I lied to my wife about the price of Stax 009S headphone
My wife is the youngest of my mom in law who is 88 years old.
Recently my wife is staying with her mom to take care expecting her mom can live just one more year or so.
Thus I am having happy life playing music loud even during midnight.
My house is seated on 2 acre lot so that my neighbors does not get bothered unless windows open wide.
My wife dropped at home yesterday ( She drop once a week to clean the messy kitchen while she is away. She is an angel Ha ha).
She happened to see my new headphone of Stax 009S headphone and asked its price.
I could tell her the real value ( new price 4,500$ and I got 4 months used one for 3,200$).
I did not mean to deceive her but answered it costs me 1,500$ by chance.
Then she had listened to K-Pop using both
Stax 009S headphone driven by Carbon amplifier and Massdrop Empire Zeus IEM( I told her the real value as 1,000$ No lie here Hehe).
The source was
Cocktail Audio X30 music server feeding Chord Dave and Mscaler ( I did not tell her how much
Chord Dave and Mscaler
cost, if she find out, I may have to buy her diamond necklace)
On first few songs, she prefer
Empire Zeus IEM to
Stax 009S headphone on lively sound of the former.
But after listening few more songs, she expressed that
Stax 009S headphone sounds more natural than
Empire Zeus IEM .
Whew if I had told her that I had spent 3200$ on headphone, I may have to go out to buy her something like expensive bag or clothing.
Reality is I had also spent additional 3300$ on
KGSSHV Carbon headphone amplifier.
How many of your audiophile had lied to your wife or girlfriend about the cost of audio components?
A few thoughts about this thread. - so a nightmare experience is when your wife that you lied about the price of speakers by removing a zero meets your buddy that you lied about the price by adding a zero ... - The idea IS to do a poor job of cleaning the kitchen. Last thing you want is to be complemented on how well you did it. You know what comes regularly after that. - nooooo, our wives don't lie. All that gear they have in the bathroom, mascara, eye liner, blush, lipstick, rouge... ...that stuff is to present the truth of appearance and that stuff doesn't cost anything.
All of this deception must interfere with enjoying your music, right? Unless, and I suppose this is the case, you’re just interested in quality “sound.” Which is fine, but I imagine your conscience must be needling you enough to make it not very fun to listen, since your guilt pushes you to reach out on this thread for help. Or, you’re reaching out for some sort of human connection in a bizarre way by making up stories about wives and headphones. Which is also fine, but there’s better ways and better arenas in which to do that. Or you’re a shill, posing as (or actually) a poor English speaker, pushing headphones and gear with the old “girlfriend/wife is happy/unhappy” set up. Which is not fine. I don’t know. I have a local dealer here who likes to push equipment with his own “demo” tracks. When I bring my own media to audition, he almost has a god damned stroke, as if what I’m listening to cannot possibly be good music because 1) it isn’t what he picked and 2) it is not “demo quality mastering.” I’m sorry, but If I can’t play “Bags and Trane” or Iron and Wine or Oliver Nelson on a piece of equipment you are selling and have it sound nice, I’m done. No sale. I’m not interested in listening to music I don’t enjoy on “nice” equipment and then buying that equipment only to find it’s designed to play boring “demo” music that I don’t enjoy.
In the same way I’m also not interested in creating a system that is simply an escape from my own self-created misery. If I have to lie to someone or myself, one of two things is happening: I’m doing something wrong or I’m with the wrong person.
When did music become such a self-prescribed solitary experience??
Im really curious to pinpoint that moment in our culture. Anyone?
I think it’s time for a gut check, are your more smitten by looks (and cost) of your gear or its capabilities to produce soul stirring music?
Sorry no offense intended, but it’s quite easy to loose sight of your goal of putting together an ultimate sounding system when all you talk about is how good my gear looks, cost and compare against uber-expensive gear
Being offensive and then saying 'Sorry no offence intended ...' is repulsive.
Cannot speak for anybody else but if you have planned well through life by the time you reach my age of 59 you should be all set!
My 401k puts a smile on my face. No car or mortage payments puts a smile on my face Already having enough in a seperate fund to pay for my daughters education puts a smile on my face.
Blowing some of my hard earned on toys whether they be automotive or audio puts a huge smile on my face.
I do realise not everybody can be in this state of Ubervana ( Thx David!) but rest assured neither was I always but maybe it has been a combination of my hard work, my wifes good financial planning and a bit of good fortune that has enabled my stars to be in alignment for now.
Are you guys all making 7 figures, or does no one here save for retirement or give philanthropy? My family is in the 98% percentile of American earners, music is my main hobby, and I can’t afford anything at all like the items mentioned on here.
20% of Income—retirement 10%—philanthropy 7%—school tuition for kids 3%-risky investments with high upsides
etc.
Not a lot left for toys.
How do people here apportion their resources so that they can get such high end toys? And maybe this should just be a separate post if people would find it interesting to discuss how and what financial decisions we make.
@acresverde , "718 GTS" can refer to a currently produced version of either the Porsche Cayman or the Porsche Boxster. The GTSs are one of the more powerful and expensive versions of those vehicles, but they are not quite the top of the line.
A few years ago I was seriously debating getting a Porsche 911. I started really getting into audio at the same time and ultimately decided I would get more hours of enjoyment from nice audio gear and time spent immersed in music than I ever would from a car. Ideally I’d have both but for me I decided to make it an either/or question and committed myself only to audio. I later decided a 2018 VW Golf GTI provided ample road fun for me.
Uber Congratulations on both cars. Great hearing the story and your connection to cars in general and both recent purchases. Coincidentally, I just happened to be behind a Metallic White 718 GTS this morning. Gorgeous.
