I would be very interested in finding out how one manages to justify (or sneak in the home) expensive audio equipment without having to sell your soul to the Devil? It's quite a challenge for many of us I think. I heard of someone buying a Bel Canto DAC and telling his girlfriend that " Oh it's just a $ 100.00 power conditionner", or whatever. Seem like we need to get creative here if we can pursue this crazy hobby much longer! Regards All...
I am blessed. My wife says nothing when the music is being played at a high volume.She,s not into music at all, but is tiered of hearing Eric Clapton&Phil Collins.The detail in the music, cannot be denied and she puts up with it.It helped that I quit spending money on equipment.Good listening
Its simple. Giver her vague responses and distracting remarks. Just dont go into debt and you should be able to make it work. Also remember she may need some toys at some point to. After you buy your new cables.
Well since I AM the wife and we both love great music, there is no problems. I even got my hubby into some online gaming, and I am the one that bought us the PS3. When it comes to audio we both want the best we can get, and we are both ok stretching for it :) I really feel bad for guys with this passion that have to deal with the WAF..
Thanks C1ferrari, it is just very funny to read all this stuff. I love the one that said my girl friend don't complain about it much but my wife moans about it. ha... I just think this thread is great...
This is the funniest thread I have ever read. I will read through this more for sure, ha... Well let me put my thoughts and experiences in it. My dad taught me a long time ago that when dealing with a woman, It's always easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. So I've been practicing that for some time now.
-So I buy my audio gear all with cash money and its money she knows nothing of in the first place most of the time. -Yes I've to waited till dark and go sneaking down the back to the basement where my audio system is to bring in new stuff. -Yes I've rushed home to get here before her to bring it in a frenzied hurry and trying to get it down stairs as quickly as possible. -Yes I've changed out equipment in similar lines and it has gone un-noticed. -Yes I had over $10k worth of Nos tubes that she thought was just cheap like a light bulb. -Yes I had power cords and cables that if I told her she could do with them what she will, she most likely would've took them to the salvage yard and sold them for the copper value, ha... She didn't know they were thousands of $$$ worth of cords. -I've done all of this and got away with it until recently when I decided I had to sell off an entire $80k system and replace it with something better and more expensive. She then see's all the checks and money orders coming in for tubes and power cords and cables and stuff and she said oh gees' how much money have you spent on all this stuff and how much is the new one and all. She is cool with it because its not like I'm taking her money and all but she really still don't know what I spent or where the $$ come from. ---The important thing is she really loves the new system much better than she did the old one so I think she has cut me some slack there. I find her going down there much more now just to sit and listen, she never did that before.
In short, I include her. We talked about the $$ other people spend on hobbies, and audio is one thing that both of us can enjoy over a long period of time. I have invited her to help audition equipment w/me, making a dinner date out of it. I always play some music she likes and, after an upgrade or change, make sure she's experiences the sweet spot so she can actually hear what I'm talking about. I am truly blessed. My wife of 20+ years actually gave up the living room so I could effectively turn it into the music room... and we're talking Tympani 4's in a not-so-large area. Plus she could sleep thru a train wreck, so no issue on the volume! TOm G
My girlfriend is very understanding since it is my business to have all of the vintage gear in my house, I own a vintage audio website, so she is ok with it, I have also got her into the whole GREAT sounding audio thing by including her when I go and look for stuff sometimes. And she can appreciate great sound as much as I can...Don
Effusive apologies for the tardy reply. My spouse and I enjoyed RMAF, immensely! We found gregarious people and delicious sound. By-the-bye, one of our favorite rooms, YG Acoustics/FM Acoustics (main floor) features a product line you carry. As well, I noticed an installation on your website highlighting DALI MegaLine speakers, which just happen to be present at our home awaiting set-up.
I'm given to understand attendance was elevated compared to last year. New products that intrigued us were shown by Win Analog (monoblocks and preamp). I'd really love to hear that gear on MegaLines.
I would not say my wife minds too much, but I wouldn't say that she enjoys it either. If pushed, she will admit that my system sounds better than her radio, however, it's not nearly worth the price paid in her opinion. She thinks spending mega-K's on an audio system that sounds slightly better than a $200 boombox is just ridiculous......I can't really say that she is wrong. We have bigger disagreements with musical tastes....she's not fond of mine, and I feel the same way about hers.
I know folks who spend millions of dollars on cars, boats, travel, etc, which never made sense to me, so I can understand how one does not comprehend how someone can spend seemingly excessive money on an obssession. There are many obssessions out there that claim a lot of money, audio gear, home theater, cars, boats, women, golf, travel, etc, etc. Each individual person has different values of what they are willing to spend on one specific obsession. Some are fortunate enough to be able to spend excessively on ALL obssessions in life......sigh.
I am just wondering if anyone has a wife or girlfriend who does not mind much. They might not be an audiophile but perhaps they enjoy the end result of some of the purchases and projects.
