How much did your speakers cost relative to what’s driving them?

[Taketheflame]

Truth be told, I have less money in speakers than probably any other component...around $600 for all 3 pairs?

Canton Chronos 502.2 is the one modern pair I own, the others are a set of Dynaco A-25s and Advent 5012Ws.

Eventually, I'd like to snag a pair of the new version of KLH 5's - yeah, I guess I'm pretty into the "east coast" sound with speakers!

 

[Xenomorph]

My JBL L110 cost me $200aud ($136usd), my Pioneer A-88X cost me $100aud ($68usd) inc the Pioneer tuner and Pioneer turntable...oh and some Acoustic Research AR18BXI.
I'm a bargain hunter

 

[Xenomorph]

Wow you guys like to spend money on gear !! Pretty much everything I own besides my home and car I've bought sold traded fixed repaired wheeled and dealed for to the point , where what I've kept has either has zero cost or was bought from the proceeds of another deal , to each their own though is what I say

Exactly what I do, I've listed my amp and speakers above. They were paid for by buying and selling hifi gear, none of my hifi owes me anything

 

[EastCoastTex]

North American Sound Squire Speakers - $50
Harman Kardon A-500 - $350 to purchase with approximately $300 more in refurb cost. (Sounds really sweet.)
Fisher MT-6250 turntable with Pickering XSV-3000 and Jico Stylus - $280
TEAC A-4300 with new belts and pinch roller - $200

As a vintage enthusiast, I find speakers to be the least expensive component. They are usually large and something folks are trying to get rid of locally.

 

[THF2]

Fascinating! By far, one of the better threads I have read on AK. Props to @Dr. Ears for starting such an interesting discussion.

I am so impressed with the posts by all of the AKer’s. It runs the gamut from equipment that was gifted or otherwise the result of really great deals on hifi to those that were very measured and deliberate on what they wanted on their purchases.

As for yours truly, my speakers (JBL 212’s and Infinity Monitor Jr’s) represent about 80% of the “Value” ( however it may be defined (MSRP then, cost of money, cost of one’s time in acquiring/tinkering/restores and associated parts)) which aligns with my belief that speakers are the most important part of any hifi system.

 

[Dr. Ears]

Fascinating! By far, one of the better threads I have read on AK. Props to @Dr. Ears for starting such an interesting discussion.

I am so impressed with the posts by all of the AKer’s. It runs the gamut from equipment that was gifted or otherwise the result of really great deals on great hifi to those that were very measured and deliberate on what they wanted on their purchases.

As for yours truly, my speakers (JBL 212’s and Infinity Monitor Jr’s) represent about 80% of the “Value” ( however it may be defined (MSRP then, cost of money, cost of one’s time in acquiring/tinkering/restores and associated parts)) which aligns with my belief that speakers are the most important part of any hifi system.

Thank you very much!

 

[roadie555]

Speakers 100%
Amp 50%
Turntable 50%

 

[131east23]

My Klipsch speakers cost me $300.00. The McIntosh was $1200.00. The Preamp was $900.00.

 

[melvinjames]

Yeah, it's turned into a very interesting thread. To add to my previous post (sorry for the self quote), when the cooler weather comes back around the speaker/amp cost ratio changes quite a bit and with tube rolling the ratio is close to 50/50.

Decware SE84UFO - $1000 (2017)
Omega Super 3i - $700 (2017)
Omega DeepHemp 8 - $900 (2018)

Most of my gear has been acquired over the past 25 years and I've held on to enough of it to swap things out when the mood strikes. Simple curiosity is the culprit (i.e., single-driver, omni's, panels, flea-watt, class d, etc.).

Recently, in preparation for the soon-to-arrive hot summer months, I decided to purchase an inexpensive cool-running balanced integrated based around dual Infineon chips. The speaker/sub combination is roughly 6 times the cost of the integrated. I couldn't be happier with the results.

