I tried to set up that kind of movie-quality sound system in our house at Burr Oak (and later in Jackson). The first attempt was with a multi-audio player (capable of playing radio, tapes--with a second deck for recording, and three CDs). Alas, it had four speakers, "synthesized" bass, and one "auxiliary" input which we used to channel the TV's sound (stereo only). It wasn't enough; I wanted "real" 5.1 dolby surround sound.
I bought such a system as a present for myself for receiving my Master's degree in 2004. I didn't go for the high-end Bose system that I wanted, but a more affordable Samsung that came with five speakers, a subwoofer, and a 5-disc DVD changer. Despite being more "affordable," I still felt guilty about the expense. Still, I was especially looking forward to playing some of my video games that were supposed to have amazing sound.
The sound from the DVDs was amazing (although Janelle frequently told me to turn it down). Jurassic Park and Star Wars never sounded better. Our episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation were particularly entertaining as the Enterprise passed from one side to the other or directly overhead.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck early. While the sound from DVDs played from the system itself was fantastic, any sound run through it from outside sources (like video game systems or the TV itself) did not sync with the video picture on the screen. The audio would be a fraction of a second ahead or behind of the action on the screen. I tried more than one type of optic cable (the only kind at the time that would transfer 5.1 information) to no avail. Since I still got the sound I wanted from the DVDs and could also create a surround sound-ish effect with normal stereo audio cables, I shrugged it off, but I was still irritated at the constraint, and the guilt of spending money on the system grated even more.
A year and a half later, the DVD player component of the system failed. Gone were the deep bass sounds and side to side, front to back effects. We still ran our sound through it using stereo cables as it was the easiest way to switch devices, but each time I turned it on, I felt mocked by the ghost of the sound that was now gone.
We brought the system with us when we moved to Jackson, and I even ran the cables under the floor in the living room to set up all of the speakers, but it wasn't long before we stopped using it altogether. It sat there, on the entertainment system, for years--unused. Each time I looked at it, I could almost hear a voice (that sounded remarkably like my father) scolding me for spending money on something so frivolous, especially considering how long it worked. When we got our new TV, I somehow hoped that it would miraculously make everything work like I wanted it to. The TV did fine, but the sound didn't.
The system sat in our living room until just before I left for Alaska. Before I left, I pulled the entire disappointing system and all of its wires out and took them to an electronic recycling center. I've had a number of purchases in my life that have haunted me, but I truly felt defeated and foolish when I finally gave up on that machine.
It's strange--the things that make me feel ashamed.