A good friend of mine just bought one of my subwoofers. I often loan him my extra hi fi stuff. He told his wife the sub was on loan from me. In reality he gave me $25 a week (his lunch money) until it was paid for. My wife loves hi-end stuff. Therefore I don't need to deceive her. She is as much of a sucker for it as I am. Life is too short for bad sound. |
I know *someone* on AudiogoN has deceived their wife! I sold an MSB Gold Link III to a guy who had me ship it to his place of work, rather than his place of residence. He said his plan was to sneak it home when he knew she wouldn't be there, and just hide it in with his other equipment in hopes that she would never notice. You know, I never *did* hear how that one turned out... |
Anyone who says no is either unconsiously wealthy or a liar! :-) |
I just tell my wife, I am selling X component to buy Y component. I tend to tell her that they are about the same price... heh heh...
KF |
Absolutely not. I'm far too rich, famous and extremely sexy to bother with such matters. |
Bloating brings out the best of us all................. |
I know for a fact that Decay is telling the truth. I am his partner in business. I am sure Decay will agree, being that we are both rich, famous, and extremely sexy, can be a terrible burden. But we seem to find a way to handle these heavey burdens. Decay, what speaker have you decided on for your new dedicated sound room? The new top of the line Soundlabs, or the million dollar Dynaudio's. I went for those new Italian one's. Can't recall the name, so many visits to those Italian manufacturers when we spent those two months in Italy. I prefered the Italian sound than those we visited in Germany. I have out pilot on standby for the week. Might as well visit some of the great American offerings. How does Wednesday sound?
As far as us deceiving girlfriends or wives has never been an issue for us. We make it up to them buying them beach homes, yachts, cars, or what ever pleases them.
Please do not envy us. Being filthy rich, famous, and extremley sexy is not an easy life. How I long for those struggling times when fortune and fame was not yet in our grasp. Can't remember too much about those times, Could you please remind me of those hard times Decay? I can't remember who's memory is working better these day's. |
Hi Bruce:
I decided to go with the Endangered Species MkIV (nucular powered, but of course:-).
Your memory really is slipping old boy as I have my face lifted every Wednesday. Thursday would be super though.
Chow for now. |
Hi guys. If you are as good at deceiving your wives as you are at fooling us, then that would explain the Bose systems. |
I never discuss finances, she knows better than to ask too many questions, since she doesn't like the answers. She gave up quite a few years ago. She still may occasionally ask why I need to upgrade, but the cost subject is never brought up. I do however try to perform all system mods while she's not around, as I tire of her "what's THAT gonna do?" questions. Cables, power cords, cartridges, tubes, etc, small, hidden things are the best to upgrade, she doesn't know a thing.
Just like her shopping trips. She has her 'tricks'. She'll leave items in the car until I'm not around, 'til she brings them in. Another favorite of mine is when she buys an expensive clothing item and stashes it for months. Then when you say wow, when did you buy that, she can say oh, I've had this for a long time, this isn't new. Marriage, it's like any other business deal, it's all about deception.
If not, then you have so much money, you don't have to deceive at home, but you're deceiving somewhere to get the money. IMHO. |
A better question might be - "Who HASN'T deceived their wives (or husbands)about an audio purchase?"
BTW, they're not really as dumb as you think they are. Remember those new shoes? Or that new dress? |
My Audio purchasing is on hold for 2003. I have started up an old hobby. Woodworking is cheap compaired to Audiogon. For the cost of my EAD dvd player I can buy a hole shop load of tools. But next year.....
Tim |
Tim! Another hobby! How dare you!!! Hand in your approved audiophile card immediately!!!!!!!!
John |
Same boat as Tim, I never planned on buying another motorcycle. Its been 10 years. But the deal was too good so I blew what was my new speaker money last summer and have not recovered yet.
I know I am not the only one here that has to really work to budget for my audio fix.
My wife has been surprised more than once when the UPS man dropped by, but its all been good so far. Sell one, buy another. |
Flemke,
I, too, have a woodworking hobby and I constantly go back and forth with that and audio stuff. As far as woodworking being cheaper, have you bought any wood lately? It's not cheap anymore and I buy rough stock.