SMSL AO200 - $280
Ohm MicroWalsh Tall - $900 (2004)
Omega DeepHemp 8 - $900 (2018)

 

[stoutblock]

% of total cost

Speakers = 36%
TT, tone arm, carts = 18%
Mag tape = 11%
Amplifiers = 10%
Phono stage = 7.5%
Cables, interconnects = 5.7%
Digital (DAC, server) = 5%
Preamp (DSP, buffer) = 2.8%
Power Management = 2.8%
Tuner = 1.4%

 

[wyn palmer]

At MSRP, my breakdown is like this:

Speakers = 100%
Turntable, tonearm, cartridge = 25%
Amplifier = 25%
Preamp = 20%
CD player = 15%
Cassette Deck = 8%
Room finishing, treatment, etc = 125%
Media (current value) = 300%

My breakdown:
Speakers = 100% ($13000)= 33% of total
Turntable, tonearm, cartridge = 100% =33% of total
Power Amplifiers = 46% = 15% of total
Phono Preamp/line stage = 0% (Prototype of soon to be released to the audio market unit).
CD/SACD player = 2% - CD/SACDs Downloaded to digital playback system = 0.7% of total
ADC/DAC= 15% = 5% of total
RPI, SSD drives, USB switching etc. for wireless play back 6%, 16% including laptop computer. = 5% of total
R2R Tape Deck = 10% = 3% of total
Room finishing, treatment, etc = 10% = 3% of total
Test and measurement software/gear= 5% = 2% of total
Media (current value) = who the heck knows.

 

[Dr. Ears]

% of total cost

Speakers = 36%
TT, tone arm, carts = 18%
Mag tape = 11%
Amplifiers = 10%
Phono stage = 7.5%
Cables, interconnects = 5.7%
Digital (DAC, server) = 5%
Preamp (DSP, buffer) = 2.8%
Power Management = 2.8%
Tuner = 1.4%

Impressive detail, thanks for the effort.

 

[jazzmans]

which system?


Main system?

speakers
JBL Studio 590, 2k a pair, bought on sale at the insane price of 800 for the pair.
Magnepan 1.6QR, 1700 new, paid 1100 ten years ago.
JL Audio fathom sub, 3k new, paid 1200 ~ 8 years ago.

Amps?

Carver PM 1200 *2 (one for each set of speakers) I paid, 3-400$ for them, and have at least that much over the years in repairs.

Source?
Lenovo thinkcentre with AMD 4650 APU, paid ~ 800$ for it three years ago, worth every penny.
DAC? AudioEngine something something, paid 300$ for it ~ 8 years ago. Worth every penny.

But, that doesn't take into account the server I built 11 years ago (and continue to buy/swap hard drives as more space is needed) that holds all the music and video files, with 46TB of hard drive space (you do the math, that's more money then the entire rest of the main system all by itself)
or the 70 4k screen,
or the speaker switcher,
or the amp to drive the speaker switcher speakers,
or the speaker switcher speakers, (mostly M&K)

This thing gets played every day.

or the second main system based in my bedroom, with Infinity Ren 90 speakers, Cambridge audio DAC, yet more Carver PM 1200 amps, Niles audio 12 way autoformer switcher, or the speakers it drives, (infinity modulus, M&K, and a host of others) or the Lenovo thinkcentre mini source, also being fed from that same server mentioned above,
this thing is on whenever I"m home, awake or asleep, playing music at a low level throughout the house.


or the third main system in my 'office' which is magnepan 2.5R, Carver (see a trend?) M1.5t, M&K sub, adcom pre, being directly hooked up to that server via a myhifidiy dac that cost less then 100$ and sounds waaay better then it should! or the infinity ren 80s also in that room,

or the fourth system, in the spare room, which is infinity rs 4, powered by a lepai 100 wpc chip amp, fed by chromecast most of the time,or direct bluetooth,

or ..... the outside tv system but I could go on and on like this forever...


But I must say, I'm pretty damn happy with the way everything sounds everywhere inside, and outside my house now, so no changes are planned

@Mister Pig , 2 questions.

I thought you were hoping that pre was going to be the be all endgame, what happened?
and,
have you heard the studio 590s? I'd love to hear your impressions of how close (or not) they get to your 4365s.

 

[fredgarvin]

Speakers were about 1/3 the cost of amp and preamp.

 

[E2]

$122 for everything.........I will add a couple pics. To lazy right now.

