Thinking of starting over....

gce

nooshinjohn wrote: »

I can always build more tube amps, as I have a set of transformers ready to go...

Just reading this comment tells me it wouldn't be long until you'd be headed to where you are right now.

Turn off your 2 channel for all of June. Then fire it back up in July and ask yourself if you still want to downsize.

nooshinjohn

heiney9 wrote: »

cfrizz wrote: »

You put a lot of money/time into that system John, and it is not guaranteed that you will get back what you invested into it. Consider it very carefully...good luck.

I agree, don't be hasty in your decision. You weren't hasty when choosing and pairing all the gear together.

H9

The good news here is everything I have was purchased used, so selling it will not hurt me from a financial perspective, and I should break even. On the 1.2tl's, even with the mods, I will break even because I scored then for a very good price to begin with.

rpf65

With a little one coming, you'll find you have less time to enjoy either audio or HT. If this your first child, you'll also learn in about 6 months or so that there is no such thing as child proof.

That said, you can actually put your gear into some kind of storage. Could be a locked or big plywood locked box. Would strongly recommend this with tube gear. Glowing lights tend to attract youngsters.

Won't hurt to lock you rig up for a year or so. Then if you want to start over, pull it back out and remember what you have been missing.

Dennis Gardner

Nice thoughtful suggestions by all so far!

Get the old collections gone. Clean out closets, garages, & sheds not only for $, but for a cleaner home with less clutter as babies add their own gear and your old stuff will just be in the way. Sit down with the better half to discuss how your daily habits will change, how involved you will be in those changes and determine if active music listening at reference will even be possible/practical with a newborn around? You may need to even practice what quiet time feels like if it has been a while. You may find the HT will get used more as staying home increases, but 2 channel sessions fade away and a top notch headphone rig might fill that gap.

Congrats! Take a lot of deep breaths, talk out most changes, save the gear that can't be replaced easily and embrace the new chapter!

madmax

There really are tons of money saving habits you can develop, the system is just an easy one to identify. Are you really going to subject the new little one to less than audiophile sound quality? Thats abuse!

At least keep the things that will be very hard to replace, like the 1.2s.

As I look back the main thing that has allowed me to save the most money over the years was driving a cheap car. $14K new, 35 mpg on cheap gas and no real maintainence performed except an oil change when absolutely necessary. In gas costs alone the savings over my last vehicle has saved more than the original $14K costs. I could have easily spent $35K on something that gets 17mpg on premium fuel and has so many options that stuff keeps breaking down all the time, and considered it a necessity.

I think the next best savings was to stop the $15 lunches my friends and I used to eat every day. And seriously, we didn't appreciate them anyway because we did it every day.

Next has to be paying people to do stuff for you that you could do yourself.

nooshinjohn

The first thing I am going to do is sell off the Franklin/Danbury mint stuff. Have some rare ones in a 20 car collection.... Any interest here shoot me a pm.

As far as the gear goes, I will be thinking my moves carefully, as once gone, they are not coming back, especially the gear that has been signed by Bob Carver, Matt Polk and Nelson Pass.

If anyone has interest in keeping some of this gear in the family, shoot me a pm. If I do decide to follow through with selling things off, those pm's will have first dibs. I will then list on the forum a Polk price good for one week before they go to Audiogon. I just listened to the system while spinning some old big band music for Memorial Day, and it was truly an emotional and engaging experience.

Moose68Bash

@nooshinjohn,

Congratulations and best wishes to you, your wife, and your soon-to-be-born baby.

As always, @cfrizz offers sensible, prudent advice -- well worth pondering.

I would add that, as is always the case when big changes are facing us -- e.g., new house, marriage, new job -- we tend to think about other things that might be changed to make the future seem less -- shall we say -- complicated.

Take your time. Enjoy your new baby for a few months, then see what changes -- if any -- are wise to make your life better, and simpler is not always better.

Just some ruminations from an old curmudgeon who has weathered a fair number of life-changing events over the years.

nooshinjohn

Another driver for this is that I desire to start my own business. I am looking into a Pappa Murphy's franchise and in order to get there, I need to wipe out debt. I want something I can build for the future, something that will provide some security for our family. All options are on the table for that.

Someone earlier mentioned a cheap car, and lowering food costs at work. My car does not get any cheaper than a paid for 2004 Jag with 30k miles on it. I am averaging 23 mph city/hwy, and I can do the work on it myself...

