The sound system was custom-built, insanely expensive, and possibly a complete scam.
A frustrated son recently turned to Reddit after discovering that his father’s prized $100,000 custom vacuum tube stereo system works only about two-thirds of the time.
Built and serviced exclusively by a single technician over the years, the system has been repaired 20 to 30 times, each visit costing hundreds of dollars, with little to no explanation of what was actually fixed.
How a Costly Stereo Became a Maintenance Nightmare
At first glance, the stereo is everything an audiophile could dream of. The system, built around vintage vacuum tube technology, looks the part: glowing tubes, exotic cabling, custom enclosures. It’s the kind of setup you expect to sound incredible.
But, the thing is, it barely works.
The dad rarely questions it, though. Whenever something goes wrong, he calls the same technician who’s been “servicing” it for years (also the one who built the system in the first place)..
He shows up, charges a few hundred bucks, and leaves. No receipts showing what he actually did. No list of parts replaced. Just a new bill and the hope that maybe this time the music will play.
This has been going on for years.
Once, the charge was $400 for a single “handmade” wire. Another time, it was a vague tune-up that changed nothing.
After 20 or 30 of these house calls, the son started asking the question his dad wouldn’t: is this guy actually helping, or is he just milking the system?
What the Community Sees That the Dad Can’t
Members of r/audiophile quickly shared their insights.
Some thought the technician was dragging things out on purpose. A few even said the whole setup sounded like a long con.
After all those years of repairs with no paperwork and no clear explanation, they were surprised no one had stepped in sooner.
Many pushed for a second opinion. Someone with fresh eyes who didn’t build the system might be able to figure out what’s really wrong. If nothing else, it would give the dad something solid to work with instead of more mystery.
In the end, the best advice was the most practical. If the system keeps breaking and no one’s enjoying the music, maybe it’s time to let go. Not because it failed, but because it stopped doing what it was built for.