$30 in these.....last year.

I also have $30 in a pair of Yamaha NS 1000's.

The Totems are sitting on top of a pair of these that I paid $40 for last year. Great speakers but I didn't need them.

I have $20 in the Denon 980R.

$43 in a Yamaha CR 2040 Euro Model.
$50 in a Sansui AU 919.
Pioneer PL 530 about $30 including fuses, but not cartridge.
$12 in a Marantz CD 5001.
$30 in a Rega Apollo which I may be able to get working. I need to just move it along. It did work when I acquired it.

Numerous finds over the years. JBL L100's for $12, Sansui 9090 for $10, to much to list.

 

[Dr. Ears]

$30 in these.....last year.

I also have $30 in a pair of Yamaha NS 1000's.

The Totems are sitting on top of a pair of these that I paid $40 for last year. Great speakers but I didn't need them.

I have $20 in the Denon 980R.

$43 in a Yamaha CR 2040 Euro Model.
$50 in a Sansui AU 919.
Pioneer PL 530 about $30 including fuses, but not cartridge.
$12 in a Marantz CD 5001.
$30 in a Rega Apollo which I may be able to get working. I need to just move it along. It did work when I acquired it.

Numerous finds over the years. JBL L100's for $12, Sansui 9090 for $10, to much to list.

You made some of the best buys listed on this thread, when did you buy them?

 

[E2]

You made some of the best buys listed on this thread, when did you buy them?

Thrift store. I was shocked how well I did last year. They have been culling any decent amp for Shopwhatever.com for at least seven years now. Probably couldn't find the Denon online so they blew it off. A lot of good stuff was still coming out until late last year, but rarely any of it was audio related. They even pull records now.
Tough to complain though. I had a great run there for almost two decades. And very close by. I still go daily. Old habits die hard.

 

[Danathepill]

This is an interesting thread, but brings up some food-for-thought issues: For instance: How does one figure out the cost of equipment (one currently owns), considering all the “upgrades” that moved sideways or down, instead of “up,” and had to be jettisoned at a huge loss before one decided on and arrived at one’s current equipment? Or the cost of overnight traveling to audition and compare and purchase said equipment? Etc. Etc.

For one example: My McIntosh amp and preamp (purchased used and new, respectively), along with my McIntosh MR78 (updated by Richard M.)—at @ $13K before all additional costs—by far cost more than my Klipschorns (purchased used for $1200). However, then there’s the cost of van rental, two days driving to pick up the speakers, and full overhaul of the speakers with expensive ALK extreme slope innards and upgraded drivers (all eventually rejected and sold at an enormous $ loss), and then replaced by Crites’s much less expensive xovers and drivers (accepted). I think my speakers sound great, but are they $1200, $2500, $6000, or $16000 speakers? It all depends on how you add up the “cost” and “value”.

Another example: My current CDP cost me $500 MSRP new, but I purchased and sold six players (from $100 to $6K, at substantial financial loss) before I settled on this one. Does this make it a $500 or a $15K player? Hmmm.

Basically, no matter how you figure it, it ain’t cheap—this hobby/obsession/disease. And don’t forget…then, there’s the cost of the continued and exponential stress caused by the purchases of said equipment on your marriage…PRICELESS!

I’ve never lost money on a piece of gear I’ve owned and in one case made $3795 selling a pair of speakers. I also don’t upgrade anything because it seems to lower the value of the item vs being original. If I sold my system today I’d have thousands of dollars more than what I’ve got into it. It doesn’t have to be expensive to own audio gear if you don’t want it to be.

 

[ernieb1536]

Lol, $50 for a used KA-900 amp (plus say $50 for new caps all round except the main filters, still looking for those).

$300 for a set of Pioneer HPM-900 speakers that are pretty battered, and $50 for a repairable woofer. $25 for new foam suspension.

So about 6.5:1.

May not have a fancy pedigree but I’m sure it sounds very good !

 

[Bob in WI]

About $3k for electronics (including updates & refurbishment) including TT & cart.
Speakers were appx $2500 if I recall correctly.

So, a little less than 1/2 the total. System was assembled (components in & out) over several years.