The real driver here is to eliminate debt so I can be a better father and provide the stability we need to thrive as parents.

lightman1

Plus you're an old phart, John. When the bambino is graduating high school, you and The Noosh will be looking for an "active senior" retirement condo. Then college tuition will tear up your pension.
Reality check, scooter!

EndersShadow

lightman1 wrote: »

Plus you're an old phart, John. When the bambino is graduating high school, you and The Noosh will be looking for an "active senior" retirement condo. Then college tuition will tear up your pension.
Reality check, scooter!

John will be looking for that while Nooshin will be looking to increase his life insurance heheheheh...

txcoastal1

why don't you just kick him in the nuts Russ

nooshinjohn

txcoastal1 wrote: »

why don't you just kick him in the nuts Russ

Nooshin already has those safely locked up.

Dennis Gardner

Papa Murphy's is all about location........got to be between work and home and next to grocery or big box shopping if possible. 33 year franchise pizza man myself on this end.....'73-'06.

nooshinjohn

If you don't mind talking with me Dennis, shoot me a PM.

george daniel

Congratulations on your upcoming addition to the family! Most of you folks are younger than me,, but if I may interject something that I have learned,,, as we get older,some of the material things that we posess grow to be of lesser importence and hence are easier to part with. Just my .02.

motorhead43026

When my kids came along out went the cars, motorcycles and any form of thrill seeking. Now that I am in my sixties and my kids are on their own, I am embracing it all again. Much to my kids dislike, I might add....lol.

lightman1

george daniel wrote: »

Most of you folks are younger than me

A LOT of us are younger than you, George.

Upstatemax

With a baby on the way, you're going to want to make sure your HEADPHONE game is solid...

Before kids I NEVER used headphones, after kids, it's at least 50% of my listening.

rpf65

Youre expecting an addition to your family, want to start a business, and want to pay off debt. I applaud you sir. It's an increasingly rarer thing where you find a person who wants to accept responsibility for their own actions.

Sounds like you have a plan, and may be a little hesitant. Could also be wrong on that assumption.

Whatever your decision, I wish you the best of luck. I think what we're all trying to say is: don't rush into your decision to fast. Some things are irreplaceable, wether it be for sentimentle reasons or it just works that good.

tonyb

nooshinjohn wrote: »

Another driver for this is that I desire to start my own business. I am looking into a Pappa Murphy's franchise and in order to get there, I need to wipe out debt. I want something I can build for the future, something that will provide some security for our family. All options are on the table for that.

Someone earlier mentioned a cheap car, and lowering food costs at work. My car does not get any cheaper than a paid for 2004 Jag with 30k miles on it. I am averaging 23 mph city/hwy, and I can do the work on it myself...

The real driver here is to eliminate debt so I can be a better father and provide the stability we need to thrive as parents.

The best thing you can do to be a good father.....is give them your time. I don't see how buying a franchise fits into better parenting. Money alone does not dictate quality parenting....and giving your time and attention to other areas isn't going to help the cause.

You still have the apartment buildings anyway right ?

You don't consider yourself stable right now ? One child isn't going to throw your world upside down, challenges yes....but not upside down. If your thriving now, I'll bet you'll still be thriving after one child.

As far as selling off the gear.....if you don't have a dedicated room for it, might be a good idea. Your gear is just too darn nice to have those PB&J little fingers all over it. Always a good idea to get rid of debt, especially at your age, but that child no doubt will only add to it.....costly little boogers. In other words, once that system is gone, it's gone for good. You will always be finding something else to spend money on, and then as the kid grows it's college time. Then it's retirement time....so replacing a system of that level is unlikely to happen ever again in your lifetime.

heiney9

Just to throw in my 1/2c. Owning a franchise like that means long hours.....very long hours unless you have the capital to not only buy in, but pay everyone else to run it for you. Takes a lot of $$$ and if you have that kind of money, frankly, you don't need a "franchise".

H9

heiney9

If it were me, I'd hold off liquidating until the little one comes. It's amazing how adaptable we are when it come to the things we really love doing.

On the selling to get rid of debt to open your own business, my buddy did that while starting a family. I can't tell you the emotional roller coaster he was on for the first 6-7 years. Almost killed him (the stress) of trying to own your own business and start a family (2 kids, 2 years apart).

