I was out doing some thrift/pawn shopping today and ran across 3 Yamaha pieces that I would have picked up if I had not thought twice about my bank account balance.

One was a true bargain . . .a prestine Yamaha black integrated 2 channel amp. I didn't get the model number, but it was hefty, probably in the 80w/ch range. Not a single blemish and in great shape. I asked them to hook it up and it sounded just as I expected. . . .Authoritative with plenty of warmth (even thru some cheep sony speakers.)

At another shop I spotted a Yamaha Natural Sound Digital Amplifier DSP-A700 and an AM/FM tuner. What would be my luck to get both the amp, tuner and processor for a totally rad pro logic SS system. I was ready to whip out the plastic and get everything, but once again prudence hit me and I left with a frown on my face:grumpy:.

The wife would have understand that one small slip doesn't mean a total relaps back into my audioholic ways of the past, but she sure would have put me in the time out chair if I had sprung this on her.

So the question is in the title. . . has the recession dampered your shopping patterns? It sure has mine!!!!!:tears:

Nope.

Actually, the reason I got into vintage audio is because I'm poor...

If I could afford brand-new gear from BB and other low-rent B&M places, do you really think I'd be scrounging curb-side and hitting the thrifts on a regular basis?

:scratch2:

NO:___________ Thats why we go to the thrift store,sometimes you just can't pass these deals up!:nono::banana::thmbsp:

Nope, the lack of space has though. :yes:

yes and no

I am more likely to buy gear locally that can be flipped to make a profit then before.

I am buying less new vinyl due to fewer OT hours at work
I have slowed down the rate of having my system recapped and other desired work done.

No I wasn't buying anything willy nilly before since I have always be a purpose orriented buyer (building a specific system etc.)
No I still hit the G sales the Thrifts and the used record shops etc.

If anything I spend more than I used to but I never spent a lot anyway. But I could spend a lot more if I had it to spare. There are so many deals to be had right now.

The economy seems to be forcing people to sell some of their unappreciated and stored away vintage stuff. In the last year I have found some pretty decent deals on the local Craigslist from people who have no appreciation of vintage speakers. I found a mint pair of Klipsch Heresy II's for $100, a nice pair of Pioneer CS-99a's for another $100 and a lightly banged up pair of HPM-1100's for $35. None were being used currently and the owners just wanted to get them out of the garage or storage units.

I watch the thrift stores but they always have overpriced junk and anything good usually goes out the back door. When there's no inventory, nothing can be missing can it ?

So my answer is yes, and no. But definitely maybe.....

No, I just bought my first McIntosh!

Couldn't resist, local sale, good price.

Some things will need to go though.

The economy has NOT made a differance.......I've got everything I want currantly. I've never bought anything but LP's at the thrifts here in Houston (nothing makes it to the shelf). Currantly own (all near mint and working) 8 receivers, 5 integrated amps, 2 power amps, 6 tuners, 3 turntables, 3 preamps, and 8 or 10 pairs of speakers. I will only buy something now if it is a major UPGRADE, otherwise I walk on. I have been known to donate to my son and his friends (he's @ A&M in Collage Station). GIG 'EM!

Not really.I got into this this on the cheap Right now I am spending more going through what I have and repairing the keepers and seeking certain lps.

i still wheel and deal. always have. id never be able to afford my mac collection if i didnt hustle!

Yes, I am saving more and spending much less on audio equipment.

Yes and no... my buying habits were changing already before the economy changed. More and more, I've been emphasizing "quality over quantity", and trying to downsize while upgrading.

The poor economy has had two GOOD effects for me: there are some deals out there on some nice gear, even though my former "gold mine" used-audio warehouses are lean on the good stuff lately, plus my own income has (as always) gone up in the bad economy. [Don't ask why; I've always made more money in generally bad economic times than in good. Always, my entire life. Screwy, I know, but it just works that way for me.]

