# How much money spent on audio gear? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous\ **Created:** [May 1, 2023, 3:15am UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116 "2023-05-01T03:15:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EmpireZeus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/empirezeus/32/49435_2.png) [@EmpireZeus](https://forum.headphones.com/u/EmpireZeus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 3:15am UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/1 "2023-05-01T03:15:12Z")
I was wondering how much people have invested in their audio gear. Daps,Dacs,Amps,headphones,iems. If you don’t feel comfortable discussing, I understand. I added up all my gear and it came to about 7k. I was kind of shocked 😲 ---
**Author:** ![hottyson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/hottyson/32/25048_2.png) [@hottyson](https://forum.headphones.com/u/hottyson)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 5:11am UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/2 "2023-05-01T05:11:56Z")
I have multiple hobbies. However if I were to exclude my speaker audio and audio-visual gear I currently own approximately $30k in headphone/dac/headphone amps that I own right now. ---
**Author:** ![EmpireZeus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/empirezeus/32/49435_2.png) [@EmpireZeus](https://forum.headphones.com/u/EmpireZeus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 6:06am UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/3 "2023-05-01T06:06:24Z")
That is significant, thanks for sharing. My wife thinks i am spending too much! I am confident that my setup is conservative. I thoroughly research each purchase, to make sure it is a quality product, before buying. I keep telling her audio nirvana doesn’t come cheap! ---
**Author:** ![hottyson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/hottyson/32/25048_2.png) [@hottyson](https://forum.headphones.com/u/hottyson)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 6:11am UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/4 "2023-05-01T06:11:56Z")
Your wife knows how much you spend? Wow, you are brave. ---
**Author:** ![EmpireZeus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/empirezeus/32/49435_2.png) [@EmpireZeus](https://forum.headphones.com/u/EmpireZeus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 6:17am UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/5 "2023-05-01T06:17:18Z")
Well i try to lowball each new purchase so she doesn’t blow a gasket. 😆 ---
**Author:** ![generic](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/generic/32/61169_2.png) [@generic](https://forum.headphones.com/u/generic)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 10:24am UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/6 "2023-05-01T10:24:45Z")
Do you mean (1) lifetime total, or (2) current net total after selling old items, or (3) total cost of actively used equipment? My total inventory passed $7K long ago, but I’d need to dig around to get an exact value. ---
**Author:** ![BoardmanGetsPaid](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/boardmangetspaid/32/11769_2.png) [@BoardmanGetsPaid](https://forum.headphones.com/u/BoardmanGetsPaid)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 1:57pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/7 "2023-05-01T13:57:06Z")
Funny I just did a detailed breakdown earlier this year of my expenses on this hobby over the past 15 years. It came up to to just shy of $30k with most of it spent within the last 3 years. Here’s a brief summary. 1. Dac (inclusive of daps) - 12.5k 2. Amp (inclusive of tubes) - 8k 3. Headphone (inclusive of iems) - 8k Granted I did sell quite a few gears in between purchases but that is still a whopper. Here’s a breakdown since 2020. 1. Dac (inclusive of daps) - 11k 2. Amp (inclusive of tubes) - 6k 3. Headphone (inclusive of iems) - 6k It is pretty safe to say most of my spending correlates to having spent more time at home due to the pandemic. I have since tapered my spending on this hobby and having since found my favorite headphone and a matching setup to go along with it, my interest have drastically dwindled and so far my spending this year has amounted to naught. I will be selling off some of my items soon and will be interesting to see what others have amassed over the years. ---
**Author:** ![Torq](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/torq/32/16384_2.png) [@Torq](https://forum.headphones.com/u/Torq)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 2:50pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/8 "2023-05-01T14:50:38Z")
Sticking purely to headphone audio gear (i.e., no speaker stuff) … a bit over $325K. ---
**Author:** ![EmpireZeus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/empirezeus/32/49435_2.png) [@EmpireZeus](https://forum.headphones.com/u/EmpireZeus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 4:18pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/9 "2023-05-01T16:18:50Z")
Current net total. Only what you have in possession today. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![EmpireZeus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/empirezeus/32/49435_2.png) [@EmpireZeus](https://forum.headphones.com/u/EmpireZeus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 4:23pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/10 "2023-05-01T16:23:11Z")
The pandemic has made us all re prioritize whats important. Thanks for sharing. ---
**Author:** ![EmpireZeus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/empirezeus/32/49435_2.png) [@EmpireZeus](https://forum.headphones.com/u/EmpireZeus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 4:36pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/11 "2023-05-01T16:36:51Z")
Wow, that’s incredible! Be sure to get a rider on you insurance. Especially with all that equipment plugged in. Lol ---