He did this right when the economy busted. He is a jewelry designer and owns his own store, not exactly necessity items. But he is well known in the area and has worked for others in the same arena since he was 18. Now he has a backlog of customers wanting custom designed jewelry. He's busier now than he ever been. Took him about 10-11 years to get where he is, 60+ hour work weeks, missed vacations, etc.

But he worked his **** off and then some and almost lost it all several times. Now he has a very nice house, very nice income and a few nice toys and his wife hasn't worked in the past 7 years and stays home to raise the kids. Still works his **** off, but takes time off, goes on vacations, etc.

H9

P.s. Not trying to be a downer just relaying a story I know personally.

oldrocker

^^ long hours indeed, been there done that and the money can be good.

What ever you decide, wishing you all the best.

But most of all, SUPER DUPER congrats on bring another music connoisseur into the world.

dpowell

John,
Congratulations on the great news! Kids really do change your life in a great way but in a way that leaves you with much less time for the things you found important before they arrived.

I went through the downsizing thing as well but have now started (thanks to you) building things back up. It's all about seasons of life. When they are so little, you can't risk waking them up by cranking tunes. You'll have an unhappy baby (and wife) on your hands. As they get older (and you become a successful entrepreneur), you can build back up. As you succeed, you can enjoy the fruit of your labor without the debt.

My suggestions: Keep the X1. You've heard your X1 paired with my Sunfire Cinema Grande. It's certainly not your tube amps, mind you but certainly a good portion of the way there (and easy on electricity). X1, decent SACDP, good power amp and you have something enjoyable for the rare moments you can spin a disc.

Also, I think in the back of you're mind you've always regretted letting your previous 1.2TL's and 2.3TL's go. If you didn't, you wouldn't have kept asking to buy the 2.3TL's back from me! Now you have the big boys....again. You have to figure the replacement cost of a pair of bookies (they'll need a sub) and what you will actually have left over into the equation.

Hope that helps. When will your bundle of joy arrive?

mrbiron

https://passlabs.com/products/amplifiers/integrated/int-250

.......aaaaaand scene!

audiocr381ve

tonyb wrote: »

nooshinjohn wrote: »

Another driver for this is that I desire to start my own business. I am looking into a Pappa Murphy's franchise and in order to get there, I need to wipe out debt. I want something I can build for the future, something that will provide some security for our family. All options are on the table for that.

Someone earlier mentioned a cheap car, and lowering food costs at work. My car does not get any cheaper than a paid for 2004 Jag with 30k miles on it. I am averaging 23 mph city/hwy, and I can do the work on it myself...

The real driver here is to eliminate debt so I can be a better father and provide the stability we need to thrive as parents.

The best thing you can do to be a good father.....is give them your time. I don't see how buying a franchise fits into better parenting. Money alone does not dictate quality parenting....and giving your time and attention to other areas isn't going to help the cause.

You still have the apartment buildings anyway right ?

You don't consider yourself stable right now ? One child isn't going to throw your world upside down, challenges yes....but not upside down. If your thriving now, I'll bet you'll still be thriving after one child.

As far as selling off the gear.....if you don't have a dedicated room for it, might be a good idea. Your gear is just too darn nice to have those PB&J little fingers all over it. Always a good idea to get rid of debt, especially at your age, but that child no doubt will only add to it.....costly little boogers. In other words, once that system is gone, it's gone for good. You will always be finding something else to spend money on, and then as the kid grows it's college time. Then it's retirement time....so replacing a system of that level is unlikely to happen ever again in your lifetime.

This is good advice. I have three little monsters and it's a priority of mine this year to simplify and reduce stress as much as possible. There is a massive difference between being physically present with your children and being present with them, heart & mind. I've been on family vacations where all I could think about was work. Nothing worse than that and I'm already an anxious person.

Also, there is something really rewarding about a system that you can find an immense amount of enjoyment in that cost you next to nothing. My wife is starting her business so I got her a desk and moved her into my home office (where my 2 channel rig was sounding better than ever). I had to shelf a ton of gear to declutter the space. I moved my JBL LSR305's powered monitors in and paired it with my tube pre and I'm literally getting the same enjoyment out of my system.

cfrizz

tonyb wrote: »

nooshinjohn wrote: »

Another driver for this is that I desire to start my own business. I am looking into a Pappa Murphy's franchise and in order to get there, I need to wipe out debt. I want something I can build for the future, something that will provide some security for our family. All options are on the table for that.

