

You can actually go HT very affordably. You won't have the theater replica pictured in the highend magazines but you will still have a dedicated area with everything needed for the cinema experience. It may take you some time but you can do all the work, even if you have never picked up a tool. Many videos are now online to show you how to do the work and there are howto classes at the home improvement stores. 

Beyond that, even new the equipment and furniture is very affordable these days. But, if you can't even afford that, Craigs List, Audiogon, and Videogon are places you can find the things you need to get your HT done.


----------



## Ricci

eugovector said:


> Quick aside on washers:
> 
> My parents had a 12 year old Maytag. It was working fine, but they decided they "needed" a new one (kind of like audiophiles with their equipment). 3 months out of warranty (2 years), the new one breaks. The repair guys comes out, says he's been repairing washers for decades, and they should have keep their 12-year old machine. It was overbuilt. Every new machine, regardless of cost, is built to last no more than 5 years, so if it does, it's a miracle.
> 
> Buy the cheapest washer you can, save the rest for HT equipment. Believe it or not, your HT equipment may last longer than your washer.


Our 6 or 7 year old whirlpool dryer died and we were getting ready to buy a new one. My grandfather had an old one in his garage that had been there since one of his sisters died years ago and he gave it to us. It is a 1977 Maytag that is puke green. We've been running it like a dog for the past year and it is a champ that dries way quicker than the 30 year newer whirlpool ever did. It doesn't have any bells and whistles. It does 2 things...spin and get really hot.


----------



## hyghwayman

I was an Auto Mechanic for almost 20yrs. doing Brake and Steering/Suspension work which = long days and LOW pay, if I had only learned Drivability I could have made a lot more $$$. I made enough to support my family so wife could be a stay at home Mom while kids were growing up:bigsmile:. I did what I loved though until Sept. 15th, 2004:bigsmile:. Got rear-ended on the way to work, 50 weeks later I got T-boned. I was out of work for nearly 2yrs., wife had to go out and get a job:thud: and we also got a little help from Gov.raying:. While recovering is when I got hooked into the world of HT A/V & Gaming. I'm back to work now selling Tires and Repair sevices with a very large retailer, which again means long days and low pay:scratchhead:. The 1st piece of gear was bought as a Christmas gift for whole family in 2005, a $69.oo Curtis HTiB. With no real extra $$ it has taken some time, below is my progress so far;

Xbox - 2003
Pioneer VSX-816k 7.1 receiver - mid 2006
Powered Subwoofer - 2006
JVC 27F577 SD CRT DTV - late 2006 (now in bedroom - replaced 19" Toshiba)
Sony KD-34XBR970 HD CRT TV - Feb. 2007
Xbox 360 Pro - Feb. 2007
Xbox 360 Elite - Aug. 2007
Berkline Reclining Sofa - Feb. 2008 (replaced 10+ yr. old sleeper sofa)

Here is a link to my storie w/ pictures

Will be replacing the Curtis HTiB speakers (40w) with a SVS SBS-01 5.1 system in very near future.

hyghwayman


----------



## DougMac

Like many here, I'm in IT. My wife is a college Prof and we are empty nesters. When we built our house five years ago, we built in a way to allow us a dedicated HT. Since it's in a daylight basement, the actual space was fairly cheap.

We're just getting around to finishing out the space and I'm doing all the construction. I'll have a professional hang the dry wall. We go slow and look for bargains. We bought the cabinets we'll use in the refreshment area from a closing business. Paid $400 for all the Kraftmaid we need!

We don't plan to go whole hog. I already have a decent 7.1 receiver (NAD T762) and I'll be buying servicable but not high end speakers.

I justify it as an investment. I hope to live in our new house from now on (we were in our last for 30 years), but if we end up selling, the HT will add value.

BTW, I drive a Honda Civic w/200k. It's already had tow timing belts. It's been paid for since 1995! It's all where you decide to put your money.
Doug


----------



## robk_11

Unlucky with the washer! Murphy's Law in effect.