As a result, I'm not buying nearly as much as before, but I'm spending about as much and getting less-but-better stuff. I most recently got a GT-2000 turntable, a Nakamichi ZX-9 cassette deck, a Music Fidelity X-24K DAC, and Infinity Modulus speakers, along with several hundred nice LPs. Each gear purchase has been an upgrade, a better unit of its type or category (if you define the speaker category as "tiny bookshelf 2-ways" :D) than what I had before. I don't expect to buy a better turntable or cassette deck, unless I get very lucky, for years to come, if ever, because there aren't many better ones made, and the few there are, are usually mega-expensive, more than I want to pay for audio (unless I win a big lottery, perhaps).

Of course, the poor economy has made it harder to sell off unwanted stuff; I have to lower prices and wait longer for sales to happen. But fortunately there are still some buyers (some from the mainland; others local) and I paid such low prices for most things in the first place, that I can still sell and make at least modest profits in most cases, so that is okay. I'm also just giving away a few things, to speed up the clearing-out process; I still have TOO MUCH gear, compared to where I want to be! :D

The next step, for me, will be to start listing the stacks of collectible boomboxes on eBay. I won't make nearly the kind of money in this poor economy as I could have made before, but at the prices I paid, again I'll make something on them. I may even do a deal with a younger (college-age) kid who is under-employed, to help list these for me, for a percentage of the proceeds. That would further speed up the process, and save me time, albeit at some cost.

I'm getting closer all the time to the point where I'll stop buying much at all, concentrating only on slowly upgrading the music collection and doing things like completing my DIY projects. The economy really isn't the determining factor. I'll still OCCASIONALLY buy something new; I plan to buy a really nice amp, perhaps a huge (or fine old) McIntosh or better, or perhaps an exotic hand-made Japanese phono stage or something like that, if I sell off all the boomboxes for enough money. I will eventually make a nice digital music-server system, since the technology is getting both good enough and cheap enough for that to start becoming attractive to me now. A couple of terabytes of hard drives, with all my CDs and LPs loaded onto them in lossless format with user-friendly software and a TOTL squeezebox might be nice!

I'd say my own natural "evolution" as a reforming audioholic/collector is having a much bigger influence on what I am (and am not) getting than the economy is. I'm not buying nearly as many units as I once did, but I'd be doing that even if the economy had not changed. I've become pickier and am walking away from much more (and sometimes better) stuff than I used to, ONLY buying better-quality upgrades instead of "adding to the collection". The near-compulsive urges to hunt and collect that gripped me when I first started in this hobby are basically gone now, and that has been the biggest change. But I would have made that change, in any case, regardless of the economy.

I'm actually willing to spend more per unit than I used to be, but only on the REALLY GOOD stuff, and only because I know I am not going to buy nearly so much stuff in the future. I'll trade up and save up, to get something really good, like the GT-2000, but I'll walk away from anything lesser in quality.
I'd still buy a Nak 1000ZXL if I saw another one (I passed up on one, once), because it would be an ugrade from the ZX-9, or perhaps I'd get a Dragon or CZ-7a, which are sideways moves, but I won't buy any lesser Nak decks. I'd buy an EMT 938 or Pioneer Exclusive or a TOTL Micro Seiki TT, but only if I can find one at a real bargain price, because they would be equal or better than the GT-2000. I'd buy a Nak Dragon or TX-1000 TT, too, or upgrade to a GT-2000X, but very few other TTs would get my dollars, now that the GT-2000 is there.

In general, I'd rather buy just one thing, and make it the very best I can get, even if it costs a bit more, than buy a whole bunch of almost-as-good stuff. I'd rather end up with ONE really top-end system and a couple of nice "favorite" extras, than have a large collection of mid-fi stuff. I paid lip service to this idea for a while, before I really began to not only think, but also truly FEEL that way, but these days I really FEEL that way: I WANT only quality, not quantity, and THAT has been the big change for me, not the economy or the dollar signs.

I'm done for awhile. The wife and I got hit pretty hard with this economy not to mention some unforeseen doctor bills that are are breaking our backs right now. So for now I will just enjoy what I have until we can rebound. Sucks, but it is only a hobby...

