Free entertainment ???

[Scooby Blu]

YES! Since 1988 I have spent thousands of hours hanging out in local high end audio video shops. I would take my favorite albums back in the day, then DVD's and Blu Rays. I have a budget so.... I can't buy what I really want. But you know what? I can spend quality time enjoying some of the best AV tech in the WORLD! Sometimes the talk on this site is about what they have or how their system looks. To me I got what I could afford at the time, it's fun, but it is not my dream girl.

Overall, I just wanted to share how much fun I have had and how much I have learned over the years as well(at least what I can still remember, been to party town once or twice) If people would spend as much time at local high end shops instead of typing nonsense on the internet then, the true audiophile will emerge!

[curse]

unfortunatly for some people this is their only resource to information such as this. If it wasnt for this website, i would have a htib!

[jdc115]

It is always nice to get to know some of the local high end shops as normally you find the people that work there are quite passionate about what they sell and do not mind you stopping in to listen to equipment.

I have a lot of high end stores in one mall near me and go their often to listen to different speakers and equipment even if I have no interest in purchasing equipment at that time. The dealers that are more open to having me just stop in and listen (providing they are not with other customers) know that over time I will end up buying more from them.

[HAMP]

Originally Posted by curse

unfortunatly for some people this is their only resource to information such as this. If it wasnt for this website, i would have a htib!

I wouldn't say my only resource, but if I didn't come across this site, I would have just a 65 HDTV, PS3 and a HTiB also.

I have learned so much from this site and also spent alot of money I wouldn't have thought about ever spending.

My first HTiB was on sale for $98 and the second one was a little over $200 and I thought I was silly spending that much.

[neos_peace]

Originally Posted by curse

unfortunatly for some people this is their only resource to information such as this. If it wasnt for this website, i would have a htib!

Originally Posted by HAMP

I wouldn't say my only resource, but if I didn't come across this site, I would have just a 65 HDTV, PS3 and a HTiB also.

I have learned so much from this site and also spent alot of money I wouldn't have thought about ever spending.

My first HTiB was on sale for $98 and the second one was a little over $200 and I thought I was silly spending that much.

Agree 100,100%. I used to think my older Philips in the Box was the Sh!t. And thoguht that buying seperate was a wasit of time and was justa money gimick, (somethimes it can be though not often) I have learned SOOOOOOO much from Big Daddy, Driver King, and others that the name esacpes me. I have now at this point upgraded my INTIRE home theater system. And am very pleased and happy wihtt he purchases I have made. I mihgt only have $160 pair tower speakers (2 of them) But I'm telling you what form what I used to have the audio diference is like night and day. Surround sounds are cleaner, the pure audio experience is nicer, I'm heaering things that I dind't exactly hear before or as clearliy. This site I'd say I visit 80% of time more then anyother site in my entire fav list.

[Freekman]

I wish I had an A/V store nearby so I can experience first hand the HD codecs and decide for myself if I should buy a new HTiB.

[HAMP]

Originally Posted by Freekman

I wish I had an A/V store nearby so I can experience first hand the HD codecs and decide for myself if I should buy a new HTiB.

What I know now, I wouldn't buy another HTiB. Before I had a little buying issue with not buying piece by piece, I'm someone who had to have it all at the same time.

If you could, just buy what you can when you can and take your time with it. Read reviews and ask questions and after awhile you will have something that is much better and will last longer then an HTiB.

You have the movies and you are only experiencing half of it, with a nice surround sound, you will love all of it. If you love the PQ you will love the AQ and with the combination with both it’s a joy to brag about.

[Hammie]

I'm in the process of finding a new place to shop at. My local shop went out of business after 55 years in the Washington, DC metro area.

[DIGITALBATH]

Originally Posted by Scooby Blu

YES! Since 1988 I have spent thousands of hours hanging out in local high end audio video shops. I would take my favorite albums back in the day, then DVD's and Blu Rays. I have a budget so.... I can't buy what I really want. But you know what? I can spend quality time enjoying some of the best AV tech in the WORLD! Sometimes the talk on this site is about what they have or how their system looks. To me I got what I could afford at the time, it's fun, but it is not my dream girl.