I was just bustin' on ya! When I was out of college I rented an apartment in NYC. I used paper plates, and plastic knives and forks, etc. I never even turned n the gas for the oven!
I began repairing gear a while back and building my own gear. If you start with dimple designs it really is not hard. Learning what makes things sound the way they do is the best way to understand how to make things sound better. Some of my designs are on my page under my system. By the end of the year we will be ready to go. We also won best sound of show at the prior two CAF shows with GT Audio speakers.
Keep listening to music. In building components, I have lost the extra time needed to just sit back and relax and enjoy.
Since my wife puts up with me, I compromise and try to do nice things for her probably just like the rest of everyone here does.
I take a small allowance each month. This is my audio mad money. My wife has no problem with my gear or my listening room. As long as I don't dip into our savings,we are both happy!
Al Nice to hear not the only Porsche enthusiast here! You know I offered to buy the wife a Macan but she said she was quite happy with her Ford Escape 2.0 turbo for now. I will work on her some more......
Ok enough car talk on the ops thread but thanks to all for the kind words and interest.
Well just so happens a Bright Red Porsche Cayman S showed up on Auto Trader local and this baby definitely hit the spot so home with me it came. It looks like sex on wheels imho, so MUCH nicer than a 911 or Boxster.
Congratulations, Uberwaltz!
Great minds think alike :-) I have a 2014 Cayman S (in dark blue metallic), as well as a 2017 Macan S (in Palladium metallic). Both are fantastic.
At one time I tried to at least keep photos of every car, bike, jet ski etc I ever owned, sure I missed a lot though! All I can say is way deep into 3 figures....... Gave up counting for sure and definitely do not want to consider the dollars spent. Lol.
The wife knows I only have interest in cars and audio, she knows I could not afford another woman....lmao.
Glad you were able to read and understand my post in the context it was made.
Uber- great story, still got a smile on my face from reading it, good for you! I've been through so many cars I lost count long ago. Happy driving and happy listening :)!
I have the ultimate "audiophile wife". She NEVER EVER asks what something costs me. If a truck rolls up to the curb once a week with new gear, she would say nothing. Her only rule is that I never ever pay attention to another woman.
I have likely owned or driven just about every muscle car made or created and to tell the truth I got bored with it all, sold all I had and bought a Porsche 911, a car I always loved the look of. Well after all those high hp cars a 300hp 911 just did not cut if for me so it went too. Then I discovered a surprising Ford, the Focus RS, great fun all round and enjoyed that for couple years.
Closing in on retirement I told the wife I fancied a classic car again and really liked the idea of a Vette convertible when I retired. After a couple days she said why wait buy it now, well you do not have to tell me twice! So a 74 vette convertible was purchased, 66k genuine miles all original. Is it fast or a great handling car? Of course not. Is it just what I was looking for? Heck yes!
Couple days later somebody made me an offer on the Focus RS I could not refuse so it went. What next I thought?
Well just so happens a Bright Red Porsche Cayman S showed up on Auto Trader local and this baby definitely hit the spot so home with me it came. It looks like sex on wheels imho, so MUCH nicer than a 911 or Boxster. I just appreciate very fine mechanical items and it can say Chevrolet or Ford or Mercedes or BMW or Alfa or Porsche etc on the back, I draw no lines!
Thats how I happen to own both a Vette and a Porsche at the same time within days of each other.
I probably am as addicted to cars as audio tbh!
And thanks for being gentle with me....lol
I am having the time of my life tbh, but thats what 40 years of hard work and dedication has wrought, now time to enjoy some of the spoils before it is too late!
Am I the only one who was surprised that a fellow 'goner got a Vette and a Porsche? They typically aren't cross-shopped, much less purchased by the same person. Chevy and Porsche owners generally aren't interested in the other marque. I must admit to being envious of Uberwaltz though.
Why are you leaving the kitchen dirty - it's called paper plates and a microwave or use the grill outdoors! No mess, no fuss.
My wife gave up on me a long time ago. She spends what she wants and I do what I do. After all the guitars and stereo equipment which is stacked in a few room in the house, she just wants to be able to walk into the rooms without falling on things. BUT since I build my own components and repair components so I make money on them, she is OK with it now. I still don't tell her the real costs so I am a big liar I guess but when I make the money and take her out to dinner Friday and Saturday nights, plus take care of the home and auto repairs, she has no complaints I guess anymore. I bought her the Lexus that she wanted and take her on vacations that she wants to go on so she is very happy.
I feel sorry for those who feel the need to lie to their wives. When I was shopping for my 3.6 Maggies, my wife told me that if I wanted them, I could get the 20.7s, an extra 6 or 7K at that time.
We support each other’s hobbies and life remains balanced. Both are music lovers, ut when we merged our CDs into a 900 strong collection, there was exactly one duplicate, CSN’s first album/cd.
IME, people only lie about the cost of something to their spouse when the item in question is above their reach from an overall financial perspective. I highly doubt Bill Gates would ever lie about the cost of something.
Ahhh, to have the sound system in the grand ballroom, (er, 16’x20’x9’ family room) instead of relegated to a 12’x12’x8’ former spare bedroom! It’s enough that my wife agrees to my quest for bigger and better audio gear and material to play on it. She does try to give me the guilt trip though, whenever I inform her of my pending purchases.
“This is a forum to discuss impressions on all things hifi and music....without regard for who is into the hobby for the most virtuous of motivations, right?”
Now I realize how I ruined my marriage. Instead of lying about the cost of my gear I tried to convince my ex that my newly purchased JBL 4350’s would blend in with the living room furniture...
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