IEMusic
Headphoneus Supremus
Often times, certain aspects of life and certain hobbies/interests can change one’s perspective on other topics, sometimes seemingly completely unrelated. What are some of your wise insights and perspectives that you’ve discovered? Of course, no explosive topics like politics or religion please.
One of my not-so-profound perspectives is this:
I understand that the hobby of personal audio, specifically IEMs for me, is not essential, and that one can easily fall down a deep dark hole of debt, if not careful. However, at the same time, it’s also not one of the really expensive hobbies. This hobby has actually made me have a deeper appreciation for simple, yet durable and reliable automobiles. Sure, we all like the flashy luxury vehicles, but what’s the financial scale of a mid-level $80,000 BMW vs a very luxurious $3,000 TOTL IEM. Plus, all cars break down and need repairs. Would you prefer a new $1,000 IEM, or a replaced front suspension, or new set of tires? It’s kind of made me realize how much more extra money, as well as savings, can be had with a much simpler car, that is extremely reliable, even if boring. It is a matter of priorities and personal interests, of course, but I do think it’s interesting how so many people can think it unfathomable to spend $1,500 on a new IEM, but don‘t give a second thought to leasing a new luxury vehicle every 2-3 years.
I also find that sometimes, enjoying certain non-essential hobbies can make me very grateful when essential things are going well, such as home repairs, health, etc. After saving up for several months for a new IEM, it’s so nice to not need a root canal instead.
One of my not-so-profound perspectives is this:
I understand that the hobby of personal audio, specifically IEMs for me, is not essential, and that one can easily fall down a deep dark hole of debt, if not careful. However, at the same time, it’s also not one of the really expensive hobbies. This hobby has actually made me have a deeper appreciation for simple, yet durable and reliable automobiles. Sure, we all like the flashy luxury vehicles, but what’s the financial scale of a mid-level $80,000 BMW vs a very luxurious $3,000 TOTL IEM. Plus, all cars break down and need repairs. Would you prefer a new $1,000 IEM, or a replaced front suspension, or new set of tires? It’s kind of made me realize how much more extra money, as well as savings, can be had with a much simpler car, that is extremely reliable, even if boring. It is a matter of priorities and personal interests, of course, but I do think it’s interesting how so many people can think it unfathomable to spend $1,500 on a new IEM, but don‘t give a second thought to leasing a new luxury vehicle every 2-3 years.
I also find that sometimes, enjoying certain non-essential hobbies can make me very grateful when essential things are going well, such as home repairs, health, etc. After saving up for several months for a new IEM, it’s so nice to not need a root canal instead.