Still in Denver...RMAF just concluded. Heard the inestimable Harry Pearson deliver a talk...brief discussion of demographic homogeneity...I consider myself exceedingly fortunate -- I've discovered my spouse, whom was present for the 3-day audiofest, is an audiophile!!
My girl holds the tape measure while I zero in the sweet spot. Only time she comes into the sound room. Great gal. Has NEVER uttered the words..."can you lower that!".
Stereolady....you seem like a woman whose mind is guided by common sense....I've not dealt with this in your gender before.....it's very refreshing, to say the least. Not surprising that you wound up at AudiogoN.
Add up the cost of all your gear. (This may be shocking to her at first) Pull up ads for similar gear for sale on the net ... subtract that number from yours. Remember this number!
Now take your neighbors fishing boat, add gas for each time out, beer, insurance, repairs, storage and travel expenses for trips they might take. Find a similar boat for sale on the net, subtract that number, and see which hobby is really more expensive!
You can do this with golfing too. Add the greens fees, travel, CC Membership, dinner and beer for the amount of time you have owned your audio equipment ... a 5 year total is amazing. Now try to re-sell that and see what you are left with!
Now, if you are looking to get divorced, ask your wife for all the receipts she has for misc. expenses for the same time period, add those up ... check to see what you can re-sell those items for, and subtract that number from the total! Need I say more??????
they do not understand the kind of money we (I am) are ready to put into it.
Likewise, how 'bout us understanding the kind of money they invest in buying coloured @!X?@ stones stuck onto @!X?@ metal trinkets they then proceed stick into, or hang from, any available...??? Why are diamonds a girl's best friend -- rather than her husband(s) or her dog(s)???:)
You might also answer that I'm the one who might be stupid spending so much money on sound (I would if I did not keep the spending under control), and you would have a good point.
Stupid!? Not at all. It is just a subject in which they IN GENERAL have little interest, or if they do have an interest, they do not understand the kind of money we (I am) are ready to put into it.
It is a gender issue IMO. Just like there is some music that men prefer IN GENERAL and other that women prefer IN GENERAL. Studidity has nothing to do with it.
Ah! The famous WAF (wife acceptance factor). Simple: you lie. They don't give a dam and they don't know anything about it. So why bother? And its your money, unless you are cough up in joint account gimik. You' ll never catch in one of these!
(Hope that wasn't too creepy in light of current events...or in the fact that it may tend to imply that your system isn't your REAL system...Just imagine that!)
There are three main things I spend large sums of money on:
1) wife 2) kids 3) house and related maintenance
That's a fair deal that everyone seems happy with, including me for the most part.
Actually, the money I spend on the music and audio pales in comparison to these main areas, as it probably should be and it is a good investment I would say that keeps me well entertained and cheerful.
My wife has a good idea the cost and I only buy audio equioment with side work money. Plus she knows sooner or later it will all be hers, her retirement money if you will. The oldest person in my family lived to be 72, hers they average 100. We figure I'll be gone way before her. Watch for the sale.
"When I got into audio, I cut back on my excessive drinking, hard drug use, gambling, womanizing, reckless driving, and pee-ing all over the toilet. It was a pretty good trade-off all in all to her."
Obviously, Paul is being funny, but I think he's on to something here. Here's the plan (And anybody who rats gets it; I'm from Chicago - things can happen): Every time you get the upgrade bug, develop a really intolerable new habit. Just before she calls a lawyer, buy a new piece of equipment(cheap, at least the first time) and then immediately stop the offensive behavior; do a real 180(at least the first time). Repeat as necessary. I'm telling you boys, we can train them just like lab rats. If smartly executed, in time, they will be the ones telling us "Why don't you go buy a new amp or something" every time we become annoying.
I have my own rule to my wife as well. First, I try my beset to put $ into HER saving and expense every month. I try not to mention anything about my new devices/gears. If she notices there's something new to my system, then I just explain more that "one in one out" which is equal to no change :)
My wife and I have a deal. Bills first, savings second, our hobbies third. She's actually quite open minded to my hobbies (the other one involves 2 wheels). As long as everything gets paid, I buy what I want.
06-01-08: Paulfolbrecht When I got into audio, I cut back on my excessive drinking, hard drug use, gambling, womanizing, reckless driving, and pee-ing all over the toilet. It was a pretty good trade-off all in all to her.
Heck, I can't give up all that fun. I even do all of that stuff with my audio gear. Sure, my wife thinks that me 'peeing all over my speakers' is disgusting, but a man's gotta mark his territory, don't he??
When I got into audio, I cut back on my excessive drinking, hard drug use, gambling, womanizing, reckless driving, and pee-ing all over the toilet. It was a pretty good trade-off all in all to her.
Actually, I have a super-duper wife who's watching me type this, who is very supporting of my hobby. We share everything together. My other hobby is flying and all my pals are amazed (and envious) that I have a gal who likes to fly as much as she does.
"Amongst our weaponry are such diverse elements as fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency, an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope, (and nice red uniforms)"
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