Overall, I just wanted to share how much fun I have had and how much I have learned over the years as well(at least what I can still remember, been to party town once or twice) If people would spend as much time at local high end shops instead of typing nonsense on the internet then, the true audiophile will emerge!

Really? Everyone has different experiences. I live in Seattle and there is an area where there are 4 high-end shops packed tightly together. I'll give you a rundown of the personality types 1.) High pressure sales guy, if you don't have cash, don't waste his time, limited knowledge 2.) Audiophile, elitist anit-social ******* 3.) Rare helpful and knowlegable sales person. As a kid I used to walk like 4 miles to these stores because I loved A/V stores-they're not the most inviting environments for the non-buyer.

[emoxley]

The closest high end shop to us is over an hour away. The only places in our town that sells any HT equipment at all is Sears and WalMart. So, you can imagine what options we have. Even the nearest Best Buy is about 45 mins. away. We just don't have the option to go listen to equipment. But, I love the system I have, so I don't really need to.........

[Scooby Blu]

Originally Posted by Hammie

I'm in the process of finding a new place to shop at. My local shop went out of business after 55 years in the Washington, DC metro area.

I can feel your pain! Two local high end shops went out of business last year.
However, I found some great deals because I had cash!

[Scooby Blu]

Originally Posted by DIGITALBATH

Really? Everyone has different experiences. I live in Seattle and there is an area where there are 4 high-end shops packed tightly together. I'll give you a rundown of the personality types 1.) High pressure sales guy, if you don't have cash, don't waste his time, limited knowledge 2.) Audiophile, elitist anit-social ******* 3.) Rare helpful and knowlegable sales person. As a kid I used to walk like 4 miles to these stores because I loved A/V stores-they're not the most inviting environments for the non-buyer.

I know exactly what you mean!!! I went to one store about an hour away and they were the elitist anti-social types!!! I never went back again. But a couple of stores were nice and I could spend up to 4 hours in there checking out equipment on a Saturday afternoon.

[Jwilly019]

While I enjoy going to dealers and listening to a lot of great gear, I also enjoy my time here. Listening to all the different speaker and other component brands is quite the experience. Like Scooby said, you can listen to gear you'd never have in your home (either because of cost or because you can only have so many speakers in your home).

Then again, it's great to be able to come here and discuss our love for the hobby with like-minded people. I've learned a lot through this site, while my dealer is great, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have explained the basics to me and had any information for me like Bid Daddy's threads. I also don't know too many people locally that are this interested in the hobby. Many of my friends are fine with TV speakers!

Justin

[Scooby Blu]

Originally Posted by Jwilly019

While I enjoy going to dealers and listening to a lot of great gear, I also enjoy my time here. Listening to all the different speaker and other component brands is quite the experience. Like Scooby said, you can listen to gear you'd never have in your home (either because of cost or because you can only have so many speakers in your home).

Then again, it's great to be able to come here and discuss our love for the hobby with like-minded people. I've learned a lot through this site, while my dealer is great, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have explained the basics to me and had any information for me like Bid Daddy's threads. I also don't know too many people locally that are this interested in the hobby. Many of my friends are fine with TV speakers!

Justin

Yes, most of the folks I know think I have lost my mind spending the kind of money I have I have an Integra DVD player I spent $300 on. People go "dude you can get a DVD player at WalMart for $39 bucks. You get what you pay for I tell them as they look at me with a glazed over look in their eyes. I love this site to check out peoples pics of their H/T's and share our love of an expensive hobby.....at times.

[Hammie]

Originally Posted by Scooby Blu

Yes, most of the folks I know think I have lost my mind spending the kind of money I have I have an Integra DVD player I spent $300 on. People go "dude you can get a DVD player at WalMart for $39 bucks. You get what you pay for I tell them as they look at me with a glazed over look in their eyes. I love this site to check out peoples pics of their H/T's and share our love of an expensive hobby.....at times.

Most people, besides my immediate family, have no clue how much my setup is worth.

[Jwilly019]

Originally Posted by Hammie

Most people, besides my immediate family, have no clue how much my setup is worth.

Yeah, I tend not to share what everything cost. People would think I was crazy.

Justin