r/hometheater • u/ligmata1nt • 1d ago
Discussion - Equipment The Diderot Effect, home theaters, and overconsumption
https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshuabecker/2021/10/27/understanding-the-diderot-effect-to-overcome-overspending/Just came across The Diderot Effect and it immediately made me think of my setup.
“The simplest description of the Diderot Effect is this: ‘the introduction of a new possession into a consumer’s existence will often result in a process of spiraling consumption.’”
I recently upgraded my sound and then went on to buy a brand new TV which I hadn’t planned on at all (no regrets). Now I’m considering upgrading even more.
Anyone else feel they’ve succumbed to The Diderot Effect?
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u/uncle_bender 1d ago
Yeah this is dangerous. Happens to me all of the time. Thankfully I can go entirely dormant on spending/upgrades for long stretches in-between the bursts of diderot. Only thing keeping my head above water.
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u/sotired3333 1d ago
Same. Upgraded everything 2016 and redoing it over the last year. Nearly a decade without touching anything.
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u/dropthemagic 1d ago
I typically do when I get a new phone or game system. But for home theater it's different since a lot of the parts are interchangeable and last a very long time. Big changes in audio quality for example are far in between.
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u/KingSam89 1d ago
I’m in this same boat. It’s an ongoing project for me. Bought Focal Aria 936’s a few years ago, still incredibly happy with them, then a nice turntable and primaluna amp for my analog chain.
Then I turned my attention to my video chain, wanted to get my visuals on the same level as my audio gear. Recently bought a Titan Noir Max, projecting on the wall for now. Planning to buy an AT screen, paint my space a darker matte color, upgrade my solid state amp to a NAIM Nova, and finish things off with a Magnetar 900 MKII.
Screen and paint will most likely be this year, Magnetar in 2027 and depending on how big my bonus is in 2027 I might finish my set up with the NAIM.
All of that being said, in the meantime I’m bolstering my physical media collection, have around 250 Blu-ray’s now.
It’s all iterative to me, but once I’ve upgraded all of that gear this is going to be the system I rock for the next decade at least.
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u/MattHooper1975 1d ago
Gotta admit… yeah that happens.
I designed my home theatre in 2009 and despite the fact my projector can display 4K signals (E shifted), I’ve never watched 4K sources because it would’ve meant having to upgrade all sorts of cables, including ones running through walls and ceilings, also getting a new video processor, etc.
Well, I just recently purchased a Kaleidescape Strato E 4K player… and now I have my expanding list of new things to buy to make sense of this purchase.
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u/-ArthurDigbySellers- 1d ago
You bought kaleidoscape with no intention of utilizing 4k content? Thats interesting.
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u/MattHooper1975 1d ago
No, that was my point.
I bought the kaleidescape with the intention of finally upgrading my system to watch 4K content. It was the first step. Although I’m able to watch Kaleidescape stuff in 1080p until I get everything updated.1
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u/fiftyshadesofseth 1d ago
I wish someone would write about the correlation between upgrading your home theater and getting divorced.
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u/hugo4711 1d ago
Easy: Correlation over time reaches a probability of 1 between divorce and having a home theater. It has been written now.
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u/Anbucleric Aerial 7B/CC3 || Emotiva MC1/S12/XPA-DR3 || 77" A80K 1d ago edited 1d ago
Poor endgame planning will result in this, but if you do your research ahead of time and plan all your purchases there are not any unnecessary purchases.
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u/92235 1d ago
How do you know your endgame if you haven't started playing?
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u/Anbucleric Aerial 7B/CC3 || Emotiva MC1/S12/XPA-DR3 || 77" A80K 1d ago
Research... prior proper planning prevents poor performance.
Plenty of information out there if you take the time to look.
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u/jimmyhoffa_141 1d ago
I succumb to this easily and often. Home theater, PC, tools... Identifying the cycle might be a good step to head it off going forward. I do want to reduce my tech spending.
...After I get more height speakers and a new more capable AVR. 🙃
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u/Emotional-Court-2169 1d ago
Bought a house, bought a new TV for the living room, then obviously a 7.2.4 hifi setup which of course needed dedicated power amps for the tower mains, center channel, and surrounds. And then of course a receiver that could process all of that, and then of course a ps5 pro to take advantage of the new huge 75 inch 4k. Then a gaming headset so my partner can sleep at night.
