Wife hates new speakers......Sigh

Ok from what I'v read it sounds like your buying too much gear and swapping things around too much right now. All at a time you say you're in a small house and the "Plans Are" to move into a bigger place that your working on.


There is always deals the thing is your looking and dragging them home. In the space and time your at one would, should look at enough is enough. You have a system that plays music, stop chasing deals and looking for more clutter in your life. No matter where you live at some point you'll need to get off the tread mill of the grass is greener, and needing to shop and buy.

Options
Leave them there knowing she's not happy.
Pack them up and store till you move and they're out of the living room.
Sell them at no lose since you said you got a deal.

Now my opinion on the looks, I think they are ugly and wouldn't want them in my space either. I don't mind the size or the high polish gloss black. But the contrasting gaudy flashy trim rings and driver cones really are off putting. I wouldn't want them in my space no matter how they sound and if I had to have them the grill screens would be a must have to hide the drivers. They remind me of early 80s cheap kabuki speaker trying to show value buy accenting the drivers and bring a mechanical look. But that's just my two cents and we're all different in what we like.

Well put 4-2-7, IMHO. :thumbsup:+ :beerchug:
Grills in place might have had a less of a shock factor for her first impression..

I doin`t get the popularity of leaving the grills off speakers, after all, they are for listening to music and hopefully when set up correctly should disappear sonically when quality music is played through them..

I`m single and never been married, so there is no WAF/GFF in any of my house`s 6 room setups, but I find those hyper stack of white paper cones glaringly gaudy looking and draw needless visual attention to them..

Is leaving speaker grill`s off some kind of visual techno bragging rights that is lost on me ? o_O

Properly designed(hopefully !) speaker grill`s should have a very minimal impact, and then only at the highest frequency`s.

But that`s just my opinion, and it`s value, or not, is subject to question, I`m sure !! :dunno:

Carry on folks.
Regards, OKB
 
those speakers are awesome! With my girlfriend, the tower style with all the drivers seemed to be what hits some women and takes the breath away. I had to change some, and have great luck now with high end bookshelves , they don't know if they cost $100, or $7500. also a small high end sub, just dont call it a sub, call it something nicer like, ummmm that's my energy saver , its very smart, :)we can hide it behind the couch or anywhere.
 
Went through the same thing with my Ex Wife. She hated the big speakers I bought and put in the living room without telling her. I do and did see her point, but she never understood or appreciated my love of audio equipment at all and in a way she brought it on herself by not letting me put in the 5.1 speakers in the living room that she actually bought me.

My new girlfriend understands that the speakers and the stereo are not negotiable. I've learnt that... Buy your stereo equipment before you move in and if you do... Buy it BIG. That way if you downsize she'll be appreciative. My new girlfriend asked if she could replace my current KEF R900 with something smaller. I said sure... and showed her a pair of KEF Reference 1. They're only bookshelves but the price seems to have silenced her for now.

Also a bigger TV does wonders in shrinking speakers.
kef r900s:bowdown: , even my small r300s are incredible, the reference 1 would be my choice also if i had the budget..
 
I'm guessing this is what your wife sees in her mind when trying to relax in her living room:

Rogue-One-Star-Wars-Darth-Vader-James-Earl.jpg


The solution is simple Lord Homer. She must be persuaded to join you on the dark side:

TakeHerAway-ANH.png


May the force be with you!
 
I doin`t get the popularity of leaving the grills off speakers, after all, they are for listening to music and hopefully when set up correctly should disappear sonically when quality music is played through them..

Bill, Bill, Bill . . . Do I really have to explain this to a man? With the grills on, we cannot watch the woofers move.

The advent of digital technology has already robbed us of the fun of watching reels rotate and records turn - not to mention the dearth of VU meters - so what are we supposed to occupy our eyes with while listening to music?

Unless there's a really pretty wife involved . . . .

GeeDeeEmm
 
Bill, Bill, Bill . . . Do I really have to explain this to a man? With the grills on, we cannot watch the woofers move.

The advent of digital technology has already robbed us of the fun of watching reels rotate and records turn - not to mention the dearth of VU meters - so what are we supposed to occupy our eyes with while listening to music?

Unless there's a really pretty wife involved . . . .

GeeDeeEmm
 
The R300s are awesome! I have a set too, but with speakers bigger is better when it comes to dynamics IMO.
I had the opportunity to listen to a pair of the KEF Blade II speakers a couple of years ago. All I could say was "wow." Of course the price point they were at garnered pretty much the opposite response from me. :D
 
I've decided I do not want to go through the headache of boxing them up. They are just far too big and heavy to go through that again.

It was bad enough unboxing them!

Last night I tried to sweeten her up by playing one of her favorite bands (INXS) and then saying how amazing they sounded on good gear. I managed to get her singing along so that's a good sign!

Also the couch swap we did may have cheered her up going by the amount of cushions on it. There are six of them on a 2.5 seat couch, three each side and me in the middle is all there is room for on it now!

Cushions on a couch.....is there anything more useless? :dunno:

My wife lives in a traveling nest of pillows and cushions... even takes one in the car if we go out. Some things are best left a mystery.
 
Bill, Bill, Bill . . . Do I really have to explain this to a man? With the grills on, we cannot watch the woofers move.

The advent of digital technology has already robbed us of the fun of watching reels rotate and records turn - not to mention the dearth of VU meters - so what are we supposed to occupy our eyes with while listening to music?

Unless there's a really pretty wife involved . . . .

