Is This Hobby an Unhealthy Obsession??

[csw]

It's 2AM and I'm just about to finish rewiring the system for the, well I'm not sure, it's probably the 20th time. The humm I was hearing turned out to be the laundry room located directly above the theater. If your like me, I will sit in my office or theater room and conjure up ways to make it better - sometimes for hours!! Is this journey to reach sonic nirvana even possible? I think of it as a great hobby, but when has a hobby turned that ugly corner to unhealthy obsession. Is it rewiring a system at 2AM, is it changing the speakers for the 4th time, is it thinking that its possible to hear a difference with wood planks sitting underneath an amp that has been treated, stained, raised, etc, etc..... I would like other videophiles and audiophiles to weigh in on the subject. Surely I can't be alone in this all encompassing hobby. Maybe hearing other peoples obsession story's might not make me feel so bad.

[PurpleJesus74]

Well i'm not quite that obsessed,but i think overall home theater is not unhealthy,there are many unhealthy things out there such as drug abuse that would be a lot worse .

[Underworld54]

Besides occasionally losing sleep, I don't think it's unhealthy at all. In the end all you're doing is trying to maximize your viewing experience and to me that is 100% healthy. Encompassing yourself in a movie experience excites the senses and makes you happy, IMO that is very healthy.

[MovieFanatic2010]

You have an incredible theater by the way.....I turned a old storage room into my Home Theater which i started about a year ago. I have made so many changes to the room that i really can't remember what it used to look like. I will sit in bed and look at other people's Theaters on this website for ideas and i am always thinking of things i can do to improve the room. I would say i am obsessed with my room sort of. I love movies and i love the whole movie theater experience so i did my best to create a great movie type atmosphere in the room. My basement is very old so it is not as glamorous as others but it is unique and the sound system while not top of the line sounds incredible. My daughter loves the room and we have movie night every other night during the summer and every Saturday during the school year. I just bought some new couches yesterday. The were originally $1200.00 for the set but there was a small rip in it so we got them both for $599 ....It's a tight fit but they are very comfortable .........Anyway if working on your Home Theater makes you happy then keep at it.

MY HOME THEATER - YouTube

[stevo]

Well after a 20 year obsesion with home theater like any other hobby, i have put in hundreds of hours upgrading, tweaking, fiddling, re wiring, calibrating and cleaning my gear. Which i have loved every minute of including, researching, demoing and purchasing the gear. I have also turned my love for home theater into a design and build service that i offer my clients with my home building company. So i think it is a very healthy obsesion, but i think my wife thinks that i have gone nuts....

[Johnny Vinyl]

I'm so obsessed I traversed back from multi-channel to the ultimate 2-channel all-analogue experience for the best sound!

[htgeek]

If you steal from your kids to buy new gear, lie about how much you paid for gear. That's a unhealthy obsession! I spend far to much time reading reviews, forums and looking at different gear. At times it gets a bit much but I enjoy it. If I believe it can make a noticeable difference in my system I'll do it. I don't buy into snake oil, which is a great time consumer for so many of us. If it sounds good to me and I can enjoy it then I'm happy. Also I've found brands I like so I stick with them. I've heard ALOT of different speakers, amps, receivers, separates, htib systems. I think that's the only way I can know what I really like. As I get older I'm just trying to keep my perspective.

[csw]

Originally Posted by John72953

I'm so obsessed I traversed back from multi-channel to the ultimate 2-channel all-analogue experience for the best sound!

I think our moderator makes an interesting quote. For some of us, turning to 2 channel is the ultimate sound exprience. That opens up a whole new ballgame and you had better be willing to open up your wallet as well (in most cases). Chasing after sonic nirvana is not cheap and my storage room can attest to that. I guess what I am wanting to know with this thread is, does anyone sit down and say "I've done it, I have set out to get a certain sound and it's here."

[Canada]

I think the only the only time the pursuit of your becomes an unhealthy obsession is when you spend more on your HT than you know you are able to.