I don't deceive my wife about my purchases as much as not telling her the whole truth. After nearly 30 yrs of marriage I have found it much easier on me to let her get it out all at once! |
I put a picture of the next piece of equipment on one of the screen savers a few weeks before I buy it. My wife will see it every day and become "conditioned", then when it shows up in the listening room I take it off the screen saver and she figures it is the same one that we "already had". |
Are you kidding, one can not get into this hobby and spend the way we do and not tell a few little lies along the way (in my case, big lies). This hobby is not for the faint of heart..............Bob |
Griswold, ROTFLMAO! That's a classic. |
I have never. Yet. I am in the process of lying now, telling her I can sell my speakers for what I am buying the new ones for. Of course, I have decided my lie cant be over $1,000. Otherwise it would be immoral! |
Jposs, immoral,hehe, this thread just keeps getting better and better. One of the funniest I can remember. |
actually, i never done it...not with audio equipment...but, i've done it with 6 out of my 9 watches in my collection..."no sweetheart, this watch was only $900"...she is okay with a purchase below $1k for a watch...now, let me see....my collection is worth aprox $26k... |
Albert:
I have since upgraded to a complete Kraco 8 track system (Bruce has my old Bose setup:-). |
You expect me to put this answer in writing!!!!! |
Dan ed
Tell me about it! I am doing my entire house over in Birch. And I thought Oak was costly. I have 5 1/2 door jams. Everything has to be built in my basement.
Tim |
If I were as good a salesman as my wife believes me to be after making all these phenominal deals, I probably could go out and buy anything I wanted to because I would be so wealthy that spending a mere $3-4K would just be chump change. But honestly guys(&ladies), down deep in my heart I know that she knows that I know that she knows so we just don't talk about it too much...ya know!! Just like the old series "Hogans Heroes" Col. Klink..."I know nothing" |
I must be the luckiest guy on Audiogon as my wife and I HAVE SEPARATE CHECKING ACCOUNTS. However, I often lie, just out of principle, when she asks me how much I paid for my latest audio gizmo. BTW, I'm not sexy, rich, or good looking like some others on this site-- but at least I'm old. Cheers. Craig |
I don't lie cuz I don't have to. She asks, I don't answer the question. I refuse on grounds it may incriminate me, I'm no dummy. That's not lying, it's being uncooperative. If she persists I claim there must be a loose ground wire somewhere in my system cuz there's this awful buzzing in my ears (from her nagging). I go away to tweak my system for several hours, problem solved. |
In our house, we have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy. I don't discuss my audio purchases and she doesn't discuss her clothing/handbag/shoe/house decorating purchases. |
|
I didn't lie when i bought new toys.
But,i did lie when i sold them....he he he |
Nelsjay,
Decorating? I came home from a business trip and sensed there was something different about my surroundings, just couldn't put my finger on it. Rather than dwell on it I let it go, mine is not to reason why. After three weeks she got pissed at me and pointed out the "obvious"; she had changed the bathroom from a purplish motif to green and I hadn't commented. Why would I comment, I honestly didn't notice the change. To give myself some credit I suspected something was different but just couldn't quite narrow down what she had tweaked. I was pretty sure there wasn't a new man in her bed, I glanced in that direction when I loaded a new CD in my Linn Classik (bedroom system) before work. No one commented on my Collective Soul selection, so I'm pretty sure there was no one there. What does she expect, I had a fresh batch of vinyl that needed cleaning and listening to! I can't be expected to flitter around the house like I'm on Trading Spaces remarking on what "central theme brought the room together". A man has to have his priorities... |
All deliveries sent to my office, all audio dealer calls to my cell phone.
Honey, I swear it's the same amp we've always had. |
Whew - I thought I was the only guy on the sly out here. Currently involved in a transaction in which I requested the seller to change the subject heading of our emails from the name of the preamp to "Free Tax Info" - I knew she wouldn't open that one! And of course to be delivered to another address and snuck onto the rack at some opportune time. Thanks, I feel better...