Someone earlier mentioned a cheap car, and lowering food costs at work. My car does not get any cheaper than a paid for 2004 Jag with 30k miles on it. I am averaging 23 mph city/hwy, and I can do the work on it myself...

The real driver here is to eliminate debt so I can be a better father and provide the stability we need to thrive as parents.

The best thing you can do to be a good father.....is give them your time. I don't see how buying a franchise fits into better parenting. Money alone does not dictate quality parenting....and giving your time and attention to other areas isn't going to help the cause.

You still have the apartment buildings anyway right ?

You don't consider yourself stable right now ? One child isn't going to throw your world upside down, challenges yes....but not upside down. If your thriving now, I'll bet you'll still be thriving after one child.

As far as selling off the gear.....if you don't have a dedicated room for it, might be a good idea. Your gear is just too darn nice to have those PB&J little fingers all over it. Always a good idea to get rid of debt, especially at your age, but that child no doubt will only add to it.....costly little boogers. In other words, once that system is gone, it's gone for good. You will always be finding something else to spend money on, and then as the kid grows it's college time. Then it's retirement time....so replacing a system of that level is unlikely to happen ever again in your lifetime.

This is right on the money, and informative!!!

John, it sounds like you have several options for freeing up cash, eliminating debt, stress etc. Apartment Buildings??? I would think owning/managing apartment buildings is a full time job in and of itself, and I would think you would have income coming in from them.

I can tell you that spending all your time making a buck as opposed to spending quality time with your family would not be a very popular thing. And trust me, children DO remember that sort of thing, so do wives.

My dad worked two jobs for most of his life, but in order to do so, it meant that we sometimes took 3rd place in his life. Yes he put himself through college under the GI bill, and got his masters in music to achieve his dream but he only got to do it for 10 years before he died of cancer, and my brothers and I were left with memories of him always arriving late if at all to everything that didn't have to do with him. I can't tell you how upset I was when

We didn't lack for anything, except for time with him. Think about what is most important.

nooshinjohn

The apartment buildings are actually 4 condos in the same building, though I have thought about selling a couple to buy a building...

tonyb

nooshinjohn wrote: »

The apartment buildings are actually 4 condos in the same building, though I have thought about selling a couple to buy a building...

I think 4 condo's, paid for, might go a long way with the college fund.

I don't know how old you are John, but I know your no spring chicken. 20 years from now, your kid will be in college at the same time you'll want to be, or already are, retired. Time to also think about what you want your life to look like in those years.

I would highly suggest against buying a franchise though. Been down that path myself and can honestly tell you in the end.....your buying yourself a job is all it is. Put the money in the markets or real estate, keep the time to yourself and your new child. That's the best advice I can give ya pal.

cfrizz

tonyb wrote: »

nooshinjohn wrote: »

The apartment buildings are actually 4 condos in the same building, though I have thought about selling a couple to buy a building...

I think 4 condo's, paid for, might go a long way with the college fund.

I don't know how old you are John, but I know your no spring chicken. 20 years from now, your kid will be in college at the same time you'll want to be, or already are, retired. Time to also think about what you want your life to look like in those years.

I would highly suggest against buying a franchise though. Been down that path myself and can honestly tell you in the end.....your buying yourself a job is all it is. Put the money in the markets or real estate, keep the time to yourself and your new child. That's the best advice I can give ya pal.

Totally agree with Tony again.

Owning your own business, means you never have a day off, you never can take a vacation, you are always worried about something or have to do something with regards to the business. If you have employees it's even worse. My friends who work for themselves do nothing but work!

And since as Tony pointed out, you are no kid so the toll it will take on you will be worse with every passing year. You want to still be alive to retire and see your kid graduate!

My dad only lived long enough to see Mark graduate from high school and get accepted to Harvard. He was only 63 when he died.

I'm only 55, but I just can't do what I used to 20 years ago, nor do I have the energy to do so. I don't rebound from illness as fast as I used to and now there's a good probability that I have sleep apnea which makes me even more tired. With every passing year, I hate trudging to work every day. My plan is to get out at 62.

Find another way John, and save your energy to be able to play ball and chase your kid around!