**Author:** ![Torq](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/torq/32/16384_2.png) [@Torq](https://forum.headphones.com/u/Torq)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 5:39pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/12 "2023-05-01T17:39:07Z")
It’s all on an entirely separate policy, with a specialty insurer, with everything itemized, receipts provided, serial numbers recorded and photos taken. Which is expensive and a major pain in the arse. But just putting a rider on my homeowners insurance wouldn’t help much, as even then, the limits for scheduled items would be too low to be useful. This is a big part of why I’m hoping my HE-1 can replace everything else … so there’s only one item to deal with. ---
**Author:** ![EmpireZeus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/empirezeus/32/49435_2.png) [@EmpireZeus](https://forum.headphones.com/u/EmpireZeus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 6:15pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/13 "2023-05-01T18:15:59Z")
Please post pictures of HE-1 unboxing, that system is amazing! TOTL endgame. ---
**Author:** ![jlemaster](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/jlemaster/32/44715_2.png) [@jlemaster](https://forum.headphones.com/u/jlemaster)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 6:54pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/14 "2023-05-01T18:54:05Z")
$35K over 3 years (the time I’ve been in the hobby). Just starting to sell items to generate $ for additional. My wife is aware but it’s been a…conversation. I am trying actively to recruit her into the hobby. I have slowed down substantially in the last 6 months. New Susvara owner (6 months ago) and current goals are to optimize the system for that on the US side of the Atlantic (for now, post-retirement we may be 50-50% in UK, so that possibility impacts new acquistions, i.e. is their input power req needs to accommodate 120-240 V, 50-60 Hz. ) ---
**Author:** ![EmpireZeus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/empirezeus/32/49435_2.png) [@EmpireZeus](https://forum.headphones.com/u/EmpireZeus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 8:03pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/15 "2023-05-01T20:03:51Z")
This is one of major steps of Audiophile Anonymous. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were spending too much, promptly admitted it. It can consume your resources, searching for the perfect sound system. As humans we are aways striving for better. I made up the “Audiophile Anonymous” but we could all use a few rules to curtail our spending. Ha… ---
**Author:** ![jlemaster](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/jlemaster/32/44715_2.png) [@jlemaster](https://forum.headphones.com/u/jlemaster)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 8:49pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/16 "2023-05-01T20:49:57Z")
This is not far from the truth. A 12-steps group for “OOC” Audiophiles would be a very welcome thing. A while ago @Resolve and co started a series of YT videos in which they used this name (“Audiophiles Anonymous”), but they just talked about new/interesting gear (no real relation to 12-steps). ---
**Author:** ![Kingpin62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Kingpin62](https://forum.headphones.com/u/Kingpin62)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 8:56pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/17 "2023-05-01T20:56:06Z")
$28K as of the present, however i spent approx 15K going down the rabbit hole to get to this point. Wife isn’t thrilled about that… I need 1 more amp and dac and then i can call it quits. Pray for me 🤫 ---
**Author:** ![EmpireZeus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/empirezeus/32/49435_2.png) [@EmpireZeus](https://forum.headphones.com/u/EmpireZeus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 9:42pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/18 "2023-05-01T21:42:21Z")
I think we are all guilty of this to some extent. You get excited about new gizmo and just have to get one. Your not alone brother. ---
**Author:** ![pennstac](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/pennstac/32/381_2.png) [@pennstac](https://forum.headphones.com/u/pennstac)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 10:30pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/19 "2023-05-01T22:30:51Z")
I’m almost in a sane range. Especially if I get to exclude speaker audio, two homes with SONOS and the office system which is speakers. Also I subtract about $500 for dead gear that has been buried. Since I have some items from the 1970s still in occasional use, and don’t have to convert 1975 dollars into 2023 dollars, that helps too. I’m excluding the MacBook Pro that’s running ROON, but including ROON. I’m probably just around $11K. ---
**Author:** ![generic](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/generic/32/61169_2.png) [@generic](https://forum.headphones.com/u/generic)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 10:43pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116/20 "2023-05-01T22:43:45Z")
Yeah, this is hard to calculate because of depreciation and inflation and post Ukraine silly-priced accessories like tubes. My current total is in the same ballpark and maybe $10K to $12K. But, I’ve got something secret on order… 😉 I’m excluding my 2023 MacBook Pro too. The new models are way better than the cruel joke that was my 2019 MacBook Pro – the type with a horrid butterfly keyboard and animated function key stripe. [Next page](https://forum.headphones.com/t/how-much-money-spent-on-audio-gear/21116.md?page=2)