Tom |
I sure get a lot of check no. 101s in payment for preamps :-) Had a customer who had to buy his wife a Harley as he bought a preamp.... |
I only use cashiers checks to hide the paper trail. I may have to blow up this computer because of this thread. |
Being up front about the purchases seems to get a little easier as the years go on. Income increases which helps and you learn to tolerate each other’s needs better. Having said that the fact is that as men, most of our purchases will always be seen as selfish by our wives as they are often hobby oriented and most of their purchases as virtuous as they are frequently home oriented. Admit it, when was the last time you said, hey dear, we have some extra income, lets get new drapes! |
I recently spent 1k on floor to ceiling drapes for the back wall of the a/v room. Now you would never know that there is $900 in blinds behind the drapes. By the way forgiveness is always easier to get than permission. |
I haven't lied about an audio purchase only because I am new to the hobby.
I have lied about the following:
Suits and sportcoats (that's not new, I'm bringing it back from the cleaners)
Golf equipment (honey, that putter was less than $25 - honest)
Handguns (dear, I couldn't pass up a 9mm Beretta for $250)
Assorted toys (I didn't buy those, the Palm Pilot and GPS were provided my employer)
And other stuff too numerous to mention.
I am shopping for some new speakers and I am still working on a method to work them into the house without attracting too much attention - do you think she'll believe that a pair of Meadowlark Shearwaters cost $500?! |
No...but I've purchased jewelry and handbags galore of nearly equal value a few times. My wife loves music so often she likes the upgrades IF we can afford not to charge it. |
Um...I got divorced in order to avoid this issue...or was it because of it?... |
All the time, I told her that I paid $5000.00 for Revel Ultima Salons. $2000.00 for a BAT 50se. $800.00 for a EMC-1 up. $700.0 for a SCD-1. 1200.00 for a Pass x350 and 500.00 for Kharma Grand reference speaker cable. I lie all the time and I will never stop!!! NEVER!!!!!!!!!!! |
I am not sure if I ever deceived my wife, but I am guilty of selecting the more appropriate time to advise her that I have been looking at new equipment and that the situation was opportune. Not received a negative response, I moved forward. Well, older, wiser and coming off addiction, I have learned to share the amount that is in my budget and openly announce the next purchase. As the system has reached a stopping off point-- yes, I am one purchase away from getting off the merry-go-round (I kept my last system for 18 years)-- my wife has started to listening to my system as well as the kitchen system. In fact, she has even learned to turn it on. So, deception is not the way. Omission and inclusion work much better. |
I told her that I found these B&W Nautilus 801 just sitting by the sidewalk and so I hauled them in. Gave her some story about the UPS truck must've dropped them while in transit. |
My wife thinks I write audio equipment reviews under the pseudonym "Jonathan Scull". The equipment just turns up on loan and it is my sad duty to listen to it at high volumes for hours then write about it and then a bunch of new stuff arrives. Trouble is I am still just working "on trial" and so they are not paying me yet, but honey, this way I am not wasting money on having to shell out for stereo equipment.
If anyone was beginning to believe that, drop me a line. It might just be worth a try. |
I am not sure that I believed it, but I am going to steal it and use it as my own. Maybe I should use my pen name "Jonathan Valin".... |
Hughes12, I'll offer to buy your Pass x350 for $1400. You can tell your wife that you made a nice profit on that transaction....more upgrades for you! |
Absolutely brilliant! Man... you guys are good... I have a feeling this could be the most important thread at the GON to date!
Not re-married yet (waiting till after speaker upgrade)
but with all the new material from you seasoned pro's
I will be set for years!
Gosh I love this place :-) |
It could be very interesting to conduct another survey, say, in 5 years just see if any of us are still staying married. |
actually, i've been married only 1 yr and haven't had to lie about it once.
sure, explaining a $1k power conditioner took some work and creative financing on my part (i.e. selling other audio equip), but even that went over w/o a shrug.
find a wife that likes your hobbies.
then again, catch me if / after i upgrade speakers (which will likely cost as much as her car, 3 vacations, all new livign room furniture...you get the idea). ---may be some embellishments on that transaction (or at a min, make it affordable: "its only $50 a week for a couple weeks"---yeah, like 150.
rhyno |
I recently picked up some cat toys (little balls with a bunch of rubber tentacles sticking out of them) that my wife assumed were for the new kitten to play with.
The truth of the matter is that I intend on tacking them to the inside corners of our soon to be installed single driver speaker cabinets.
Although I am not making audio purchases @ the current time (due to budget constraints) money had nothing to do with the deception (they were cheap). I just did not want her telling our friends/guests that I had placed cat balls in the speakers. |