I am a Physical Therapist. Like many have said I have been building my set up over the years. I have no children (as of yet) and an understanding wife. I built my basement home theater last year DIY. Learned a lot and saved a lot. Last big purchase was a front projector. I still have to get around to posting some pics.:bigsmile:


----------



## DougMac

Just to put affordability in perspective:

http://www.kipnis-studios.com/The_Kipnis_Studio_Standard/Cinema_Beta.html

Doug


----------



## Instal

I'm afraid I can't answer this question as I can't afford it but I do it anyway.:duh:


----------



## superchad

I am new here and nice site so far.

My gear was almost all given to me by friends, I am disaabled and dont get much from Social Security, my main theater has been put together over the last 3 yrs and i slisted in my profile.
This and the Hi-End audio hobby is full of great people who love to share the experience and I have made many great friends thru both venues.


----------



## imbeaujp

DougMac said:


> Just to put affordability in perspective:
> 
> http://www.kipnis-studios.com/The_Kipnis_Studio_Standard/Cinema_Beta.html
> 
> Doug



They use 8.8 surround ! That is 8 subwoofers arround the listening position. I agree to that concept: It is better to have many subs than just a big one.

Currently I have 2 subs but I plan to add 2.


----------



## 1Michael

I save for a year...build some speakers...save for another year...build a sub...save for a year... build another set of speakers... save for another year......


----------



## Mark L

I am fireman and have been for 20+ years and I have a small Lawn care business. But I have a few hobbies and they are all expensive so I struggle with them one at a time. My other hobby is Performance Boating. But with fuel prices heading to over $4.00 per gal.:raped: I might be doing a lot of movie watching this year.


----------



## SteveB

I'm like most of you in that I have been building up my system over the years. Being in retail I make most of my money over the holidays. I get my taxes done as soon as I can so I have more money in February or March than I would in any other time of the year.
I really look for deals, sales, discontinued and I'm not ashamed to ask for people in the business to get deals. 
My front speakers are a case in point, Fry's decided to blow out the Polk LSI series speakers. I was able to get a pair of speakers with a suggested retail of $1800 for $400. I got what I think to be a very good amp from an on line retailer for $499 shipped. Oh, and my first set of, again what I thought to be a good, surround speakers from an one line company including the sub for $499 plus shipping. 
It has taken me 3 years to get to where I am with my system. I live in an apartment so I can only go so far. At this point there are only two things left that I would like to have, better rear speakers and possibly a second sub. When the girlfriend and I get a house I'm sure there will be more things on my list, namely room treatment. I'm fairly patient, someday I will finish, well maybe.


----------



## Steve.

I service and install medical instruments. I do not use our family savings for audio, I buy and sell gear to finance upgrades. I also have the opportunity to work on instruments at home for extra money which also funds my hobbies and my kids hobbies. Much of my gear was "close out" sale priced or used, patience is my key to finding great gear that I can afford. I just made some major upgrades to my system mostly by picking up gear locally and selling it on eBay. I got lucky with some vintage gear that sold for much more than anticipated. Those upgrades were just in time, my daughter needs braces so that put the brakes on any luxury purchases for the next year !


----------



## SteveCallas

Professional genius.


----------



## Visioneer

I own an internet business and do IT professional consulting on the side. I decided after visiting a noisy theater to build my own. It will take almost a year to have built and buy what I need. It's not cheap but I'm enjoying every minute.


----------



## Tripp

I often wondered how people afford the equipment they have but then i realise many people are much older and more financialy stable than me so that may be why.

im only 23 and just start out in my career and have an apartment so as you can imagine im usually a little strapped for cash and having a g/f doesnt help either 

im just getting into this hobby and im working on my first speaker but when i see people with £5000 amps etc i do wonder how i wil EVER be able to afford things of that calibur...


----------



## Sprtex

I work as a Refinery Operator and Firefighter. We took some of the upgrade budget from the sale of my old house and did the first attempt at our home theater. Used some overtime money from the last "turnaround" to make some upgrades and changes. Basically, we enjoy our friends high priced systems and upgrade our own as money (and the need) permits. We know we could add a lot more and have an unbelievable system - but we're happy with it like it is. We keep our bills low and spend most of our time upgrading "something" in our home or spending it on our boys. I still need to properly treat for sound...still. Good luck!

T.


