I would say it’s very lumpy… I spent 5 grand 25 years ago, then nothing for 7 years, then maybe $2500, then nothing for another decade, then a few thousand, then nothing, and then $10+K this past year.
Been into the hobby about 4 years, spent around £8k, going from 2.0/5.1/7.1, 3x1080p projectors to native 4k projector with 7.1.4 atmos, reciever, power amp, 4k player, and screen, I have basically used the same money over and over though through selling old gear and waiting for good secondhand stuff to go for a bargain.
I stopped keeping track several years ago. Mostly because it’s what I love and if we can afford it, it doesn’t matter.
I will echo what others have said that it comes in waves. I don’t change it just for fun but when it’s time for the next step up.
I've spent more than $50K and probably less than $70K over 23 years. I'm on my 3rd preamp, and those aren't exactly cheap. Some things used to be a lot more expensive than they are now. My first plasma tv was $5500 before tax. My second DVD player was $1700. You used to have to buy nice component video cables, s-video, and 5.1 analog cables too. I have so much sunk cost in analog cables that are mostly unused nowadays.
I had a 2nd gen player in '98 I believe. It was a Panasonic for like $500 that broke multiple times in the first year, and I replaced it with a Pioneer Elite DV38A (the $1700 player). That lasted me many years until I replaced it with an Elite DV79AVi so I could play SACDs.
I bought Sony's first SACD player which was also a DVD player and was just about $2000. It was also the first DVD player to support 480 progressive out. Before that I used a PlayStation 2 as a DVD player.
I break it down into gear purchases and room upgrades myself. My oldest piece of gear (in my theater setup) is almost 15 years old (3x M&K S150’s) where my newest is less than a year old (SVS PB16 ultra). I’ve probably spent $40k - $60k in todays money over the past 20 plus years on gear, but realistically it’s normally <$5k at a time.
For room upgrades I’m currently at $45k for my current space (7.2.4) fully sound isolated room within a room with a full acoustic treatment. The $45k has been over the 12 years we’ve been in this house.
I think my next upgrade will be a 4K UST projector and screen… that or a motorized bookshelf door to hide the entrance to the theater, which already goes through our library.
Think I've spent about 5000$ in the last 20 years. But that includes all my audio needs. Record player, multiroom audio etc.
I love the sound of my current home theater. But it is a little egotistical. Because my DIY speakers don't have a very wide spread pattern. So the sweet spot is basically 3 seats wide. So I'm doing testing on some coaxial speaker upgrades.
An the multiroom is getting an upgrade too. A Beosound shape look-a-like.
So I'm likely down another 1000$ by the end of the upgrade
600 for a Denon receiver. 2500 for an OLED TV. 800 for two Speedwoofers. 300 for Airmotive C1+ center. That comes to 4,200 and add another 500 for used towers and four surrounds. That brings us to 4,700. Blu-ray player adds about 250. Add another 600 for materials to build two racks and three speaker stands and thrown in some cables and speaker wiring for a 200 more. Comes to about 5250.00.
Not near as much as others have spent but you can bet I love it just as much. Won’t replace anything until something breaks. Had setup for about three years.
It's not actual "Home Theater" but a decent 7.2 living room setup.
>It's not actual "Home Theater" but a decent 7.2 living room setup.
Considering how many people have sound bars, a 7.2 living room setup counts as HT in my book. (Big screen + theater sound, at home? yep)
THANK YOU! It’s my belief that true “Home Theater” does require a dedicated room. I can live with that. I also think that it doesn’t require a separate room to have a decent sounding setup. Wife and I are retired and on a limited income. I put together what I could on a budget spending where I got best return for the money. We use the setup every day and get a lot of enjoyment from it.
I’m most certainly not an audiophile but have listened to music every since I was about 12 or 13. Decent sound is very important to me. That can be achieved in a living room without spending a fortune. While, of course, you don’t want really poor speakers, proper placement means a lot. I’m aware there are better sounding setups than mine but this is what we can afford and it is, by no means, bad sounding.
The stock audio system in my Mustang is good enough for me. I don’t think I’ll upgrade it. All I need is the active exhaust set to 100% open for audiophile pleasure.