Im too young for it to really affect me. I mean I dont gather as much gear as possible, Just stuff at an unbeatable price or that i need...

My emphasis has changed from buying more projects to restoring what I have already. Parts are fairly cheap. Space is expensive.

I've been cutting back on listening time in order to cut back on electrical bills and to prepare for the coming depression/energy crisis. I will turn down the refrigerator temperature and sacrifice a warmer freezer section along with melted ice cubes to listen to my larger amplifiers, as things escalate.

The economy has made it possible to afford a house, and buying a house has changed my spending habits like nobody's business.

I've been cutting back on listening time in order to cut back on electrical bills and to prepare for the coming depression/energy crisis. I will turn down the refrigerator temperature and sacrifice a warmer freezer section along with melted ice cubes to listen to my larger amplifiers, as things escalate.

As long as you can keep the beer cold, that's a noble gesture!

Has the Economy Changed Your Audio Buying Habits?Nope, still the same.

The economy has made it possible to afford a houseWow, not here -- housing prices have rebounded to their insane levels of two years ago... Got a mil and change I can borrow to go get me an old bungalow?

No! Like housing, fine vintage American gear is price-inflated beyond affordability :thumbsdn:, and there is less reason than ever to plunk down hard-to-come-by cash for imported stuff.

To some extent but I think for me a bigger factor is that I now have put together a good system and have run out of room for brining in anything that is second tear to that system. At this moment in time I am sorting out what I have a moving on the stuff I know I will never use. With money being tighter it also is a good incentive not to stray from my plan.

I've been in economy mode since 2003, when Michigan started heading into recession and my oldest child started college. With one exception, the only gear I've acquired since then has been used, much of it vintage and/or in need of some work to make it sing. The exception was a CD recorder that I bought on close-out to replace a used recorder that died.

Slammed on the brakes.

No - as long as I stay within my monthly budget. I may have to save across several months before I can pull the trigger on something.

DK

Yes and no. From the no standpoint, I look at what my past was in this hobby. Growing up it was entirely different, because like most people I was paying new prices for my gear in the 70's-80's..... we would shop around and finally plunk down what amounted to a paycheck or more for our amp/receiver. A cassette deck would be around half of a paycheck. Turntable, somewhere in between. Speakers, at least an additional paycheck.

By the time you were done you would have at least a month's wages in your system, and we're talking middle of the road, mainstream setup. Buying vintage growing up was a commitment to a setup and you expected to enjoy that system for years to come. Now I'm running two amps better than anything I had in the 70's that cost me less than what I paid for one receiver! The economy has affected my buying habits, but only in the respect that I'm not picking up every pretty silver face I see :)

Wow, not here -- housing prices have rebounded to their insane levels of two years ago... Got a mil and change I can borrow to go get me an old bungalow?
...East of Cambie.

To some extent but I think for me a bigger factor is that I now have put together a good system and have run out of room for brining in anything that is second tear to that system. At this moment in time I am sorting out what I have a moving on the stuff I know I will never use. With money being tighter it also is a good incentive not to stray from my plan.

This is almost exactly what I was going to say... I still buy albums, but slowing on the gear, and will only consider something special now... not just what ever looks cool... I need a bigger house too if I'm gonna buy anything else without moving something out..

I prepare bankruptcies for a living. I'm recession proof.

...East of Cambie.Lol, another Vancouverite! I'm in Point Grey; blink and you missed the drop (blip) in housing costs. My little tiny place increased about $900k in price over a span of about 6 years, and ain't going down. Not certain what kind of a city we're becoming, here...

Yes im pickier now, and only spring for the high end stuff, if the price is right.

I prepare bankruptcies for a living. I'm recession proof.
:lmao:

I am glad that I am in the same boat as many of you are. Maybe the prices on vintage gear will go down and become more affordable. I do know that the pieces of equipment that I have put on the "bay" site have not fetched what I was expecting. Sold a very nice Teac R2R and only got about 1/3 what I was expecting:butt1:.

