2. amps-preamps
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Friends hi-fi system not very good, what do you do or say?

So you're going over to someones home and they give you a tour and they have a hi-fi system in a room. And while visiting of course they turn it on for you not knowing that you have a very nice system in your home and you notice immediately it's just not very good.  But then you're used to the very in you're listening experiences. So what do you do when they ask you what you think?

Do you say sounds really good?

Do you make suggestions?

Do you feel a desperate need to tell them about your system?

Personally, I try not to mention any details about my system. If I'm driving around in a Lamborghini I would prefer to be invisible so I don't get stared at when I get out of my car. If they had a really nice system with interesting components I would probably mention a few of the things I have and then we could bond with our common interests.   Ideally, it would be cool to be in the presence of someone who knew a lot more than I did and a real learning opportunity.

Audio systems tend to be private affairs I guess.  I don't necessarily want to hang out with someone and listen to tunes. Those wonderful College days where it made a lot of sense are long gone.

emergingsoul
big_greg
6,647 posts
 

My mother used to often tell me "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all".

Do you tell people that they are less attractive than you are?  That their car or house isn't as good as yours?  Why do you need to say anything?

If they ask about improving their system, then offer helpful advice.

immatthewj
2,071 posts
 

. . . or if your friend's system was not up to your standards, instead of following my previous suggestion, you could simply kick the dogcrap out of the woofers of his full range speakers and then tell him, "Look, dude, I just did you a favor--this will give you a reason to start upgrading this piece of crap system."  The time will come when he will thank you for this..  

theophile's avatar
theophile
246 posts
 

Even if a close friend pressed me to tell them my opinion of their system I'd be inclined to say. 

"My opinion is not important. It is your system. The important thing is whether or not you like the sound of it".

 

b_limo's avatar
b_limo
2,277 posts
 

You're a troll...

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