Does every hobby take things to the extreme?

[Brian Elfert]

Is there any hobby where things aren't taken to an extreme?

I wanted to buy a good surge suppressor and was checking them out online. One audio forum had a guy taking apart a very expensive ($300+) surge suppressor and complaining because they used steel for terminals and the wires were not thick enough for his taste. (Note that this has nothing to do with how well it handles surges.) He was planning to replace the wire inside the suppressor with cyro treated mil spec wire and new copper terminals. He claimed he could tell the difference in the audio coming from his system. Way over the top to me. I didn't know they even make cyro treated wire.

I have a $150 refurbished home theater receiver with $99 speakers and a $99 subwoofer. I can't tell the difference between run of the mill speakers and $1000 speakers let alone the difference from power coming into the receiver.

[Chuck Wintle]

Is there any hobby where things aren't taken to an extreme?

I wanted to buy a good surge suppressor and was checking them out online. One audio forum had a guy taking apart a very expensive ($300+) surge suppressor and complaining because they used steel for terminals and the wires were not thick enough for his taste. (Note that this has nothing to do with how well it handles surges.) He was planning to replace the wire inside the suppressor with cyro treated mil spec wire and new copper terminals. He claimed he could tell the difference in the audio coming from his system. Way over the top to me. I didn't know they even make cyro treated wire.

I have a $150 refurbished home theater receiver with $99 speakers and a $99 subwoofer. I can't tell the difference between run of the mill speakers and $1000 speakers let alone the difference from power coming into the receiver.

that is simply audiophile snobbism talking and likely the only difference is an imagined one. It also goes back to the monster cable debate how these high end cables made a difference in sound quality vs ordinary copper cables at a much lower cost. The reality is in lab measurements there was no difference.

[Brian Elfert]

It really is no different than woodworkers with all the fancy stuff we buy. A friend of mine makes very nice kitchen cabinets with nothing more than a router, a Kreg jig, a circular saw, and a Craftsman contractor table saw. Granted, the Craftsman table saw has an upgraded fence and some other goodies. He can't get 4x8 sheet goods into his basement shop so he cuts them to smaller size with a circular saw in the garage.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Have you heard the Stan Freberg's hilarious audiophile club parody?

https://youtu.be/Xxz6_utUsZo

In my experience, no. All hobbies that I've ever tried can be taken to the extreme. Woodworking is obvious, photography is great for a while, until you decide that you really need a different lense or camera or location, but none that I've tried have been as bad as drag racing. There is no payback, and no limit to what you can spend. Ridiculous. Fishing seems to be about the best, as long as you don't want to travel the world looking for river monsters. It's all about the person doing it, at what level will you be satisfied? Some are happy with a Unisaw, two lenses for your old DLSR, a 13 second car, and bluegill. However, some want Martin tools, all the lenses for the cameras, a 6 second car and a 7 foot tarpon for the wall.

[Phil Thien]

I think a certain percentage of the population is somewhat extremist. Doesn't matter what they're doing, whether it be playing with a surge protector, dabbling in digital photography, sharpening hand tools, they are all outlets for a certain type of extremism.

[Brian Kent]

I used to have the 6 foot magnapan speakers. $1,400 new in 1985. My problem was I could not afford to buy the amps to match. The recommendation was 4 powerful individual amplifiers and a pre-amp. I would try to "get by" with a 1400 watt Carvin power amp.

Then we moved overseas and I tried some bookshelf Infinity speakers for about $100 each and a 100 Watt per channel Amp. It was balanced. The sound was as enjoyable as the previous attempt. When we found some $40 Boston Acoustics computer speakers that actually sounded wonderful, I cracked up. Balance, not over the top snobbery!

[Greg R Bradley]

I see three big changes over the years in audio gear, music, and myself.

1. When I bought serious audiophile equipment there was a much larger difference between low end and high end.
2. My ears were a lot better when I was younger, like every other person on the planet.
3. It was a lot easier to buy high quality source material.

I bought a stereo system that was about $25K in 1977 or so. B&W 801 speakers were $10K a pair then and are about $60k today. The McIntosh amps have increased by the same amount, I'm sure. I can't recall anyone saying they weren't unbelievably good compared to anything else they had heard.

I bought a B&O small system for a vacation house for about $3K in the 1990s. They are now in my office. In the much smaller room, at the lower listening levels I now use, and with ears that are now 62 instead of 25, they are just fine!

[glenn bradley]

that is simply audiophile snobbism talking and likely the only difference is an imagined one.

Bingo. I wonder if he re-weaves his toilet paper to assure a more effective operation?

[Brian Elfert]

One of the problems with the extremes in any hobby is the newbies see all this fancy stuff the veterans have and think they need all that just to start the hobby. It might discourage some, or cause them to buy way more than they need.

If I went into a photography forum to help me decide what camera to buy I would probably see everyone using and recommending digital SLRs. If someone just wants to take a few photos around the house of the kids a $150 digital camera will probably do just fine. (I am not a photographer and just have an older Canon Powershot. I never have deleted a photo from the 2GB SD card and still haven't filled it up.)

[Jim Koepke]

One of the problems with the extremes in any hobby is the newbies see all this fancy stuff the veterans have and think they need all that just to start the hobby. It might discourage some, or cause them to buy way more than they need.

It isn't the hobby that is extreme, it is every pursuit has extremists in the wings. For some the hobby becomes one big ego trip.

Some of my most enjoyable music listening was over a static enhanced AM car radio. It is what the listening device between the ears hears that really matters.

If I went into a photography forum to help me decide what camera to buy I would probably see everyone using and recommending digital SLRs.

My problem as a camera sales person many years ago was trying to fit a camera to the customer's needs instead of their wallet.

jtk

[Larry Edgerton]

I have decided after a string of crazy expensive hobbies that my new hobby will be naps. I will always have what I need with me for my new hobby when the need arises, and the cost is negligible unless unless of course I am driving.

As a practicing insomniac I can see no downside to my new hobby and hope to enjoy it for years to come.

Larry

[Rick Moyer]

I have decided after a string of crazy expensive hobbies that my new hobby will be naps. I will always have what I need with me for my new hobby when the need arises, and the cost is negligible unless unless of course I am driving.

As a practicing insomniac I can see no downside to my new hobby and hope to enjoy it for years to come.

Larry

Unless you nap on corduroy and have those lines on your cheek!

[Brian Holcombe]

Despite the high cost of living, it still remains popular.

[Judson Green]

It isn't the hobby that is extreme, it is every pursuit has extremists in the wings.

jtk

Well said, Jim.

My other current hobby is sporting clays and its almost painful to see some of these guys out there with very expensive guns ($$$$) and garb and can't hit thing, with my Walmart Beretta I'm besting em.

[julian abram]

I have decided after a string of crazy expensive hobbies that my new hobby will be naps. I will always have what I need with me for my new hobby when the need arises, and the cost is negligible unless unless of course I am driving.

As a practicing insomniac I can see no downside to my new hobby and hope to enjoy it for years to come.

Larry

I like Larry's new hobby, as I'm getting older I find this hobby quite enjoyable, inexpensive as well!