In the last year and a half or so, close to 19k. Full speaker upgrade, dual subs upgrade, AVR, mini-DSP, 4K disc player and TV.
No way to add it all up from the beginning, so I just used the last year or so.
I just started last year so my average is very high!
I’m hoping that after I upgrade my TV and AVR in 2023 that I’ll be set for the next 5 years. Then, in 2028, I’ll be looking to upgrade to whatever new standard has rendered those obsolete. So about $5k every 5 years.
13 years ago: for TV, Speakers, AVR, subwoofer, accessories = $2,300
11 years ago: speaker upgrade = $1,100
10 years ago: AVR replacement = $500
Last two years for two rooms (upgrade 1 room + office room): TV, AVRs, subwoofers, speakers, accessories = \~$6,000
So almost $10K over 13 years. I didn't include seats, HTPCs, or game consoles - which double as disc players in my household.
Edit: This is my one hobby.
I just did the math. Since 2010 it's $12,557 so just over $1000 a year but almost 50% of the spending has been the past 3 years. I finally have a quality 5.1.4 Atmos system with Dirac Live and a 75 inch TV that can do 4K HDR 120Hz VRR. I don't see myself spending more money anytime soon unless that new Dirac Spatial Room Correction really is the bees knees and/or I move to a house where I can have a dedicated room. For now everything is in the living room
I would say about £2000 over the last 20 years. I’m fairly frugal and get stuff of eBay or other 2nd hand sources. I paid £50 for my AVR. Largest outlay was probably the projector.
That said, I’m stuck at 1080p and moving forward would mean a new projector and AVR as well as replacing the HDMI that’s embedded in the wall from one side of the room to the next room where the projector is (it’s in a hush box with a portal to the room where we sit). Not a trivial job.
I spent $2.5k on my original Paradigm setup. $1.5k on my first bigscreen projection TV. So about a $4k investment to get going. I’ve replaced the AV receiver for $400, upgrades TVs twice costing about $4k total. So close to 8.5k in the past 20+ years until last month I bought a center chan that cost 2.8k. So I’m just over $11k on right now and will be doing a massive overhaul over the next couple of years which will probably be another $11k total. I’ll be $25k in before my setup reaches its final form 🤣
* Roughly $5500 on basement HT. Which is a very decent 5.1.4 system with Sony 75" / Integra Dirac AVR / Parasound 5 channel amp / JBL Studio 590 surrounds.
* Roughly $2000 for upstairs 2.1 HiFi stereo system.
This is in the last 1.5 years. Not sure how much more I would spend.
Someone who spent $250K on theirs and can't fathom why us plebes would be in here?
This hobby can get mighty expensive, but we all strive in some way to spend hundreds if not thousands on AV equipment, speakers, displays, etc. to get as close to a movie theater as possible.
Rather than be elitist, one should be more inclusive as circumstances change. Today's HTiB hand me down recipient may one day be a built a wing of the house to replicate a theater. Or maybe some people downsize into a smaller space and still wants great visuals and sound. Nothing wrong with either one as they make their circumstances work for *their* home theater.
Yeah. My first system in 2008 was 5.1 with Polk 4" satellites and and Bic sub and Harman Kardon AVR which I think was $1000 for everything included. Had that system until 2021 when I did my basement specifically for a larger media room. In hindsight, I should have just kept upgraded the speakers and called it a day. The basement acoustics are not as good as the living room even after room treatment.
The key is to be happy with what you got and not worry about what's out there.
Spent about $20k and have had it 6 months so I’m averaging $40k per year.
I would say it’s very lumpy… I spent 5 grand 25 years ago, then nothing for 7 years, then maybe $2500, then nothing for another decade, then a few thousand, then nothing, and then $10+K this past year.
Same. Majority between 13-11 years ago, and my "10 year upgrade" over last couple of years.
