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...
"If their partner is" NOT "devoting an inordinate amount of time, energy and disposable income to an obsessive audio passion in the basement then, if she has any sense, she might well be wondering", if he hasn't got an affair with another woman.... (;
She buys baskets, boxes and furntiture, cooking crap and the occasional car. Also, her travel budget is several times what it'd be if it were up to me. In exchange, I buy trumpets, guitars, two-channel audio and fast cars. Much as I am occasionally tempted, I spend no money on other women.
This formula has worked for 39-years. Keeping it in balance, staying out of debt and not forsaking the retirement fund are also part of the winning, long-term formula. When I had less money, I spent proportionally less.
2 words: trade off. Buy myself equiptment=buy her whatever she wants of equal value. Accept derision for my obsession and indulge her whims in any area she sees fit.
This is probably one of the greatest and funniest threads I've ever read!! First, unlimited props to the ladies that came in on behalf of their husbands and shared with us their thoughts on the matter. I guess I'm pretty lucky in that my wife lets me buy most of the nice things I want. It especially helps if we're doing well financially and if I can make her understand WHY I need that extra amp. My beef is that she hates listening to anything over whispering SPL (best way I can describe it), so that all my nice gear is rendered useless. At that volume level, I might as well listen to a pair of Bose from Fry's... I literally have to turn on the English For The Hearing Impaired subtitles... I am however in the process of remodeling a room JUST FOR ME and the gear. Yay!!
That's easy. Whatever was the real cost, simply multiply it by 10%, which then becomes the new real cost. The only exception is when you sell a piece of equipment. Then you multiply the selling price by 300%, which then become the new price for which you sold it.
Also, under NO circumstances should you admit to anything. Deny, deny deny. Even if you get caught with the receipt in your hand. Deny deny deny. And as you're denying, crumple the receipt, put it into your mouth, and swallow. Then innocently ask, "what receipt"?
Trust me. This works. After awhile she will also begin to wonder "what receipt" and will eventually decide the entire episode was imagined.
If in doubt, please refer to "A Guide For the Married Man" starring Walter Mathau and Robert Morse. Pretend the blonde is your new amp. It's an apt comparison. Oh yes: do your best to ignore the somewhat moralistic ending.
I don't think so Pete. Sure it starts out with Willie and Bonnie, and the next thing I know you'll be recommending Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg and Pavoratti... :)
Hey John, I bet your rig will work like a charm. How about trying some Willie Nelson, Rany Travis & Bonnie Raitt. One Day at a Time, & Yours Love by Willie; You, & Thing called Love by Bonnie; and The Truth is Lyin Next to You, and Forever& Ever,Amen by Randy. (You'll probably be surprised at the sound of the older recordings by Willie.) Cheers. Pete
11-28-07: Psacanli Women 'love' music and being 'with' their man. Play em something they like.
True, but they love different kind of music. When my wife and I were dating, about 25 years ago, she always commented on how similar our musical tastes were. Both of our tastes have changed over the years....in different directions. She's all Country now. I like Jazz, Blues, Rock and Classical. I'm not a fan of Country, Rap or Opera. I can listen to her Country on the car stereo or her boombox, but please, not on the big rig!
A good system is a panty remover, lots of young guys know it.
Yes, but this is because they are with young ladies who are trying to please their man in order to get themselves a wedding ring. Once they have their ring, the man no longer has 'hand', as they say on Seinfeld. A good system is not a panty remover for a 'mature' woman...believe me.
I think I said this before, but the answer is headphones, headphones, headphones. I know most folks don't think they can substitute for speakers, and I didn't believe it either, but they have their own special charms that become addictive. This is especially true with a high-quality source and top-notch (possibly tube) amplification. You REALLY hear what the components (and cables and everything upstream) are doing, for better or worse, and you will gain a new appreciation of high end equipment. The intimacy and detail can be astounding and truly satisfying, just in a different way from speakers. And there is soundstaging, image separation, and other spatial information associated with speakers. Also, things have improved a lot in the last 10 years or so. It's a nice adventure if you go down this path. It is a true alternative to speakers, and maybe even preferable. (And no worrying about room acoustics.) I'm just a long time headphone fan, and I have no role in the audio business whatsoever, I'm just speaking from the heart here. (I'm also got a wife and have had to adapt to making love and personal music harmonize.)
Soulgoober, I understand completely. The answer for me was to change my working hours so they differ from hers. I still see her, but not as much, and I have more time with the music while she's at work. This may not work for everyone, but I'm happy. :)
I am lucky because my wife understands how important music and a quality audio system is to me. When I want to upgrade and finances permit she supports me all the way.
Simple. My girlfriend and I do not live together. So why should she complain? I even put together a system for her apartment. Besides, it is my house, my money, and I am more particular about aesthetics than she is.
