Where does all the money go?

keith.rogers

Well-known member
This is probably not useful, but just last week I did a spreadsheet with a quick listing of the stuff I had purchased pretty specifically for this recording thing, probably plus or minus some odds and ends that I included that I've not used for recording (e.g., small Behringer mixer) and things I no doubt forgot.

Anyway, without divulging actual numbers, here's a spreadsheet pie-chart breakdown of where how it's distributed. The categories were just picked out of the air - maybe there are better ways to do this, and this is certainly no guideline, since everyone does things differently (over half my AI $ includes stuff specific to mobile recording, and somewhat related, I've probably spent more on headphones and cables for that).
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I was organizing my thoughts as I updated (per better half's insistence) the home insurance rider to cover a bit more of the hobby stuff. So, I redid the pie chart and this time I broke out the pieces I specifically bought for the onsite/field kind of recording bit I do. I'm not including it here, but this does show the little bit more I spent on treatment since the last time, and the lots more I spent on software to add video editing, plus an upgrade to some iZotope s/w and the additional HDDs and RAID enclosure. Yeah, and another mic. The AIs category went down mostly because I removed a few pieces that were really purposed for the outside, i.e., non-home, recording I do.

I suppose I might break out the video stuff sometime, but for now, that's just showing up in the software, and I have done a few videos at home, along with the audio recording, so leaving it in. Haven't accounted for any cameras, as they're mostly stuff I already had. Maybe a future iteration if I keep that up, especially if I got to 4K (2 years off at this point).

It doesn't include any guitars, because I'd probably have those anyway. Well, maybe not the bass, but who knows.

And, what does it mean, I don't know, but it's a data point...

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I greatly fear doing something like this. I think you are much braver than I. Especially since my cable percentage might be ,um much higher than yours. I effin hate cables. Well the cost of em anyway. I was showing one of my brothers the latest studio pics and his only comment was "Now I know where all your money goes." Of course I'm thinking "duh" to myself. I got a couple of freebie used displays from work that they were trashing, so I give myself a little credit for trying. But I really do have GAS bad:guitar:
 
This was actually interesting. Just tossed in rough estimate numbers - Thought I had more in speakers / treatment.

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Without even crunching the numbers...my pie chart would also have the biggest slice going to audio hardware...tape decks, console, rack gear...with the next slice going to instrument gear (amps, guitars, etc)....and then the rest would be smaller slices for monitors, mics, computer stuff, cabling.
 
For me it's instruments, then mics, then software. My computer is five years old and runs everything fine still, so that's been amortized over the years. The rest is pretty trivial. Highly suggest making your own cables.
 
For me it's instruments, then mics, then software. My computer is five years old and runs everything fine still, so that's been amortized over the years. The rest is pretty trivial. Highly suggest making your own cables.

I have a box full of new cable, terminals, jacks, etc. Just cant bring myself to make cables when I should be making music. Not that I disagree, in fact I agree whole heartedly. Right now I'm just not wiling to lose the time to it. I didn't think we were counting instruments, that would really scare me...
 
Anyone remember Henry? [MENTION=112380]jimmys69[/MENTION]

View attachment 103261

HAHA! Man I miss that guy! I still get FB messages from him just playing ukes or whatever having fun. He doesn't respond much.

He would send me pairs of $1000 each mics to try out just cuz he cared. Only demanded I send them back in a month or so...

Bought two KSM 141's from him in the end. Though I wanted those discontinued ....Ugh, the name eludes me now. But they were his prized possessions to compare with. What a great guy!
 
If I knew how to make a pie chart like this, I would. Mine would also likely be more treatment and software.

Though I deal with others gear coming in. I have not invested in guitars/amps/pedals for tone because I just record what clients bring me. If it sucks, I recommend and borrow/rent better gear from friends.
 
6 years ago I added up how much I spent and it was way too much. There is no way, no how I am EVER going to make THAT mistake again. :eek:
Eyes closed, I never want to know.
 
Pie charts of the percentages. Excel sheet? is the only way Ive done the charts.

My percentages would be hard to do fairly/correctly because for example my DynAudio BM5A I got for $175 pair when in reality they would cost $500-$600 used and be a large percentage...but at $175 nothing much.

if round it off

instruments- $1000
Monitors and Headphones/HPamp- $800
rack/ preamps and interface/pc - $750
mics- $600
room treatment- $150 (4.5%)

$3300 total.(100%)

room 150/3300 x 100= 4.5%
mics 600/3300 x100= 18.2%
rack/pc 750/3300 x100= 22.7%
monitoring gear- 800/3300 x100 = 24.5%
instruments bass,acoustic, electric 30.3%

95% of my time is spent trying out mics or rack stuff...


heres an easy pie chart site
Create a Graph Classic-NCES Kids' Zone
 

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This is probably not useful, but just last week I did a spreadsheet with a quick listing of the stuff I had purchased pretty specifically for this recording thing, probably plus or minus some odds and ends that I included that I've not used for recording (e.g., small Behringer mixer) and things I no doubt forgot.

Anyway, without divulging actual numbers, here's a spreadsheet pie-chart breakdown of where how it's distributed. The categories were just picked out of the air - maybe there are better ways to do this, and this is certainly no guideline, since everyone does things differently (over half my AI $ includes stuff specific to mobile recording, and somewhat related, I've probably spent more on headphones and cables for that).
View attachment 101267

interesting 50% or yours comes out Mics & AI/Mixers...
the other side both you and Massive have 12-13% in the room/sound treatment.

which shows Im on the 1/3 of that, which means I need to go spend a few hundred on some absorbers and a lava lamp or something.
 
Haven't seen Henry around here in a long long time, but I think Jimmy is in touch with him from time to time?
Too right! One of the good guys. :)
 
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