----------



## santora

Well, as a most of the time lurker - I have had that question go through my mind as well. These set ups look far too polished for something I could afford - then I bought a house in Los Angeles. Talk about something few could afford! :coocoo:

My wife and I have spent the past 3 years fix up the joint and making it our own. Long nights after work and weekends spent sanding, plastering, etc. Our main room has a modest yet excellent set up for a 46 inch 1080p Sharp LCD tv, Onkyo reveicer, Polk speakers (5.1), DVD/HD DVD/BluRay/Digital Cable. It's not fleshed out home theater - but it gets the job done.

For the future - our garage is not attached to the house. The plan had always been to attach it, make it into a bedroom or home gym or home theater. Right now, the bedroom will be the better place to put the money - but I WANT to do the theater. My wife does to, to a point. But we both realize the monumental amount to work it will take, especially after working the kinks out of our fixer-uper.

So in the end I expect this will be a multi-year project should I ever get the funds and time to do it.

And to answer your question, I am an editor who cuts Theatrical Trailers, TV Spots, and other various movie/tv/videogame related items.


----------



## Alex2507

I'm a Union Carpenter. Sometimes I buy gear when I've been working overtime and money is available. Other times I'm out of work and money is tight but I'll do the credit thing for the right deal. I don't really need any of it so I can easily walk away from any deal. My g/f on the other hand has absolutely no self restraint. I like to know what's out there and what it's worth. All she knows is to say, "do you wanna get it?" No does not always mean no.

I got into this about three years ago and am on my third set of speakers, second hdtv but feel that I'm not a junkie because I have declined my g/f's offer to upgrade our receiver, buy a PS3 and threatened to not hook up an hdtv that she wanted to buy without doing any research. Our used gear gets sold or given away. My latest DIY is an in-wall entertainment center that's almost done.

At first I bought everything A/V because I had more money than her but our latest puchace was 50/50 because she was into owning a Panny plasma. I know better than to suggest that she cover 50% of the cost of materials for a DIY sub project .... wait a minute .... strike that .... since I'm doing the work, shouldn't she supply the material? Something tells me that there's trouble down that road. 

One year for Chistmas she bought me a Denon 1920 and I bought her a digital camera. Every love story needs electronics.


----------



## Guest

Truthfully, I cant afford it, but like others have said, i do it anyway...Anyway, I'm full time student and work warehouse at Circuit City..it got me what i wanted


----------



## bsoko2

I'm semi-retired and 65. Started this HT hobby in September 06 with objections from the WAF. Took her to marriage counseling and got 250 per month to do what I wanted with. Also, cash for Christmas, birthday, father's day, etc got me to the following point:

Samsung 61" DLP/LED A750
Monster HT Power Center HTS2500
Pioneer - VSX-94THX (crossover at 150hz)
Bue Jeans cables
JBL - E90 mains w/M2200 200 watt Mono Blocks
JBL - EC35 center w/M2200 200 watt Mono Block
INFINITY - Beta ES250 surrounds
JBL - E50 rear surrounds
HSU - (2) VTF-3 MK3 MO (stacked, nearfield)
HSU - (2) MBM-12 (one w/ea main)
Toshibia HD DVD AX2 (HDDVD)
Panasonic DMP-BD30 (BluRay)
Sony SCD-CE595 SACD (5 disc cd/sacd player) 

Time to start saving again in order for upgrades in a couple of years.

Bill


----------



## Guest

How do I afford HT? Carefully and sometimes not at all. I was a Data Analyst for a major Cable company but am leaving my job in 48hrs. My wife is soon to be a graduate student studying for her PhD. I'm also a full time student and have about 8 months remaining on my Bachelor of Science but i have my AS in Computer Information Systems.

Here's to hoping I find a new job in FL, the last 6 months of looking haven't found me anything yet. lol.


----------



## SAY IT LOUD

Hi All i run my own Marketing Business. All my gear is new brought on ebay i shop smart and fast.


----------



## tanchiro58

Hello,

I am Newbie in this forum.

I have been as a Healthcare provider for 10 years since I graduated but still can not afford a normal (I am not dreaming a decent one) HT system even though my wife loves to watch movies (we rent out from Blockbuster) every weekend at home. 

