W.A.F. What does it mean to you?

[Brian]

The only gear related problem we had was when I bought a pair of DCM Timeframes, which she dubbed "the Hershey Bars". She actually thought they were FUBARS and accused me of finding the ugliest speakers on the planet.

I've been on a tear buying thrift shop and garage sale records. She thinks I'm out of control. When she was taking statistics for her Doctorate, she remarked: "I've been doing some calculations and determined it is statistically impossible for you, even listening 8 hours a day, to play every record you own before you die." She didn't say whether my buying habits were helping to assure her hypothesis.

She has been very gracious. When we built our home, I was given space in the daylight basement for my office (mancave) and an entire room to store my records. The rule is none of my crap comes to the main floor.

She does appreciate good audio. She won't go to the cineplex anymore because she says our dedicated home theater sounds so much better she can't abide the crappy movie house sound.

On you were the sacrificial rat in the experiment for her thesis. At least you served some useful purpose.

 

[Catcher10]

No issue on my end...she has accepted my love of music and audio gear since high school. If I wanted to buy a $5K TT, she would make a face I am sure and then say sure, but I would not do that.
I have threatened to sell my mint condition Teac X2000-R several times, she is the one who tells me NO, says "you love that thing...don't sell it.."

She brings me home old beat up vinyl she finds at yard sales she gets for like $0.50 ea....I have like 4 copies of several Eagles albums cause she cannot remember what she has bought. LOL

My setup is in the lower level, I can crank as loud as I want and she says nothing...All she says is "having fun huh!"

I suspect if I had tons of gear laying all over the house and tables, she would say something.

Its all good here

 

[-reverb-]

The only gear related problem we had was when I bought a pair of DCM Timeframes, which she dubbed "the Hershey Bars". She actually thought they were FUBARS and accused me of finding the ugliest speakers on the planet.

Oddly enough, my wife is most tolerant of the Timeframes 700's although they are larger than stuff she says she doesn't like i.e. the Snell Model E II's. She absolutely hates the Klipsch Chorus II's but doesn't mind the Dalhquist DQ-10's.

The only thing I can figure is as long as it's not a rectangular box, she is fine with it

Otherwise, she is very forgiving of my obsession.

 

[cubdog]

My wife tolerates most all of my eccentricities. That includes large and sometimes ugly speakers. As long as I never bring home some large and ugly woman I think I'm good.

cubdog

 

[wascobi]

at 52, and comfortably alone, I kinda question the 'validity?' of a relationship where you're walking on eggshells. is it worth it? never had that issue either way when I was with someone. I would think that would be part of the screening process?

tongue in cheek, or maybe not...
just my two cents

 

[trhee]

My GF actually likes the way my system looks and approves and supports all my hobbies and endeavors.

For her, she doesn't care whether she listens to music on an iPod with buds or thru my system or anything in between. She knows and hears differences in sound quality but for her, music is music no matter what it's played back thru.

 

[rcspkramp]

What's this about wives? I thought it meant Weird Audio Fetish.

 

[sqlsavior]

Wife Acceptance Factor for me means my wife accepts what I love to do. She was a bit dismayed when the Maggie 1.7s arrived:

Me: "I told you they were almost as tall as I am."

Her: "No, you did not!"

But she accepted them anyway, and basically ceded the living room to me. When I came back with the Quads, got them off the cinder blocks, and moved the Maggies to the bedroom, she liked it a lot better, though. I think she kind of appreciates the Quads as antiques...

I built her a small kitchen-shelf system, and she likes to play it from time to time. She has good ears, better than she thinks they are.

She's the best thing I've got going for me.

 

[BOUXY]

My Wife has been involved with my My Music Plans for as long as We have been together (49 Yrs) primarily because She has always loved Music herself and I got her interested in the Equipment used for playing it long ago!Best Idea period

 

[JoeESP9]

Women in general have better hearing than men. Unfortunately they usually don't care much about how a stereo sounds.