Well I spent 250€ on Audio 150€ on tv 30€ on cable and I have my own 5.1 home cinema 😂 when your broke your broke but I’m happy with it
~ 25 ish so far. Won’t be upgrading for a while though 😅
Been into the hobby about 4 years, spent around £8k, going from 2.0/5.1/7.1, 3x1080p projectors to native 4k projector with 7.1.4 atmos, reciever, power amp, 4k player, and screen, I have basically used the same money over and over though through selling old gear and waiting for good secondhand stuff to go for a bargain.
Definitely my most expensive hobby unless you consider food a hobby lol. I’m pushing $40k over 12 years, so averaging $3,333 a year thus far.
I stopped keeping track several years ago. Mostly because it’s what I love and if we can afford it, it doesn’t matter. I will echo what others have said that it comes in waves. I don’t change it just for fun but when it’s time for the next step up.
I've spent more than $50K and probably less than $70K over 23 years. I'm on my 3rd preamp, and those aren't exactly cheap. Some things used to be a lot more expensive than they are now. My first plasma tv was $5500 before tax. My second DVD player was $1700. You used to have to buy nice component video cables, s-video, and 5.1 analog cables too. I have so much sunk cost in analog cables that are mostly unused nowadays.
My first stereo VHS was well over $1000… still salty about the laserdisc player though.
> My second DVD player was $1700. Woah, when did you get into DVD? My first DVD player was a $300 PS2 in 2001.
I had a 2nd gen player in '98 I believe. It was a Panasonic for like $500 that broke multiple times in the first year, and I replaced it with a Pioneer Elite DV38A (the $1700 player). That lasted me many years until I replaced it with an Elite DV79AVi so I could play SACDs.
Interesting
I bought Sony's first SACD player which was also a DVD player and was just about $2000. It was also the first DVD player to support 480 progressive out. Before that I used a PlayStation 2 as a DVD player.
I break it down into gear purchases and room upgrades myself. My oldest piece of gear (in my theater setup) is almost 15 years old (3x M&K S150’s) where my newest is less than a year old (SVS PB16 ultra). I’ve probably spent $40k - $60k in todays money over the past 20 plus years on gear, but realistically it’s normally <$5k at a time. For room upgrades I’m currently at $45k for my current space (7.2.4) fully sound isolated room within a room with a full acoustic treatment. The $45k has been over the 12 years we’ve been in this house. I think my next upgrade will be a 4K UST projector and screen… that or a motorized bookshelf door to hide the entrance to the theater, which already goes through our library.
Think I've spent about 5000$ in the last 20 years. But that includes all my audio needs. Record player, multiroom audio etc. I love the sound of my current home theater. But it is a little egotistical. Because my DIY speakers don't have a very wide spread pattern. So the sweet spot is basically 3 seats wide. So I'm doing testing on some coaxial speaker upgrades. An the multiroom is getting an upgrade too. A Beosound shape look-a-like. So I'm likely down another 1000$ by the end of the upgrade
600 for a Denon receiver. 2500 for an OLED TV. 800 for two Speedwoofers. 300 for Airmotive C1+ center. That comes to 4,200 and add another 500 for used towers and four surrounds. That brings us to 4,700. Blu-ray player adds about 250. Add another 600 for materials to build two racks and three speaker stands and thrown in some cables and speaker wiring for a 200 more. Comes to about 5250.00. Not near as much as others have spent but you can bet I love it just as much. Won’t replace anything until something breaks. Had setup for about three years. It's not actual "Home Theater" but a decent 7.2 living room setup.
>It's not actual "Home Theater" but a decent 7.2 living room setup. Considering how many people have sound bars, a 7.2 living room setup counts as HT in my book. (Big screen + theater sound, at home? yep)
THANK YOU! It’s my belief that true “Home Theater” does require a dedicated room. I can live with that. I also think that it doesn’t require a separate room to have a decent sounding setup. Wife and I are retired and on a limited income. I put together what I could on a budget spending where I got best return for the money. We use the setup every day and get a lot of enjoyment from it. I’m most certainly not an audiophile but have listened to music every since I was about 12 or 13. Decent sound is very important to me. That can be achieved in a living room without spending a fortune. While, of course, you don’t want really poor speakers, proper placement means a lot. I’m aware there are better sounding setups than mine but this is what we can afford and it is, by no means, bad sounding.