Best regards,
Tan


----------



## Guest

I try and look for the best "deals" that I can through the internet. Although I may not have the money for all new gear I try and get the best I can afford through audiogon/craigslist/forums. That has worked out best for me


----------



## Guest

Lol well im 16, so school is my job.
My dedicated home theatre is my room lol, I afford my purchases through odd jobs, birthday money etc.
My theatre in my room is composed mainly of computer equipment (monitors, speakers, soon to be hd video card and tv tuner) but for me, it does the job well.

When I am older and have a full time job, you can bet I'll have a dedicated home theatre:bigsmile:


----------



## Moonfly

I fit ventilation systems, a typical working class proffesion.

This is basically my hobby and most of my spare cash gets saved and spent on ever more expensive upgrades (such is the nature of ugrades), its more a case of I spend what I can more than how I afford it.


----------



## muzz

Construction Manager.

Who said I could afford it?:crying:


----------



## acommonsoul

I work for an airline as a ramp supervisor. The pay isn't all that great so I am working on becoming a pilot because that's where the money and fun is. Currently I finance my system through many credit card payments and bonus checks.


----------



## thxgoon

acommonsoul said:


> I work for an airline as a ramp supervisor. The pay isn't all that great so I am working on becoming a pilot because that's where the money and fun is.


Awesome! Though last I looked starting salaries for pilots were pretty bleak, especially given the costs of training!


----------



## Matt34

12 year military professional. Deployements allow me to save up for HT purchases and even then I usually buy B-stock / 2nd hand.


----------



## mazersteven

I'm in the automobile sales profession since 1992. I am retired from the NYPD 84-90 (on the job injury). I have worked in every department of sale, and have held every title except dealer principle (turned it down once. Stupid :duh. I am currently a senior salesman at a Hyundai store. 

I purchased my system all at once (except subwoofer) back in 2005. My house was severely damaged by hurricane Frances back in 2004. I did a complete renovation from the ground up. No better time to install an HT system when the walls where down. It was about one year after, that I purchased my subwoofer. 

Anyone need a car?


----------



## salvasol

mazersteven said:


> Anyone need a car?


Yes ... please send me the Hyundai Veracruz with a third row and all extras, you can choose the color (except Black, Dark Blue or Burgandy) ...:yes:

It is free, Right??? ... :bigsmile:


----------



## slim2fattycake

i am 20 years old and my job is a full time student, work study student and mom's helper with everything. since school takes up a lot of my time, i only work for school and my mom to help her out a little. Scholarships are my only "real" income. every semester, i'll get some refund money from too much scholarships and i use that to buy things.


----------



## mazersteven

slim2fattycake said:


> Scholarships are my only "real" income. every semester, i'll get some refund money from too much scholarships and i use that to buy things.


I figured you would give the money back so someone else could benefit from scholarship funds. :nerd: :reading: I guess not. :sarcastic::spend:


----------



## slim2fattycake

its like 500 dollars or something. and the scholarships do not pay for summer semester (year round school) so i guess it balances out.


----------



## steverc

For twelve years I was a computer programmer. For 17 years before that I was an electronics tech. My wife was a software tester. Seven years ago my job went overseas three years later overseas came here and took my wife’s job. Six of the last seven years saw either my wife or me unemployed and the whole year my son was a senior in college we were both out of work. Good thing we saved! I am now back to electronics and my wife is a network admin for a local small university. Together we make about what one of us made before. 
How do we afford HT? Our newest used car is ten years old, our house is 720 square feet and our garage is now a theater. We try to do as much DIY as we can for just about everything (which is actually a lot of fun). Oh yeah; we save money by never going out to the movies! 

Steve
http://www.kn7f.com/Theater/Finished/


----------



## the_rookie

lol, im a simple Produce Clerk at Safeway.

I saved up money babysitting to get my first KLH Receiver and satellite speaker package. Than slowly moved along. Getting the Sony bookshelves for fronts, than getting sony towers for my birthday, and moving the bookshelves for the rear. Than getting the Polk center channel on sale at frys for 77% off, than got my KLH sub for 33% off, than the new polk towers for 77% off as well. But i got the towers after saving up money for several months.

