Receiver envy

Every interest can be turned into a hobby, and every hobby can be taken to extreme levels in regards to money and commitment. What may seem like an absurd amount of money for a given product to one person may seem like a pittance to someone else.

When I was 17 and broke up with the girl I was going to take to the prom, I decided to spend the money on a stereo instead of on a tuxedo and an expensive dinner. I went with my mother to the local Sam’s Club and bought what I considered at the time to be a fantastic system. It came with a dual tape deck, five CD carousel, 200 watt speakers, and a stereo cabinet. I had enough money to cover about 3/4 of the cost, but needed to borrow for the rest. In effect, I had bought beyond my means.

I was excited to show my stereo off to my friend Matt. It was his small Panasonic stereo that got me interested in music hardware in the first place. With what I had bought I had one upped him. He couldn’t let this sit, however, and soon had bought a stereo that was much more powerful than my own. On paper, at least. In reality he had bought a used receiver that would often cut out and make buzzing noises, needing a sharp hit to bring it back online.

Soon Matt was upgrading, however, this time with a brand new receiver that cost as much as my entire stereo including CD player and dual tape decks combined. It was his masterpiece, filled with options like a digital graphic equalizer, surround sound, and a huge remote control. Suddenly my own previously fantastic system was a has been.

Immediately I looked upon my old receiver with scorn. It had to have the graphic equalizer manually adjusted. It had no surround modes, and the capacity for only 2 speakers. It was a sad machine that should be locked in a back room and kept quiet, the family secret that you never let your neighbors know about.

Three years later it was Matt’s turn to upgrade again. This time he was buying a receiver worth more than twice what his original receiver was worth. He needed to sell his old receiver to someone, and who was waiting with mouth drooling but me? I gave my old receiver to my mother, bought Matt’s old receiver for less than half of what he paid for it, and was finally able to caress this beautiful singing machine in my own dorm. Only now that the receiver of my dreams was mine, all of those blinking lights and sliding bars on the graphic display didn’t seem to matter so much. Suddenly I was sitting on another second rate receiver, and Matt’s new receiver was king.

Yet another three years later Matt decided to upgrade again. New technologies had come out, and Matt’s surround sound was only Dolby, not Dolby Digital. He needed to get in on this new sound phenomenon, and who was there to take his old, third rate receiver out of his hands? Once again I bought a receiver from him for less than half what he spent on it. The old receiver was tucked neatly away as part of my computer sound system, and the new opera star was placed shiningly on my stereo rack in my livingroom.

In retrospect it all looks silly. I allowed my tastes to be directly effected by those of my friend. Despite the fantastic, half price bargains I found in him I was unable to enjoy his old goods, knowing that to him they were second rate. I will never again sell out to my jealousies, and will forever remain happy with what I have. At least, for another three years until Matt upgrades again. . .