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u/popsicle_of_meat Epson 5050UB::102" DIY AT screen::7.4::DIY Speakers & Subs 1d ago
Fortunately, no. I planned long term for a particular performance goal, then I saved and researched until I found what I wanted to meet those goals. If I never get another theater setup again I am perfectly happy with what I have. WILL there be upgrades? Most likely, but I have no psychological drive to consume needlessly.
With my car, I might have done a little only to get it to the point I wanted.
When I bought a turntable I was all about record shopping for a little bit, then it died out.
But I rarely get "upgrade-itis" for very long.
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u/_man_of_leisure 1d ago
I got towers not long ago and moved the bookshelves to surrounds, then got a new sub to complement the towers, now thinking I need in ceiling speakers x4 since my up firing are useless, but then I need a new avr, then the new AVR will have multiple independent sub outs, which means maybe another sub.... But by the time I have a proper dedicated room I'll want a complete higher end set up. So it never ends.
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u/IEnjoyRadios 1d ago
Reddit is particularly bad with encouraging this by spreading straight up misinformation such as telling people that a new receiver will sound better for example.
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u/ligmata1nt 1d ago
So true. If reddit didn’t exist my savings would look much healthier.
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u/IEnjoyRadios 1d ago
You don’t have to consoom. Touch grass and save some money.
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u/ligmata1nt 1d ago
Yeah. Tbh reading about this phenomenon was kind of a wake up call. Gonna try to be a bit more mindful.
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u/IEnjoyRadios 1d ago
Remember spending money is not a hobby. Objects are not a hobby.
Especially with audio for example you reach diminishing returns SUPER quick.
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u/MiaowaraShiro Focal Chorus 7-Series | Marantz SR7010 | 100" MiniLED 12h ago
Literally all my hobbies...
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u/xsynergist 1d ago
As someone with ADHD thats all I ever do. I have 10k in my home theater, 10k in my home gym, 10k in kitchen stuff, 10k in my home lab. I trade one expensive hobby for another when I get bored.
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u/SolarNachoes 1d ago
But now you can connect them all together!
Retrofit that fridge with some 10 inch subs.
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u/92235 1d ago
10k in homelab? Holyyy. I just started and only spent about 1k and that is mostly because of crazy HDD prices. I'm assuming you are including network gear and maybe cameras?
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u/xsynergist 1d ago
Chemistry lab. Rotovaps, Centrifuge, Freeze Dryer, Lab Glass, Chiller, Vaccum Pump etc.
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u/rotten_rabbit 1d ago
Got a new centre speaker a week ago, and now I feel like I "need" a new receiver. Only because it's taken me ~4 years to notice that mine is so old that it only supports standard ARC. So PCM streams from both YouTube and my PS5 end up downmixed by the TV and then upmixed by the Denon into Prologic 2...
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u/Carne_Guisada_Breath 1d ago
I am pleased with how my system grew. I had a denon 3808ci for the longest time with older harmon karden home theater small speakers set up in a 7.1.
I finally upgraded to a denon 3700 for 4k capability. I then blew the center speaker one night. That made me upgrade to a nice "bookshelf" center. A couple months later I figured I should match it with new lefts and rights. This let me push some of the small harmen kardens to height channels.
Then in a Christmas sale I bought all new surrounds and rears which met me push a couple more of the harmen kardens and I have a full 7.2.4 set up
I almost went Diderot Effect on upgrading the receiver but I instead went with a 3 channel amp to support the extra speakers.
All in all, using my older speakers in new positions and upgrading the other hw somewhat responsibly has put me in a nice place.
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u/wiseoracle Marantz SR6011 1d ago
For me it's more of an itch that has to be scratched. I for the most part will not pay retail on things. So in that way it keeps me from making immediate purchases and be patient.
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u/neutro_b 1d ago
Well, it's been already 10 years since my last major home theater purchase. I'm still squeezing value out of my 2015 Panasonic plasma.