GeeDeeEmm
Well Sir, I guess with the outside visual distraction of a pretty wife/GF, after pursuing this sonic pursuit for over 44 years, I apparently fell out of the "visual aspects" of "listening to sound", all I can say is :I guess I march to a different drummer..

As my father observed & conveyed to me at the young age of 13~15 years old, as I recall..

Fixing audio gear and mixing live sound for a living for decades might have something to do with my indifferent attitude, but this old man still likes to look at a pretty Ladies, but doesn`t, and won`t allow her to tell him what speakers, or how big they can be, and where he can put them in "his house"!!
I have a modicum of taste, at least my friends wives have told me so, if in fact truthful..

Probably, in my case, why I`ve never been married after very soon to be 63 years of existing on this planet..

To each his, or her own, but nobody tells me what I`m going to do with any of my sound systems in "my house"..

Living alone doesn`t mean that I`m lonely !!

Enjoy your situations as you deem fit, or tolerably acceptable..

Kind regards, OKB
 
This just reminds me of how lucky I am. My wife would probably be overjoyed if I brought home four Peavey or Cerwin Vega PA speakers and stacked them in the living room. The only speakers she doesn't like aesthetically are what she calls "droid speakers"... anything that looks like it will sprout arms and legs start walking about the room like something out of Star Wars.

I'm originally from that area. Here's a little somethin' for ya...my daughter from 7 (ugh) years ago

 
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The wife gets home, walks through the door. First thing out of her mouth is " I can't believe those. They look absolutely shit. God I just hate living in this house now (referring to hifi gear). She's bloody unimpressed and angry.
[/QUOTE]
Not a keeper. Speakers will treat you better in the long run.
 
My wife lives in a traveling nest of pillows and cushions... even takes one in the car if we go out. Some things are best left a mystery.

Now that is just going roo far! Does she use the cushion or place it delicately on the back seat in a stylish manner?
 
Well I think I MAY just be over the hump now and able the keep them. She has softened up considerably and I have been endlessly buttering her up also.

I've also been away for work and she has missed me more then hating the "dark force towers" in the living room.

Making her a special dinner and sharing a bottle of wine last night while listening to my recent amazing record collection acquisition was good fun.

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....inputs-amazing-record-collection-find.794941/

We were exploring 45 rmp 12" 70's disco singles we'd never heard before and wondering what would happen if we opened a 70's themed night club (discotech for the Europeans here lol) playing that sort of music.

I think I'm possibly home and hosed now.......maybe :)
 
After scoring some new speakers at an incredible price at auction I fly approx 600 miles to pick them up as every courier company I ring either wants ridiculous money to transport them ($600) or won't deal with the auction house.

So I hire a campervan (cheapest hire option) and spend the night in a parking lot at the beach then drive an hour to pick the speakers up the next morning.

Two massive boxes just fit in ( each speaker alone weighs 73kg or 160 pounds without packaging which includes solid mdf board) and I proceed to drive home which takes over 12 hours.

I get home, unload them and set them up with the help of my brother. We love them.

The wife gets home, walks through the door. First thing out of her mouth is " I can't believe those. They look absolutely shit. God I just hate living in this house now (referring to hifi gear). She's bloody unimpressed and angry.

What do you do?!

Sigh......

Speakers in question are Magnat Quantum Signature speakers in gloss black.

https://www.magnat.de/en/audiophile/quantum-signature/

magnat-1500x1000.jpg
Got the same cool reception from my wife when I brought home Shahinian Obelisks. After she heard them and after we got some positive responses from guests, she began to warm up to them. After a while she referred to them as the butler and the maid.
 
We were exploring 45 rmp 12" 70's disco singles we'd never heard before and wondering what would happen if we opened a 70's themed night club (discotech for the Europeans here lol) playing that sort of music.

I hear this one is available...
xanadu.jpg
 
After scoring some new speakers at an incredible price at auction I fly approx 600 miles to pick them up as every courier company I ring either wants ridiculous money to transport them ($600) or won't deal with the auction house.

So I hire a campervan (cheapest hire option) and spend the night in a parking lot at the beach then drive an hour to pick the speakers up the next morning.

Two massive boxes just fit in ( each speaker alone weighs 73kg or 160 pounds without packaging which includes solid mdf board) and I proceed to drive home which takes over 12 hours.

I get home, unload them and set them up with the help of my brother. We love them.

The wife gets home, walks through the door. First thing out of her mouth is " I can't believe those. They look absolutely shit. God I just hate living in this house now (referring to hifi gear). She's bloody unimpressed and angry.

What do you do?!

Sigh......

Speakers in question are Magnat Quantum Signature speakers in gloss black.

https://www.magnat.de/en/audiophile/quantum-signature/

magnat-1500x1000.jpg
I once saw a pair of ProAc Tablettes (I think they were called) side-by-side inside and on the bottom shelf behind the cabinet door that had to be open for the speakers to see the listening room. Beautiful wood and very fine appearing mini-monitors. The Magnat (French company?) look awful good in that piano lacquer black. Sorry bro, your's, like a good many ladies, appears repulsed by speaker size, I suspect. One reason Bose and Kef can sell the really small egg or rubix cude size speakers that some (ladies) claim they are unable to hear the difference with larger floorstanders, regardless how obviously inaccurate that opinion is.

Try playing her a good copy of her favorite tune which may allow her insight into why you are the way you are about "this crap" If that does not get her to give in a little, then beg her to let you keep them - like a child, but without the temper tantrum.
 
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