But i wont be making any investments anytime soon, not for another 3+ months at least.


----------



## adidino

IT Director for a financial firm in NYC. 

I've been a fan of HT for about 12 yrs. Started with a pair of Bose.. LOL! and a Denon receiver. Now using an Anthem D2, Triad Gold LCR's, JL Audio F113, Sony VW100 Projector and Theta Dreadnaught. Amazing how our budget go up over the years. Very addicting hobby.


----------



## Natas

I'm a fermentation operator for a biological company. My home theatre would be much better if I didn't have another expensive hobby......motorcycling. :rolleyesno: :demon:


----------



## tommyboy1587

I rob people. :huh: No, I'm in the Air Force; been in for almost 7 years now.............. Just got done with a 3 year tour in England. Let's just say I made A LOT of money there!!! :yay2:


----------



## weeZ

I'm a self-employed Pedorthist, I make shoes and other appliances for problem feet.

Got bit by the HT bug in 2003 with a purchase of a 42" plasma, then slowly built up to what I have now. I save what I can till I can pay cash for one significant purchase a year.


----------



## AustinfromHouston

I'm just getting started on my HT. I pretty much have everything now _except for the speakers._ :mooooh:

Time to start saving up...

I work in a datacenter, babysitting the servers & fixing them when they break. Pay's not _great_, but it gets me by and it's an easy job.


----------



## panaman

I am just a humble computer nerd who needs better sound to go with his 47 inch LCD


----------



## JTJarhead

I'm an I.T. Consultant.
After saving and wiping our all our credit cards clean-I just crammed the cost of a bunch of A/V stuff back on them to get our dedicated room up and running-oh well, back to the drawing board!:doh:


----------



## TwistaHSH

I am a AF vet and now a project engineer for facility/building construction on a military installation (read: DoD Civilian with Army Corps of Engineers), my wife of 10 years is a 16-1/2 years AF veteran. 

I am just getting started since we just move here 8 months ago and I am now finishing our new home's basement to have dedicated HT. However, I have always been into HT, but a pioneer receiver and some 5.1 sony speakers I got from aafes.com...lol to a sony receiver, the same sony speakers, then KLH speaker 5.1 package again from aafes.com on sale...to now have a Bose 2.1 in my living room with no receiver...LOL.

However, I have big plan for the Basement HT and I will of course search for package deals and sales...and last years models (read: clearances). Although I am not a big fan of used or second hand without a warranty. I will be patient and build bit by bit, especially since I am just roughing in the electric and plumbing in the basement framed walls.


----------



## Richard W. Haines

Everyone knows what I do. I've always had a home theater and I write
it off because it's part of my profession. I started with 16mm (that's
the format my first feature was in) then installed a 35mm projector (all
of my subsequent films were in 35mm) and then put in a DLP and standard
DVD player and finally a HD DVD and Blu Ray player. I need them to check
quality control of my feature films in these formats after I make the video
masters and of course use the same machines to see competing studio
product for research...and for entertainment. So basically all
of the equipment was a line item in the budgets for my movies which is
a legitimate expense since it's cheaper to own the equipment than rent
a screening room and hire a projectionist in NYC to check the prints 
and/or transfers of my films when they are completed.


----------



## custard

i'm a dentist working in the uk. we don't earn as much over this side of the pond.

just enough for a basic projector and surround:bigsmile:


----------



## House Whisperer

Part time ER doc and film editor. Have been watching movies on a laptop (no TV) for the last 4 years, and finally got tired of it. Bought a used powerlite 720 and was astonished, just projecting to the wall. That's when it dawned on me: the windowless room I had been using for storage needed an upgrade. Next thing I knew, I had a blu-ray and a 1080p projector and can't stop thinking about what I'll do next. The weird thing is, I enjoy tinkering with the space even more than I enjoy the movies.


----------



## Guest

I started my HT last year with my tax return by purchasing my receiver Onkyo TX-SR705, Polk Audio RTi10 and a cheap Sub that was free with the purchase of the speakers. This year I splurged and purchased Polk Audio center channel CSi A6, Polk Audio Surrounds FXi A6, Polk Audio Sub PSW 125, a PS3, and a Samsung Plasma PN50A650. 
I work for a home improvement company selling vinyl windows. So the remolding industry has been good to me over the last few years!


