[lan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rock&Roll Ninja Its not really a good place to spend all your money... for example. $100 will not get you much in America. A leather jacket & a large pizza. $400 will buy you a new WinXP computer, burn CDs, surf the net, do computer stuff. $1000 will buy you 6months of food for a family of 4 (if you can baragin hunt). $1500 will get you a 16x9 HD TV and several months of cable. $2000 will buy you a used car. A car for the price of headphones! $2500 will get you a years worth of food & shoes for your family. $3000 headphones will get you 10 iPods, or a new motorcycle, a really big tattoo, a years rent in some cities, a year of college at a state school, or An Xbox360 + Playstation3 + Nintendo revolution + HDTV + Surround-sound system.

$100 can get me an MS1
$400 can get me SA500
$1000 can get me K1000
$1500 can get me PS1
$2000 can get me Omega II
$2500 can get me Qualia 010
$3000 won't get me R10

 

[Foshizzle]

I have way too many headphones...I would be perfectly happy with just my ep630 and one of the following: px100,porta pro,sr60 (I own all of these...).

When I'm at home I prefer listening to my hifi-rig instead except for late hours...

 

[PhilS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oistrakh Do you guys think that spending thousands of dollars on headphones and amps and all the other audio equipment is worth it?

It was for me. It might not be for another person. Each person must decide for himself or herself, based on the enjyoment he or she expects to obtain from such a system, his or her financial status, the WAF (or HAF), etc. And no one really can say with any real authority what is right for another person.

 

[PSmith08]

I agree with those who object to the use of the word "investment." Frankly, if you want an investment, buy stocks, bonds, or real estate. Heck, a 36-month CD with a decent interest rate is a better investment than most audio stuff, in my opinion.

However, when it comes to audio, home theater, photography, or what-have-you, you should buy what will make you happy. For example, I have probably ten times as much money sunk in my music as I do in all of my audio equipment. I decided that I was happy with my Grado SR-225s, and that upgrades will get me into diminishing returns country right quick, so to speak. Knowing that, I could spend far more money on CDs and such. You have to do what's right for you.

To answer the OP: it's worth it if you think it is, but don't call it an "investment."

 

[fureshi]

anything that doesn't make a profit for you should not be called an investment. while headphones, amps and sources won't depreciate as severely as a computer, they will still depreciate. that is unless you're talking about a few of the headphones such as hp1, hp2, hf1, r10, orpheus and that's only within the head-fi community. they probably wouldn't be worth much outside of this place and a few other places such as audiogon. buying headphones as an investment is a difficult proposition at best. buy them for your enjoyment of music.

 

[Oistrakh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braillediver Spending more than $100 on a pair of headphones is a waste of money. I'd rather spend my money on drugs, alchohol and prostitutes and not necessarily in that order. Mitch

lol, wonder why no one has commented on this post yet?

 

[gratefulshrink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oistrakh lol, wonder why no one has commented on this post yet?

... I guess everyone agrees.......

 

[lewtz]

how about "entertainment investments" would be a better topic. Which is best investment overtime for pure entertainment.

I would have to rank a computer the lowest, followed by any console system(because they become obsolete every 4-5yrs for consoles, and quicker for computers in terms of gaming). DVD would probably be ranked below CD's as you often repeat music more often then movies.

Now it becomes slighty more cloudy when comparing TV's,HT equipment, Headphones. This really is all weighted toward your preferance. Personally I think headphones are best "entertainment investment". Reason is... I see myself keeping my headphones longer then my AV equipment. My HD 650's fit where I want them, don't need anything better. But AV equipment I always want something bigger/better. I know as soon as I get a house, I will be getting all new AV equipment, but only reason I see myself replacing my headphones, is if they break.

 

[Oistrakh]

I regret spending so much money on DVDs. Half the dvds in my collection have never been watch, I just buy them because they are a "good" deal. Only a couple DVDs in my 60 DVD collection I watch more than once...

 

[PhilS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oistrakh lol, wonder why no one has commented on this post yet?

I think it was clear given the rest of his post that it was a joke. Otherwise, we would have to have him executed for such heresy.

 

[mulveling]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSmith08 I agree with those who object to the use of the word "investment." Frankly, if you want an investment, buy stocks, bonds, or real estate. Heck, a 36-month CD with a decent interest rate is a better investment than most audio stuff, in my opinion.

Some headphone "investments" have turned out pretty well for the owners. There were numerous opportunities in the last 3 years to purchase headphones for significantly less than current market value - limited edition AT woodies, R10, Grado HP1000, PS1, K1000, Senn Baby Orpheus (basically any esoteric-class headphone that's lmited in production and discontinued). All have appreciated in value since their respective discontinuations. Not to mention the owners get to enjoy the wonderful sound of these headphones. As long as the hobby continues to grow, these discontinued headphones stand a good chance to appreciate further in value. With a healthy 2nd hand market, individuals can sell headphones without broker fees and dealer cuts. What makes top tier headphones a less viable small-scale investment than anything else?

Of course you shouldn't bet the farm on high-end headphones (there is additional risk of driver failure or theft), but it's a nice bonus to an extremely enjoyable hobby. You could do worse with traditional investments. Bonds are a piss poor investment for "buy it and hold it" strategies - usually a crappy rate of return and they depreciate if interest rates go up in the future. In that case you might as well get some R10s and enjoy them. Personally I'll be keeping my 401K money in an S&P 500 indexed fund over the long haul.

I didn't buy my gear in the hopes it would appreciate - most of what I've got is worth the financial investment purely based on the enjoyment it provides. However, it's nice to know that my L3000/W2002 are also doing well on the used market.

DVDs, TVs, and basically all consumer grade electronics - now those are terrible financial investments.

 

[shplorgh]

No.

 

[stormuk]

Personal thoughts on this.
I set myself a maximum budget and know if I exceed this I have to answer to SHMBO that will cost me as much as I spend on my hobbies plus much more.

I have bought her a new computer because I went out and bought a second PDA,I bought a new Camera for my Telescope and had to buy her a romantic break in Paris

I am now venturing into headphones and know if I break the bank, she will want a new car this time.
However I can buy new CD's, DVD's and Vinyl and get away with it because she likes listening to the music as much as I do - unfourtunately often at different times, so now looking at a set of Grado or similar phones.

 

[Oistrakh]

lol, I didn't mean investment in terms of money.

I'm just asking if headphones are worth the money you put into them in the long run?

 

[psychogentoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oistrakh lol, I didn't mean investment in terms of money. I'm just asking if headphones are worth the money you put into them in the long run?

LOL

The answer would be "NO"?

For me, the headphones are worth it until the next of cans that catches my eye....that also goes for headphones too.