I got lucky. My girlfriend puts up with my hobbies very well. I'm an audiophile and historical (curio and relic) firearms collector. Both are expensive hobbies and she doesn't mind if I am sensible about my purchases.
My girlfriend loves to listen to the hi-fi. She really appreciates the quality of sound that it produces. Even though she is a professed liberal to her core, she has even shot a few of my firearms at the range too. :)
My wife once told friends that a man should have a vice that keeps him home even when she is out. She even helped me choose the colors and decor for our dedicated listening room. Our friends think me lucky;so do I.
not harsh at all. simply not going to be told what i can do and cannot do, marriage had not been a partnership for me it was a dictatorship......... NEVER again thats all, now pass the tube-sauce !
well I posted here 3 yrs ago and Audio and the little woman are even better now than 3 yrs ago.
Hell she is heading up our new dedicated HT room that we are having designed and built. She eve says that we need another sub woofer only for movies and she still loves 2 channel!
I like audio, and I have been liking it for over 25 years. I work hard for a living, pay my bills, as do most of us. I do not need to explain why I bought this amp, or that speaker, and the moment I do, it's seeya later. Marriage is for people who cannot manage thier own lives anyway
Kittyprincess88, meet Joeylawn36111. Now if those aren't compatible handles, I don't know what is.
Geez, I just thought about how expensive it would be to have a household full of little audiophiles running around upgrading and tweaking their little growing systems...Can peanut butter ever help the sound?
While living in the S.F Bay Area I frequented a great place called Music Lovers Audio & was very fortunate that they allowed me to audition all kinds of equipment...one day I brought home a used Transparent Ultra-Link line conditioner & put on a song by Clint Black called The Rain (or something to that effect)the song opens with a rain shower & distant thunder...when she asked from the kitchen "what did you do to the stereo?-I've never heard that part so well?"-I knew I was on to something...and as long as I had a plan for the financing & stuck to it & didn't go overboard it's always worked out....funny thing is after a "new" purchase-(I really try to buy used) she'll grumble a bit..but...when freinds (or even family) come over she'll mention different movies or CD's & brag that "you've never heard it like OUR system can play it"-that ALWAYS brings a smile to my face-we'll see how it goes here soon the Mits RP-HDTV is going to be replaced w/ a NEW plasma & a new HT Pre-Pro-stay tuned & best of luck
Warning bells and sirens blared yesterday...thinking about upgrading from ML Ascents to Revel Studios...showed the girlfriend a picture of the Revels and she said "even more ugly than the ones you already have." So, I pressed on - "what would you consider not ugly?" "Something that is in an alcove or in the wall...I don't like the look of a stereo and big speakers in the living room!"
I'll buy the Studios anyway...and then the Ascents move to the HT (which is "cluttered and too confusing to operate")
Or maybe I should buy some of them honkin' huge horn hummers (some alliteration for ya there)...this is about boundaries after all.
GFs and wives? My mother was the one who gave me a hard time. When I was 17 I purchased a used Krell KSA-80b with everything that I had saved up from little jobs. She didn't flinch at the cost but she sure was upset about the size of that amp:
"My goodness, where on earth are you going to put that honker of a thing!? Why you'd break the coffee table! What if it leaves marks on your dresser? You can't just leave that on the floor, it looks slopy!"
My wife an I co-authored an article on Yamaha's new RX-V4600 HD Radio/7.1 receiver in the current The Audiophile Voice. Damm, I'm lucky having a wife with a Masters in Audiology. Eat your hearts out guys.
In my house wifely input on things purchased is directly proportionate to money earned. Wife's salary=0 therefore input = 0. All kidding aside. She is not the type to begrudge me anything. I married well. So did she.
For a long time I had the typical problem of "is it wife friendly" WHERE ARE WE GOING TO PUT THAT OR THEY DO'NT LOOK RIGHT.If you can, get your own audio room,any where in the house. It really helps. MAXWELL
1. First of all tell her that women have better hearing than men - this is in fact true, and one of those few times women claim they are superior and are. follow it up by saying the system is for her too as a result of this. 2. Following on from the above demonstrate the alternative by locking up the hi-fi and going out with your mates (preferably bawdy) all night and coming back drunk. 3. If all else fails put on some smooth music, seduce her, and ravish her with your system playing - that should do the trick.
Well actually it's easy when the new speakers that you're bringing into the house are the same brand and color as the previous ones...I had Merlin TSM M's in studio finish...I just brought in a pair (after Mrs. Lucky) had left for work in the morning...the new speakers are TSM MM's in studio finish...they are dead ringers for the originals....of course replacing the center channel B & W CDM 1 with another Merlin TSM MM was a little concern...but since they are both black she hasn't noticed the B & W being replaced....Heck she never even notices when I get a new snowmobile as long as it's the same color...she's totally oblivious to model numbers...or anything as a matter of fact...the perfect wife and you can't have her
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