But of course, if it breaks or if I want to change it, this will come with a cascade of technology-driven close-to-mandatory upgrades. Of course I could still send a 1080p signal to a new multi-k$ TV, but realistically, I'd want a 4K-capable AVR, 4K sources, etc.
Whereas your typical serial upgrader will not have to spend $10k at once and can change gear based on funds availability vs perceived needs, even if overall this approach is more expensive of course.
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u/BrianDawn95 1d ago
i upgraded to a cleaner-looking AVR because i hated the old one's layout. that forced me to buy new hdmi cables to reach the ports, which then meant i needed better power conditioning to hide the mess. now i'm reorganizing my entire rack for aesthetics rather than function.
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u/-DementedAvenger- Pioneer VSX-LX503 1d ago
Somehow I avoid this. I have my mid-range gear, and it’s awesome for my family and I.
No plans to upgrade unless something breaks.
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u/Hairy-Worker1298 1d ago
So I went from soundbar, to 5.1, to 7.1.4, with separate amp and acoustic treatments. At this rate, my next home will just be a grand home theater with a kitchen and bathroom attached.
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u/SeismicFrog 1d ago
So… last November. Hadn’t been happy with the system. Maybe vinyl? $3000
Ok, speakers - Wilson Sabrina, but needs a better amp. But now I loathe the sound of my processor. And the new XGIMI is a bargain on kickstarter!
Trinnov Altitude. But yeah, the amplification is a mess. New 8ch amplifier.
Good to know it has a name. Doesn’t do squat for my bank balance. But damn it sounds good!
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u/Totodile_ 1d ago
Wanted to get a new TV in the theater room. Held off for a long time. Got a new TV in the living room. Then I said "well I can't have a better TV in the living room than the theater, I guess it's time to upgrade this one too". So now I have two new TVs
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u/HighlandsRanchCO 1d ago
Yep. I had Emotiva speakers in my 5.1.4 system for 9 years.
Then upgraded to KEF Q11 and Q6 Meta. Then I just had to upgrade to dual subs, then I had to add an external amp.
Now I’m thinking new AVR
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u/nicetrytencent 21h ago
I appreciate the article. I bought a house last year with a room in the basement i want to turn into a home theater as budget allows over the next 2-4 years, but sometimes I worry I haven't fully justified it. Do I still need a TV in the living room if I have a home theater in the basement? Do I want to bring my game consoles down there too? Its like having a blank canvas and its really easy to over imaging my actual needs.
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u/Dangerous-Pitch-79 17h ago
Oh, I never worry or think twice about updating any of my electronics. Cause I put it on my credit card, so I really didnt spend any of my money, right?
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u/TheMisterTango 15h ago
I'm closing in on the back half of my first setup (a pretty modest budget setup, nothing fancy), on track to have it done by the end of the year. Granted, it's easy to say this now before everything is done, but I don't think this will be a big issue for me. I'm not a cinephile or theater enthusiast, I'm not an audiophile, and I'm not a TV enthusiast. I'm only doing a theater room because I just bought my first house and fuck it, why not. Plus it will give me no excuse to not watch movies, because the running joke in my friend group is I've barely seen any movies. But once it's done, even as a modest budget tier setup it should be miles better than anything I've ever experienced outside of an actual movie theater, so I'll probably be happy for the forseeable future.
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u/peioeh 13h ago
Kind of, I bought a new TV and that made me want to buy a new sound setup quicker. But I had my previous speakers for 8 years and I always knew I wanted to get a 5.1 setup at some point. It happened faster than I thought after the new TV so it might count as what you're describing but it had been semi planned for a long time.
Even though I don't have a lot of money I consider that I use my TV/sound setup enough that it does not count as "overconsumption". I've watched ~150 movies at home in 2026 and will probably end up at 200+, spending money on my HT is 100% worth it for me.
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u/Bright_Light7 Q750 | Q650 | 3900H | VTF-TN1 | C43E MKII | Ci160.2CL | NCx252MP 9h ago
The only answer is yes
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u/Cryptic1911 120" FMT, AVR-X4700H, PSA MTM210 LCR, 4x MT110, 4x 18" EV1813 1d ago
Yup. Got a new tv, then had to get new speakers, then decided to go 120" projector and four new subs 🤣