Passion or obsession

As long as your family, and dog, are not lacking the necessities of life because you divert money away from groceries, rent, etc., then it all sounds pretty normal to me. You seem to fit the AudiogoN profile.

Sounds like my life.
My dogs still like me, I give them a few minutes everyday.
:)

Audio probably isn't the only reason some people spend way too much time in front of the computer. (I'll leave that up to the imagination - paging Harry Palms, is there a Harry Palms in the building?) I think by definition the transition to obsession would involve diverting funds and time away from other things that should demand attention. At that point some time on the couch is probably necessary. Also if the infamous white van is permanently parked in fron of your house that probably is a sign.

The bills are paid, the family is dressed well, nobody's hungry (damn I got mustard on the keyboard), we have our quality time etc... I just can't justify a new bedroom suite or a new kitchen table, when what we really need is a new CD player and a few sets of power cables. It's not like we're sleeping on the floor (well she isn't) or eating in the back alley.

Actually my wife is fairly cool about it, although this audio thing definately gets her pretty wound up from time to time. I guess it's understandable, I can't imagine how I'd feel if she started getting into high end hair dryers and curling irons. Wow hon you're thrifty, 60% off a $1400.00 tube of lipstick. Oh....it's used!!!

If your passion for music has been superceded by your obsession with audio components and set up you really do need professional help! :-)

I love me gear, but I only love it becase it transports the musical experience to me in a pasionate emotional way.

This hobby used to consume me...when I had over $13,000 worth of gear. Now my setup is worth under 5k (still not chump change, but some people spend more on power cables) and I am much MUCH happier.

I'm like that, but my wife says I have OCD, so I have an excuse. By the way, my dog gets on my lap when I'm on the computer, although he hates my music. Maybe we should start listening to classical. What do you think?

for me this "hooby" is a quest to achieve my sonic goal.

once i have done that, i will be less interested in matters audio nad listen more often to a baisc stereo system than my main system.

thus, i look at audio as a challenge the way i look at perfecting my volley, when i was younger.

in essence however, audio and listening to music is a peripheral activity.

in terms of priorities, there are many others that are most important.

most of the time i listen to music in the background and have been doing so for many years.

lest i be accused of being inconsistent or disingenuous because i have started threads or posted on various topics, my reasons for doing so have been to satisfy my innate curiosity about human beings. i like dialogues where ideas are exchanged and i like to write.

i think too many people place an exaggerated sense of importance to equipment and listening to music. i see too many equipment and music addicts. maybe the ego is involved or perhaps there are needs which are not being satisfied by other activities.

I hope in the first sentence of your last paragraph you are only referring to the connection of audio to the listening experience, that is the apparent need for excellence for one to enjoy the music. Not, that folks here have an 'exaggerated sense of importance to.....listening to music".

But, since you repeat yourself in the next sentence by referring to 'music addicts' I think not.

On that note, I would say that its much better to have a an "exaggerated sense of importance to ....listening to music", than to have an overdeveloped and exaggerated sense of self. :-(