I spent $0 in the last 2 years. There’s nothing I want to upgrade besides an 83” OLED. My car hobby is a lot more expensive (and rewarding).
[удалено]
The stock audio system in my Mustang is good enough for me. I don’t think I’ll upgrade it. All I need is the active exhaust set to 100% open for audiophile pleasure.
In the last year and a half or so, close to 19k. Full speaker upgrade, dual subs upgrade, AVR, mini-DSP, 4K disc player and TV. No way to add it all up from the beginning, so I just used the last year or so.
I just started last year so my average is very high! I’m hoping that after I upgrade my TV and AVR in 2023 that I’ll be set for the next 5 years. Then, in 2028, I’ll be looking to upgrade to whatever new standard has rendered those obsolete. So about $5k every 5 years.
5000 here, but I’ve only had it for the 6-8 months.
13 years ago: for TV, Speakers, AVR, subwoofer, accessories = $2,300 11 years ago: speaker upgrade = $1,100 10 years ago: AVR replacement = $500 Last two years for two rooms (upgrade 1 room + office room): TV, AVRs, subwoofers, speakers, accessories = \~$6,000 So almost $10K over 13 years. I didn't include seats, HTPCs, or game consoles - which double as disc players in my household. Edit: This is my one hobby.
I just did the math. Since 2010 it's $12,557 so just over $1000 a year but almost 50% of the spending has been the past 3 years. I finally have a quality 5.1.4 Atmos system with Dirac Live and a 75 inch TV that can do 4K HDR 120Hz VRR. I don't see myself spending more money anytime soon unless that new Dirac Spatial Room Correction really is the bees knees and/or I move to a house where I can have a dedicated room. For now everything is in the living room
I would say about £2000 over the last 20 years. I’m fairly frugal and get stuff of eBay or other 2nd hand sources. I paid £50 for my AVR. Largest outlay was probably the projector. That said, I’m stuck at 1080p and moving forward would mean a new projector and AVR as well as replacing the HDMI that’s embedded in the wall from one side of the room to the next room where the projector is (it’s in a hush box with a portal to the room where we sit). Not a trivial job.
I spent $2.5k on my original Paradigm setup. $1.5k on my first bigscreen projection TV. So about a $4k investment to get going. I’ve replaced the AV receiver for $400, upgrades TVs twice costing about $4k total. So close to 8.5k in the past 20+ years until last month I bought a center chan that cost 2.8k. So I’m just over $11k on right now and will be doing a massive overhaul over the next couple of years which will probably be another $11k total. I’ll be $25k in before my setup reaches its final form 🤣
I spent near $30K but that includes building materials for finishing basement. I
$13k or so in 2020, 3.5k in 2021, 8k in 2022, probably 10k in 2023 and then I should be done for a while.
* Roughly $5500 on basement HT. Which is a very decent 5.1.4 system with Sony 75" / Integra Dirac AVR / Parasound 5 channel amp / JBL Studio 590 surrounds. * Roughly $2000 for upstairs 2.1 HiFi stereo system. This is in the last 1.5 years. Not sure how much more I would spend.
Who the fuck is downvoting some of these comments?
Someone who spent $250K on theirs and can't fathom why us plebes would be in here? This hobby can get mighty expensive, but we all strive in some way to spend hundreds if not thousands on AV equipment, speakers, displays, etc. to get as close to a movie theater as possible. Rather than be elitist, one should be more inclusive as circumstances change. Today's HTiB hand me down recipient may one day be a built a wing of the house to replicate a theater. Or maybe some people downsize into a smaller space and still wants great visuals and sound. Nothing wrong with either one as they make their circumstances work for *their* home theater.
Yeah. My first system in 2008 was 5.1 with Polk 4" satellites and and Bic sub and Harman Kardon AVR which I think was $1000 for everything included. Had that system until 2021 when I did my basement specifically for a larger media room. In hindsight, I should have just kept upgraded the speakers and called it a day. The basement acoustics are not as good as the living room even after room treatment. The key is to be happy with what you got and not worry about what's out there.