----------



## joetama

Interesting thread...

I do about 10 different things. Right now I'm mostly a college student. But, I also am CFO at my family's communications company (funny tittle because I also do their marketing, inventory management, IT, and every other job no one else can or doesn't want to do), own a fleet of rental Two-Way radios, do Two-Way radio consulting, professional sound system installation, design, and consulting, and am working on becoming a part time DJ at a local radio station. Might as well put my love for music to use to make me money.

I really wasn't into Hi-Fi until I went to college and took my dad's old B&W speakers. Then I was bit by the bug and have sunk a good chunk of my college fund into such endeavors. I've even been known eat cereal for dinner to have money to buy some CDs and to say no to going out and spending money to save up for a new CD player.

Most of my friends think I'm totally nuts, but a few understand the sacrifices a music & electronics lover must make. Women don't get it at all. Especially ex-girlfriends. I dumped a girl because she wouldn't quit taking the grills of my tweeters. She thought they looked pretty, I agreed prettier than she was.


----------



## Strype

Well, I work in the Industry so I pay dealer prices or less then dealer cost to test products in my own home. .... so my system is always changing.

I am a Project Manager and Programmer (Lutron, URC, RTI,etc) for a CI firm in Manhattan area. We design, build, install ... Home automation, theater, lighting, surround rm, networking and household A/V in the upper end range.
I come on these forums to help people, learn and network.
You can view some of our work at our site:
www.electronicstyles.com

On the personal side I am also lucky enough to have a girlfriend who is both a lawyer and a gadget junkie. So she works long hours like me and then likes to come home and play with all the gadgets we both have installed.


----------



## Rich-n-Texas

Good thread. :T

I've worked in the digital electronics industry for just about 30 years now, and am currently an Engineering Tech at a large chip manufacturer here in Texas. I still remember my first transistor radio my grandmom gave me when I was about ten; I cherished it and for many years listened to the local AM radio stations as much as I could (yes, it was under my pillow at night playing music). Rock-n-Roll music is part of the fibre of my life, and I've owned stereo equipment in one form or another since I was in my teens.

How do I afford my HT equipment? Beats me! I let myself get talked into upgrades by friends on anothe A/V site I'm a regular at. :crying: Seriously, I love gadgets too, especially my A/V equipment, and while it can be an expensive hobby, for me it's rewarding when I've acheived the best sound and picture quality I can within my means. I LOVE this stuff!

Here is my ultimate goal: ==> :hsd:


----------



## Candoo

hello???

I am unemployeed I am legally blind. My profession is computers and software devlopment. all self tought. i'm 36 years old.

I am very thankful and greatful that my fiance soon to be wife. has a job that can afford me on occassion to slerge....

when i'm low on cash i focus on calibration and setup. sometimes it can be diffucult for me 

I have a great understanding of how things get done. unfortuantly alot of times i odn't have the vision to backup what i wnat to do . so that limits what i can do in terms of DIY

so i take things fairly slowly and try to be pateint. I am a long time die hard HT fan and have built good sounding ht's from $200 upto my current 2 year project of aobut 3k.

i do envy thoes who get too DIY because i'd perfer doing that than buying off the shelf

thank you for reading my post.


----------



## ampire

Candoo said:


> hello???
> 
> I am unemployeed I am legally blind. My profession is computers and software devlopment. all self tought. i'm 36 years old.
> 
> I am very thankful and greatful that my fiance soon to be wife. has a job that can afford me on occassion to slerge....
> 
> when i'm low on cash i focus on calibration and setup. sometimes it can be diffucult for me
> 
> I have a great understanding of how things get done. unfortuantly alot of times i odn't have the vision to backup what i wnat to do . so that limits what i can do in terms of DIY
> 
> so i take things fairly slowly and try to be pateint. I am a long time die hard HT fan and have built good sounding ht's from $200 upto my current 2 year project of aobut 3k.
> 
> i do envy thoes who get too DIY because i'd perfer doing that than buying off the shelf
> 
> thank you for reading my post.


