ace168516 Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 As I look at my finances in life, I somewhat have an epiphany. The economy is in a hole, housing is down, my 401K and IRAs have been chopped in half in the last year, the DJ is almost back to 8K (awesome huh?), and I guess I am too smart to be rewarded with any sort of bailout money on my mortgage, but some of my coworkers get government backed refi's at some rediculous rates. What is the upside? My stupid purchases...I hesitate to say stupid, but fancy things I do not need at the time, but make life fun seem to go up in value. I'm not talking about garage sale steals, or the church rummage sale that has some heritage series sitting in a corner, but things I actually pay market value for at the time on e-bay or similar. My Sansui G-9700...I said hey, that is the first reveiver with a digital tuner, and 200 watts of love...I want it, 10 years later according to e-bay it has doubled in value to nearly $600. That Micromega DAC that I purchased as a secondary at an audio shop for $125...looking good there. A 12" vinyl of the Smashing Pumpkins first appearance on recorded medium...$225 seemed like a luxury...it will never sell, but the only one on e-bay is $1100 obo...probably worth a bit more than the $225 I paid. I think I need to analyze my purchasing trends and talk to my wife, so I can tell her when I come home with random crap, it is planning for our future haha. Anyone else feel like the stuff I have been trained to try and restrain from purchasing turn out to be wise purchases? ACE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I wish I'd bought TWICE the home 6 years ago, it would have only slid 10% vs 50%. Things that you enjoy but also are currently devalued do seem to be a good investment. We can enjoy them NOW and perhaps sell for more at a later date. My Crown amps and Klipsch collection are better than money in the bank. Besides, any one of us could get hit by a truck tomorrow. Might was well go out jamming! Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ace168516 Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 I don't think I have ever bought a material good with the intention of selling it (well maybe besides my house, but that is a bit more than a material purchase haha). I am a pack rat by nature, so I sure hope my son enjoys audio as much as I do, becase he will be inheriting a boat load some day...I have some old HiFonics 1 ohm stable car amps that are in original boxes and could fetch more than I paid for them on e-bay, but I think in the back of my head...my son may want those some day...he will be driving in 15 years and will need some decent stuff before I give him the really good amps. On a side note, I had a quick listen to those Industrial La Scalas you sold Clay when I was picking up the Verts...trying to punch that La Scala sound out of my head...that was the first time I have heard them, and I quite enjoyed them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hifi jim Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 McIntosh is the Blue Chip of audio. While everything else has slid or stalled in the past months, Mac prices have remained stable. My brother bought a McIntosh MHT100 a few years back on Audiogon. It's an AVR which is kind of dated now as it has none of the new codecs or HDMI switching. He paid $2400, and they continue to fetch that and more on Audiogon now. The Mac amps I recently sold after 10+ years ownership appreciated 50%. Can't go wrong there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesV Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Jim I am finding that out as I just purchased my first McIntosh gear a few months ago, at a great price that I couldn't pass up. I only need a tuner but that just might have to wait, for the moment I have a receiver for the days when I want to just listen to the radio. James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 "On a side note, I had a quick listen to those Industrial La Scalas yousold Clay when I was picking up the Verts...trying to punch that LaScala sound out of my head...that was the first time I have heard them,and I quite enjoyed them." Yeah, they kinda get inside you don't they- Thanks Ace! (You're not Q95's 'Ace Cosby', my almost-twin-brother, are you?) M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triceratops Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 Nice post, Ace. I have come to the same conclusion--the audio and music gear I have bought over the years still brings me joy and has some intrinsic value. My 401K has lost half its value and only reminds me I'll never be able to retire. I'll go out jamming, as Michael said. triceratops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ace168516 Posted April 23, 2009 Author Share Posted April 23, 2009 What is the old Real Estate saying..."Value in use", to me seems to ring more true during tough times. Maybe it is getting older, grayer, busier, or a little too much Jimmy Buffett escapism, but I find myself less and less interested in anything cutting edge. I remember purchasing a Sony DVP-S3000 DVD player the day DVD was publicly available, along with all of it's 7 titles...surround sound followed a week later. I can't tell you the last time I watched a movie let alone one in surround sound haha...probably 2 years. These days a gin and tonic in an easy chair, drop a nice cd or album on seems like the best thing in the world sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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