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

[DougMac]

Just to put affordability in perspective:

http://www.kipnis-studios.com/The_Ki...nema_Beta.html

Doug

[Instal]

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

[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 wrote:

Just to put affordability in perspective:

http://www.kipnis-studios.com/The_Ki...nema_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.

[buggers]

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. 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 :P

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!

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.

[Shimey]

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

[derekht]

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.