 

[hjames]

That kind of depends on the woman, Joe. Some women are tone-deaf (just as some men are) and don't get much from music in the first point.
If you don't hear a melody, its all pretty pointless, isn't it?
I had a friend that fancied himself a music buff. We were out camping years ago
and he would whistle along to Linda Ronstadt and other music we brought along,
but he only whistled one note over and over again, in time with the beat of the music.
That just about drove me crazy!
Not his fault, of course - buts that's one reason some folks don't get it.

 

[131east23]

We live very casually. No colors or big sweeping decorating schemes for us, both with art degrees, very visual but kind of bohemian. No complaints at all from my wife but it works both ways. We each have things we are particular about and seem to respect that. My system dominates the main room and no complaints. It sounds good and makes the movies we watch sound good as well.

 

[TrrR]

The wife - She's a treasure. after 34 years I'd still throw all my audio stuff off the dock if it was a decision between her and my addiction to speakers. She's reasonably accepting well routed wires and boxes in corners.

That said, she accepts my weirdness as long as the 3' and 4' tall speakers stay in the theater / listening room and the softball sized ones are in the living area.

 

[Rob41]

The only gear related problem we had was when I bought a pair of DCM Timeframes, which she dubbed "the Hershey Bars". She actually thought they were FUBARS and accused me of finding the ugliest speakers on the planet.

I've been on a tear buying thrift shop and garage sale records. She thinks I'm out of control. When she was taking statistics for her Doctorate, she remarked: "I've been doing some calculations and determined it is statistically impossible for you, even listening 8 hours a day, to play every record you own before you die." She didn't say whether my buying habits were helping to assure her hypothesis.

She has been very gracious. When we built our home, I was given space in the daylight basement for my office (mancave) and an entire room to store my records. The rule is none of my crap comes to the main floor.

She does appreciate good audio. She won't go to the cineplex anymore because she says our dedicated home theater sounds so much better she can't abide the crappy movie house sound.

Well there's the seed you can nurture. She clearly appreciates the quality sound of your HTR system. Now all you have to do is bring her into the fold of true stereo music. :thmbsp:

No issue on my end...she has accepted my love of music and audio gear since high school. If I wanted to buy a $5K TT, she would make a face I am sure and then say sure, but I would not do that.
I have threatened to sell my mint condition Teac X2000-R several times, she is the one who tells me NO, says "you love that thing...don't sell it.."

She brings me home old beat up vinyl she finds at yard sales she gets for like $0.50 ea....I have like 4 copies of several Eagles albums cause she cannot remember what she has bought. LOL

My setup is in the lower level, I can crank as loud as I want and she says nothing...All she says is "having fun huh!"

I suspect if I had tons of gear laying all over the house and tables, she would say something.

Its all good here

Good woman! My wife has said the same thing when I mentioned selling a cherished piece of gear. She has zero interest in any of my gear but she know's it's brought me a lot of joy.

Women in general have better hearing than men. Unfortunately they usually don't care much about how a stereo sounds.

I believed that most of my life but looking at our current society I'd say the majority of the population, both men and women, don't care about how a stereo sounds. At least not truely hi-fidelity sound. :sigh:

 

[musichal]

Funny thing about my wife is that she hates change. This can actually be a plus. For instance, when I put the Fortes in the Living Room she hated that they were so big, she just kept saying for days that they were too big, while I mostly avoided the subject, knowing all I had to do was bide my time. In a couple of weeks she became accustomed to the size and really liked the real walnut veneer.

I mentioned the possibility of downsizing the speakers one day just to hear her response, which basically was, "there is no way those wimpy little speakers could sound anywhere near as good as our (note the "our") Klipsches... I thought we like real speakers here..." So then I knew it was time to introduce the subject of phase two of my e-vile plan, having a walnut veneer custom A/V cabinet built to match the speakers. That got immediate approval.