Not a bit. That's because my game is to get it for free (or next to nothing), and then refurbish as time and the piggy bank allow.

I have noticed that over the last couple of years less and less makes it to the thrift store shelves. People are hanging on to what they have, and/or workers are liberating most of it.

A sharp eye on CL, FC, and yard sales goes a long way in any economy.

The economy hasn’t changed my spending much, although I am trying to get to the next level in gear, so I am buying less gear and probably spending a little more money, unfortunately quality costs.

Yeah, I've spent more in the last 5 months on audio than I did in the previous 5 years. This is directly related to the economy as I've been buying components that, if it were a "good" economy, would be selling for a lot more than what I am paying right now. Heckuva lot of good deals on new gear going on right now.





Retro

I've cooled off probably 75% of my hunting that I used to do at thrift stores and CL.

But it's only because I am in the smallest living space I've ever been in right now, so there's really only room for one set-up.

The good news: I'm able to upgrade when I feel necessary, so the music just keeps getting better and better. And I still only cruise CL or thrift stores when I'm in the market for something.

Hasn't affected me any.....

Still at the same job for 19 years plus....

Buy what I want....

I normally don't spend much anyway, except for a little pocket change at yard sales.

So the answer is pretty much NO. :no:

But............................................... ..........


I would have spent the $$$ to buy my recently acquired Crown RTR even if I had found it necessary to use an unemployment check, or had to sell plasma to raise the funds. :D

Fortunately, it fell well within my "War Chest" fund that I established a long time ago!

Yep. Brought mine to a screeching halt. Haven't been to a thrift store since february. No new cds or albums of any kind so far this year. Even so, i still consider myself lucky. My next door neighbor's are in foreclosure because they can't pay the mortage.

D@mn skippy--I had to sell $8,000.00 worth of H/T system to make ends meet...

Sorta, more a decision between wife and myself. Am moving towards things like completing a film camera system, was thinking about fountain pens, wanted to upgrade the television system and now starting to learn guitar and getting back into photography a bit more so audio collecting and listening is getting lowered in priority. It has been several months since I've done any serious listening. I seem to actually be losing interest after all these years. Maybe just getting fat, old and lazy.

A bankruptcy lawyer, yep there is money in poverty. My brother is a b/k lawyer in Ft. Myers Fl and business there is popping like never before. There was a bubble just ready to pop. Things were way overvalued and crashed and burned like the Hindenburg.

. . . . fountain pens. . .

A passion of mine also!!! :yes: I have been using fountain pins since the 7th grade. I must have 45 pens, including the original one I started with.

I started about the same time but never into collecting them as other thanjust buying from time to time. My favorite is a Parker 75 made in France. Also, have a Schaeffer Snorkel fountain pen and matching pencil, Parker Vu-matic, Parker 51, and others from Parker and Schaeffer and models from Cross, and Waterman. Or I should say I had them as Jr. came to the office this summer and tried one and now is only using them and of course somehow all but the one in my desk set that I grabbed back migrated to his room :(.

I enjoy using the fountain pens and find my writing far more legible than with any ball type pen. I also never use anything but bottled ink.

Been buying more music and less gear, still spending, just less for now.

since I am on SSI and in the horrible for now financially screwed state of confu-er Cali-fornia, I am really strapped. BUT I have been blessed to get a pair of Beveridge IIIs, a Sony PS-LX520 Linear Tracking Turntable, an Adcom CD-575 CD player, a Tandberg TD20A-SE(which was my biggest buy at $400USD) and a Sony TA3200F Power amplifier with volume controls. With a few tweaks that a good friend turned me onto I am satisfied now. WHOA am I satisfied! With whatever little discretionary income I have left I am looking for a good phono stage and for more records and CDs.

no, it doesn't affect me, since economy crisis period began i've bought:
- Dynakit ST35 amp
- Hagerman Cornet 2 phono pre
- vintage Pioneer tuner
- Yamaha Cd player
- Marantz Imperial 5G speakers