Sounds like you must have golden ears


----------



## Candoo

not golden by far. however... carful placement and equalization of even cheaper speakers can amke them sound fairly good.

alot of what makes a good or even great speaker is it's ability to preform uniformly in a wide verity of enviroments. however carful measurement and carful placement can take an average pair of speakers and make them sound much much much better even close to that of more expensive ones.


----------



## kathmorgan12

I'm an instrumentation engineer, working with oil installations offshore. So does my wife, and she enjoy the theater too. Plus I have a good deal with a local supplier, so I get their stuff cheap. The return is they use my theater as demo occasionally.


----------



## DqMcClain

This is quite an enlightening thread...

I'm a stage carpenter and props technician for a VERY large international entertainment company. I currently enjoy the fruits of working for a company that has no interest in having its stagehands unionize, so we're quite well paid (especially considering what it is we do day-to-day) and the benefits package is great. 

I've been building my HT for as long as I can remember... bought my first pair of KLH floor speakers when I was in high school, and powered it with a Pioneer 5.1 AVR. 20 years later, I've got about $4K worth of gear (nothing remains from the original system), and I'm slowly finishing building out my system in the home I now own. 

Much of what I've acquired has been DIY, ebay bargains, the occasional dumpster dive, and copious amounts of research. I never buy the "cheapest" thing... I always buy the "cheapest thing worth owning". I find that being an extremely-late adopter of new technology allows me to have the best of both worlds in terms of product quality and price. For example, I finally bought a 720p projector almost 3 years ago... and when it dies, I'll upgrade to 1080p. I own exactly one Blu Ray disc... (Rush, the movie about Niki Lauda/James Hunt).

I'm curious... what has the OP managed to pull off since this thread started?


----------



## NBPk402

I'm retired... I shop for the best deals I can, DIY what I can, and sell old equipment to fund the new. When I was working I used to have pretty expensive equipment, and I swapped them out throughout the year. Now that I am retired, I am much more frugal, and try to get items that will last me for years.


----------



## asere

I'm an Interpreter for a pediatric hospital. I started with this hobby back in 2000. I bought my first avr, rear projection tv, RCA speakers and a 5 disc dvd player. Then I found you guys 
Since then I've been upgrading to a plasma tv the f8500, SVS Prime towers, Oppo player Kreisel sub (won here) and a HSU. 
While all this is not really expensive compared to more really high end gear it does add up and for me it sure is way more expensive then when I started. I'm married with 3 children so I don't have much time to tinker with this but we sure watch movies and love it. 
I'm satisfied....well at least for now lol.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk


----------



## Talley

An easy thing to say is I'm an electrician. Master Electrician for the state of Texas. However, I'm 33 and for the past 8 years I've been in supervisory roles. Foreman, QA/QC, Superintendent which is what I currently am for a Instrumentation & Electrical company and we specifically work in the petrochemical industry.

I do OK.


----------



## Philm63

Engineer. Electrical, mechanical, it varies. I work for one of the big Nationally Recognized Testing labs (NRTL) where I spend my time testing and evaluating products to standards for safety (pretty much everything!) I do ok, but since the baby arrived, the spending stopped. For now. Hopefully not for ever...


----------



## Jim Holmes

I am self employed in a/v live event production and that gives me a direct link to some great deals on related equipment.

One thing I have noticed over the years is that occasionally high end, cherry pieces of gear end up in pawn shops. Most pawn shops have an a/v equipment section but they are usually filled with outdated junk. Every now and then someone sells a worthwhile piece of gear and in some cases, well below market value. Some pawn shop owners are severely lacking in knowledge where this type of equipment is concerned and tend to under value these items. Timing is everything for this type of deal and you need cash to be able to take advantage of the situation. I have made some great deals on items such as amplifiers, speakers, etc. I once bought a 9 month old high end amp in pristine condition for $800 cash that retails for $4500 because the seller was desperate and the pawn shop was unaware of what they had. 

Put together a wish list of items you are searching for and put together a milk run of local pawn shops in your area. Make a weekly visit to each one of these shops and scour their inventories for new, cool arrivals. Be patient, because this process can take months and even years to complete but it's always fun and can be most rewarding.


----------