 

[motorstereo]

Women in general have better hearing than men. Unfortunately they usually don't care much about how a stereo sounds.

Apparently you've been hanging around with the wrong women:scratch2:. My wife knows right where the listening sweet spot is and she also shares my excitement when a noticeable upgrade comes along. And when her sister stops by for a visit she does not leave until she's heard several of her favorite cd's. Yes indeed there are women out there that do care about good sound.

 

[krowmagnum]

I'm not married but I have lived with someone for 12+ years and she goes along with just about anything I bring home. I am greatful that the money I spend has never been an issue. She shares my love of music, but not necessarily my love of the hobby.

My main system is in my office but the living room has a receiver/CD player hooked up to TF-700 Time Frames and she doesn't mind. (I've had much bigger) She even likes the Time Frames and complains when I swap them out with something new to try. The Time Frames always make their way back into the living room eventually.

I don't think I would last very long with any woman who would complain about a stereo and big speakers in the living room. This is OUR home and we both have to feel at home. But the garage will always be all mine.

 

[ggregg]

I've been married almost 30 years. Through it all, there are been a stereo system in the living room. Even when I was going nuts with other hobbies. Did you know you can fit 4 table radios on a console radio and at least 5 or 6 consoles in a normal size living room. I did thin down by radio collection by about 90% eventually. At one time, I could sit in easy chair and see at least three dozen radios. Of course, this doesn't fly forever.

These days she gives me an area to do with as I wish and she gets the living area. I'm allowed one or two pieces and that's pretty much it. I have a modern style 1960 RCA TV that flips into a low table and 2 console radios, one in the hall and one in the dining room. My stereo gear is all in the bedroom and the room she gives me to do with whatever I wish. I could put a small system with smaller speakers in the living room, and she wouldn't care, but what's the point.

When she comes across something interesting, she will usually call me and ask if she should buy it. If it's cheap enough, she will just buy it. One time she comes with a CD player and said "it's a NAD so I knew it was a pretty good one". Another time she called me and said "I bought you something. Can you say Bang and Olufsen?" She has also found some of the neatest antique radios. She does have a great eye and hates big speakers like many girls do. She likes listening to music from time to time and has good ears should she wish to use them.

 

[JoeESP9]

That kind of depends on the woman, Joe. Some women are tone-deaf (just as some men are) and don't get much from music in the first point.
If you don't hear a melody, its all pretty pointless, isn't it?
I had a friend that fancied himself a music buff. We were out camping years ago
and he would whistle along to Linda Ronstadt and other music we brought along,
but he only whistled one note over and over again, in time with the beat of the music.
That just about drove me crazy!
Not his fault, of course - buts that's one reason some folks don't get it.

The amount of people who actually are tone deaf is quite small. I don't know the numbers male versus female. I do know it's a medical fact that women in general have better hearing than men. This is because of the size of the bones in the ear. Women have smaller more delicate bones there which translates to greater sensitivity. Of course, hearing and listening are two different things.

Maybe he was just a lousy whistler!

motorstereo: Consider yourself lucky. The responses from others in this and other related threads support my contention that many women are not nearly as concerned with stereo sound as men generally are. My first wife loved my system. She became upset when I replaced a pair of MG-3a's with a pair of Acoustat 3's. She said the Acoustats didn't sound as "warm" as the Maggies. I used her for cable and amplifier comparisons. She could walk in the front door and tell if I had changed anything in my man cave. My second wife couldn't have cared less about sound.

 

[jcamero]

My wife enjoys anything that reproduces music. She loves large and loud earth shaking speakers. She only asks that she hear them before I move them along. I set her up a system in her workout area, but prefers listening to a boom box with an mp3 input at levels so loud it's only distortion. My wife does not like the same music as I, but on occasion she asks "what song is that?" and it ends up on her IPod. Can I have my system in the living room? We would have to rearrange everything, but as long as it's laid out well, I think so.