Gizmodo
As any good tech aficionado, Kevin Rose has put together his new home theater system all by himself. Unlike a good rich tech aficionado, however, Kevin Rose has set up quite a humble setup, spending just around $9,040 on it. Honestly, given his worth, I was expecting a Sony Death Star projector and a full Kaleidescape rack. Instead, we got this suburbia setup, complete with setup videos:
Projector: $2700.
Projector screen: $700.
Denon receiver: $1200.
Series 3 HD TiVO: $660.
Klipsch right and left floor standing speaker: $2500 ($1249 each).
Klipsch subwoofer: $500.
Klipsch center speaker: $450.
Apple TV: $330.
Professional installation: free
Total: $9040
It's not that bad, but come on Kevin, we were expecting a full Enterprise-themed home theater. What happened to the spend-spend-spend culture of the 90s? Where's the "dot com" here? Is this part of some kind of some cultivated shabby lifestyle? What's the deal, man? Put some of that money back into the economy, damnit.
[My HDTV Choice —Thanks Alan]
Comments
WTF? no surrounds? idiot.
Wow. How totally unimpressive.
No rear speakers??? not worth it then...
We black folks have a term for what that is - but I'm VERY sure it's unacceptable as a comment. LOL
Even my wife who is a total hater when it comes to my tech spending would beat my ass if I put together a lame ass front like this! Weak yo - weak
I would have went with the AVR4308...with savings from not getting the Klipsch fronts but maybe NHT. The center channel and sub are the priorities. But why projection?
what im offended by is the fact that he spent over 9,000 on a audio system...but people expect him to pay more so they label it "ghetto". I see now...if you don't spend enough...by rich guy standards that is, you must be "ghetto".
who is kevin rose?
All that and only 2.1?!?!
BTW, da shizzle would have been THX-certified. That's right...an amp per speaker. Maybe M&K with Velodyne subs...and Rotel mono-amps. $$$$$BaBling!
His next of kin will probably do the smart thing ... sell it on ebay.
The only thing I was impressed by was the stainless steel fridge.
It's pretty bad when a poor student like me can make fun of his AV choices. I guess school is teaching me to spend my financial aid on better toys...
@kibets: Digg Dude / The Screen Savers (AotS) former host
I read that apparently all the money has made Kevin a little paranoid, and he doesn't like to hear things coming from behind him.
I'm a little disturbed by the seemingly bi-curious friend and that bottle of red wine.
Also the lack of rear surrounds sickens me. Apparently money doesn't buy common sense.
@maven2k: Actually it's a 3.1
Isn't this guy worth like $60 million? This is all he has to show for it? :)
Come on Rose... show use some real surround sound!
@kibets: He created Digg.
If you're gonna spend that much money, you should really go for some rear speakers also.... seriously? 3.1?
I could have made a better theater for 1/2 that price.
Dear Bob those clips are lame.
BTW, someone tell him to spend $50 and rent a rug doctor.
Yes, he is clearly an idiot for not spending 1 million dollars on a home theater.
I remember this dude when he was on screen savers. LOL!!
@RBecho: FTFA:
Emphasis added.
In the beginning of the first video when he goes to the fridge and gets some water I thought gizmodo linked to some amateur pr0n video. I swear I've seen a setup like that somewhere before.
Wow. You guys all complaining that he isn't spending enough money. I think he spent too much. And F a bunch of surround sound. I just don't get that shit. I guess I'm not all geeky with Star Wars ships buzzing around my mom's basement, but The Daily Show plays just fine without it. I'll keep buying my clothes at the goodwill, enjoying my 3.1 sound, and retire at 40 thanks.
Just like to jump to the guys defence here, yes apparently his company was valued once at 60 million, and more recently rumours spread that certain news conglomorates were to offer 200 million for it, amazing right? Thing is Kevin hasn't been given any of that money yet! While i'm sure the salary he's now drawing won't be too shabby, he's no Scobble. Remember Digg is only a young company still and he's re-invested in Pownce anway.
So, even if he is now a quitely loaded business man, I say fair dues for him not letting it go to his head and buying a friggin Tesla's worth of A/V equipment.
Just my two cent!
Would be ironic if no one digged (dugg?)that story. Reminds me of a video game for some reason.
@sidmuchrock
And you call yourself a gadgeteer?
Fail! Ban!
@kibets: What's the internet?
Suggestions:
$99 to get your filthy carpets cleaned.
Rear surrounds
Also, with the amount of light in that room a projector was a bad decision, not to mention it is such a small screen. Why not just get a LCD that size, and not have to worry about wash out or a projector. Plus the projector is mounted too low. Trying to watch anything but a movie there will get annoying as anytime someone walks by its going to block the screen. Good luck having a super bowl party.
I would have thought a person as tech savy as Kevin Rose would have done a bit more research or thought before jumping the gun on a poorly thought out system. Guess I was wrong.
Floor standing speakers are not that bad even without the surround. Of course, I assume that he has some flushmount ceiling speakers already set up.
But one complaint: Why no BluRay?
Um, he should have bought some new carpet instead. WTF.
@sidmuchrock:
Who gives a shit if you retire at 40. Why is retiring in itself something to be proud of? Reading your post, it sounds like you will continue to have a boring life then too. Seriously, what are you going to do when you retire at 40. From reading your post, I would bet you'll be one of those guys who goes to the public library and reads the free news papers and magazines all day.
I can wait on that kind of retirement. I'll go with retiring at 60 and enjoying myself before and after retirement.
Someone spending $9000 on a home theater wouldn't consider getting surrounds? doubt it... Surround sound is overrated, and definitely not preferable to stereo when listening to music.
Klipsch is an interesting choice, but I don't doubt that he is happy with his setup. Good for him.
This thread is full of posers. Real audiophiles would quickly realize Kevin could simply be a music fan and knows that for music, any $$ spent on surrounds is better put towards superior fronts.
@nfitch: Surround sound is great for listening to audio, if the artist engineers the album for that capacity. Watching video's on surround is incredible if you shell the dough out for a nice setup.
@xibis:
Yeah, and was probably making $40K per year.
@slowreader: comment of the day!
@sidmuchrock: a mediocre existence doesn't improve with age. I wouldn't want to be buried in a second-hand suit, thanks.
My home theater projector cost more than that...
and a denon? seriously? onkyo is so much better.
Good god, this guys a disgusting slob. Look at those carpets!!!
Money doesn't buy you class.
Epic fail of biblical proportions.
This is a weak system for a rich guy.
My list would include Genelec spkrs and Parasound pre's.
Good god, what a disgusting slob. Look at those carpets. I guess it's true, money doesn't buy you class.
Denon and KLIPSCH!?!?!?? Jesus man... Paradigm at LEAST or Boston Acoutics and an Onkyo receiver. Read Sight and Sound man. ahhhhhhh!
that pic is fucking AWESOME!
here's my setup:
50" philips ambilight tv: $2000
wal-mart brand sub & surround: $30 (very worth it. It has volume controls for each of the channels on the remote and is loud enough where my upstairs neighbours complain.)
crappy comcast/motorolla cable box from 2005 without
HDMI interface: free
regular dvd recorder: $99
So total of: $2129.
@lafond66: " * My home theater projector cost more than that... "
Have you actually seen the PT-AE2000? Sure it's sounds cheap, but once you take a look at it as far as quality, performance, and features you would say it's a heckuva deal!
Klipsch = Douche
Come one, he should first go to his ENT to have his ears wax removed if he thinks Klipsch sounds good.
Go buy some decent British systems and speakers!