Richer Sounds on BBC Radio 2 "HiFi is a luxury purchase"

[DomT]

Interesting that Richer Sounds described HiFi products as 'luxury' on BBC Radio 2 just now. For many people around the world even Richer Sounds' cheapest products would be considered luxury. I wonder what they would make of the kit sold in 'luxury' hifi stores?

 

[Ady]

' They ' probably aren't aware of luxury HiFi shops and if ' They ' were to find out the cost of the items inside I would imagine that they would be surprised, to say the least

 

[Von Krolock]

In terms of traditional hifi separates and the rise of 'smart', you could probably also add 'archaic', 'niche' and 'genuine' to 'luxury'.

 

[audio_PHIL_e]

Decent music reproduction is a necessity not a luxury

 

[Sumdumgi]

Decent music reproduction is a necessity not a luxury

For you, me and lots of Wammers but not to the general population.

 

[audio_PHIL_e]

For you, me and lots of Wammers but not to the general population.

agreed but I can do without a lot of what they call "essential"

 

[Von Krolock]

Decent music reproduction is a necessity not a luxury

For us it is.
The attitude to music is bemusing.
It's piped over industrial broadcast speakers & used as aural background for people doing menial jobs. Commercial radio companies offer big cash prizes just for sending a text.

 

[TIU]

Commercial radio companies offer big cash prizes just for sending a text.

I wish it was that easy.

 

[DomT]

Decent music reproduction is a necessity not a luxury

Unless you can’t feed your kids

 

[audio_PHIL_e]

I learnt in the 90s that the DWP (or whatever they called themselves then) regarded a fridge as a "luxury item" and not a necessity. As a mate put it "YOU try keeping milk drinkable on a hot day without one".

 

[Von Krolock]

I wish it was that easy.

Fortunes have been lost by the inate British politeness & the inability to say
'Make me a winner' on the end of a phone.

 

[TIU]

I learnt in the 90s that the DWP (or whatever they called themselves then) regarded a fridge as a "luxury item" and not a necessity. As a mate put it "YOU try keeping milk drinkable on a hot day without one".

Stand it in a sink with cold water. I was a boy scout

 

[audio_PHIL_e]

Unless you can’t feed your kids

if i had kids i would have to let them take precedence

 

[TIU]

if i had kids i would have to let them take precedence

...on which album to play next

 

[rocky raccoon]

'Luxury purchase'?
A 'Luxury purchase' is a 50k + Chelsea tractor so you can send a message to everyone around you, because your arse is higher off the ground, in a country where it is impossible to utilise the vehicles potential because you are stuck in a traffic jam. It loses 25 percent of it's value the moment you drive it off the forecourt.
I drive a second hand Astra which cost less than my turntable. Any guesses as to which will still be going 20 years from now ?
Not everyone feels the same though. Whatever !

 

[Mightyquin]

As well as HiFi I enjoy photography and am fortunate to own some very nice camera equipment.

I have a manual 35mm film camera which you can still buy (practically the same model) new but it will cost you nearly £5K and that's without a lens. A new lens is anything from £2K to £10K (fixed manual not autofocus). My gear is older and bought used, as is much of my HiFi as it happens.

Another 'luxury' hobby is fish keeping. I used to work for an electronics firm who made aquarium lighting and it was quite normal for people to have spent £50K on their fish tank (and that was about 30 years ago).

I guess what I'm saying is, it's all relative and most people who aren't 'into' a particular subject would probably be surprised at what some people can spend on stuff.

 

[audio_PHIL_e]

Any guesses as to which will still be going 20 years from now ?

your turntable (assuming you can afford the lekky bill). The others will be superseded by a novel invention called a horse & cart

 

[bobovox]

Hifi is a luxury - I’m grateful that I can afford to indulge a passion. It would be nice if we had a more equitable society in which people could all indulge their passion too, whatever that might be.

 

[newlash09]

As well as HiFi I enjoy photography and am fortunate to own some very nice camera equipment.

I have a manual 35mm film camera which you can still buy (practically the same model) new but it will cost you nearly £5K and that's without a lens. A new lens is anything from £2K to £10K (fixed manual not autofocus). My gear is older and bought used, as is much of my HiFi as it happens.

Another 'luxury' hobby is fish keeping. I used to work for an electronics firm who made aquarium lighting and it was quite normal for people to have spent £50K on their fish tank (and that was about 30 years ago).

I guess what I'm saying is, it's all relative and most people who aren't 'into' a particular subject would probably be surprised at what some people can spend on stuff.

50k for lighting a fish tank. They could have bought a handheld sonar based fish finder for 100 pounds, and caught more fish from the tank.

 

[Sotosound]

I learnt in the 90s that the DWP (or whatever they called themselves then) regarded a fridge as a "luxury item" and not a necessity. As a mate put it "YOU try keeping milk drinkable on a hot day without one".

When I was a little boy, we didn't have a fridge. We had a pantry, and we had a milkman, who delivered fresh milk everyday.

The fridge arrived when I was seven, but we managed very well before it arrived. So, from my perspective, it remains a luxury item in absolute terms.

I also see my stereo system as a luxury item, and have always done so because it isn't essential to life, although I do often view it as essential to my life.