I spent $30,000 in my first 6 Months

[ABTOMAT]

I started this thread when my wife informed me how much was spent on my new hobby. Collecting lights is a great hobby, but you can get carried away with it. What I do spend on my hobbies is well within my means and very enjoyable! Like most guys, I like "cool stuff" or as you put it "fancy stuff" and share it with other enthusiasts. Perhaps you feel everyone who posts pictures or lists their collection is tacky or maybe just me? I wish you all the best with your car stereo hobby! I remember when I was 16 and my car stereo was worth more than my car, fortunately times have changed for me

Posting photos or talking about your stuff is one thing, but applying a dollar amount, especially when it's the topic of the thread, and especially when it's a substantial amount of money to some people is just being ostentatious IMHO. I know people who'll happily tell me about their sailboat, but if they told me it cost them $400,000 right off the bat it'd be rude as hell.

There's a difference between "Check out my new pen" and "I just spent $140 on a pen, here's a pic."

And I'm into 2-channel home audio. Never spent a dime on a car stereo, even when I was a foolish teenager.

 

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond]

I don't see the problem with spending $30K on a hobby if you can afford it. On the other hand, starting a new thread just to mention how much money you just spent and listing all the fancy stuff you spent it on strikes me as kind of tacky.

I mean, I could start a thread in The Cafe about how my stereo's worth twice what my car is, but I'd sound like a jerk.

I think your last sentence illustrates all the points in this thread though, in a way. You may spend your money on stereos where to someone else their iPhone and the set or ear buds that came with them is all they will ever need. And believe me I've been over on the audiophile forums. If you don't have your speakers wired with the latest oxygen free cable thicker than a set of jumper cables they won't even talk to you.

I am actually just noticing that I think many people may have taken the original context of this thread the wrong way. I always took it to mean holy moly I just totaled it up and I can't believe I spent this much. But, now I see there may be many who have taken it to be someone braggin like - hey, look at me and how much I can spend on lights and stick it in your face. I fully believe it to be the former. I don't believe Todd mean to show off at all.

For example: I thought the picture of the 12+ Spy's was pretty awesome. I did similar with SS E-series light a few years back and it felt great to look at a full collection and be proud of the work that went into collecting them all.

 

[ABTOMAT]

I think your last sentence illustrates all the points in this thread though, in a way. You may spend your money on stereos where to someone else their iPhone and the set or ear buds that came with them is all they will ever need. And believe me I've been over on the audiophile forums. If you don't have your speakers wired with the latest oxygen free cable thicker than a set of jumper cables they won't even talk to you.

I am actually just noticing that I think many people may have taken the original context of this thread the wrong way. I always took it to mean holy moly I just totaled it up and I can't believe I spent this much. But, now I see there may be many who have taken it to be someone braggin like - hey, look at me and how much I can spend on lights and stick it in your face. I fully believe it to be the former. I don't believe Todd mean to show off at all.

For example: I thought the picture of the 12+ Spy's was pretty awesome. I did similar with SS E-series light a few years back and it felt great to look at a full collection and be proud of the work that went into collecting them all.

Yeah, I'm a little perplexed at what goes on in some audiophile forums.

I'm not saying Shado's trying to brag or show up people on purpose. Just that it might not have been the classiest way to start a thread and I don't think you can fault people for taking it the wrong way. In that way, I mean. I don't agree with the folks saying he should have spent it in some other way, since obviously he's not forcing his family to starve for the sake of flashlights.

 

[Monocrom]

There's a difference between "Check out my new pen" and "I just spent $140 on a pen, here's a pic."

I'd just smile and say, "Nice pen."

Then I'd welcome the newbie to the world of pen collecting. Or, I'd ask him who got him the pen as a gift so that he'd never need to use a cheap disposable again.

Honestly, I just didn't get the vibe that Shado made this topic in order to gloat. More along the lines of "Damn! I can't believe I spent that much on this hobby." I understand. All the bills get paid. Money put aside for savings. But it can still be surprising. I once put together a SureFire E1E from spare parts simply because I had an extra E-series head after an E2E modification into an LED light. Bought all the other parts I needed off of the CPF MarketPlace. Figured I'd save a bit of money. When I was done, a bit is exactly what I saved. Literally $1 compared to just buying a brand new E1E. Yup! A dollar! Oh! . . . Kinda wish I hadn't done the math. And checked my results more than once too.

Pricing this hobby can be very surprising. Often surprising enough that a topic about it is not a bad idea.

 

[Norm]

This thread has gone way beyond what Shado originally intended I'm sure.

It looks like it's heading downhill with people questioning Shado's original intentions when he started this thread.

Thread Closed - Norm