My wife is a teacher who has from time to time needed music for one application or another. This silly hobby of mine has supplied for her either a recorded copy of the music needed or the know-how to arrange music needed for whatever reason on whatever was the hot medium at the time. There have been one or two under the table minor fix-ups to playback hardware they use in classrooms. In short, whatever has been accumulated or learned she has been free to tap into. Living in harmony with a wife and stereo is no harder than succeeding in a business environment: do a favor for the boss once in a while and he (or she) will leave you alone.:thmbsp:
Your Speakers and Your Wife
- Thread starter JuggleSama
- Start date
Doghouse
Super Member
I'm into vintage audio equipment so there's no conflict with my wife over buying something new, though I do occasionally buy old stuff.
It's a compromise, as she spends a lot of money on her hobbies, which are decoupage card making and jewellery making.
This is my tuner/amp a Leak 2000 from around 1980, which cost me about thirty quid three years ago on eBay. It's near immaculate looking and it sounds great.
It replaced a Philips 790, that I'd paid £90 for in 1972 (that'd be about £500 in today's prices) which blew an output transistor, so wasn't worth repairing. It had those touch controls for changing channels which went "bang" every time you touched one if you had the volume up loud!
I use this Philips 308 turntable on the right for records
And occasionally, this Sharp cassette deck on the left.
Both purchased in 1972, along with some big Goodmans speakers, still going strong.
I do have a modern DVD/CD player, which lives under the TV to the left with a Humax PVR and a VHS recorder.
But I play mp3s on my computer through this Rock-Ola Phonette wall box in the smallest bedroom upstairs. The title cards I use as a telephone directory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EFV25tY0fc
We have this in our summerhouse at the bottom of the garden
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i42Wuc_Pzoc
....Err.. and this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISeRK8vCa1M
I'm presently waiting for a kit to arrive from America to connect to this new acquisition, a Rock-Ola 507 Tri-Vue jukebox wall box, to a second-hand iPod I've just purchased to play 160 mp3 tracks through the Leak. It's from the early eighties, in immaculate condition and I got it a couple of weeks ago on eBay, for a third of what'd I'd have been willing to pay.
The advantage is there's no rubbish "B sides" that you always get with vinyl 45s and you can play stuff recorded later than the eighties.
I've also got my tenor sax and electric piano in the same front room.
I think that about covers it.
Err 'cept I also play golf (weather permitting) three times a week and I keep Japanese koi. This gives me no time to actually have a job.
It's a compromise, as she spends a lot of money on her hobbies, which are decoupage card making and jewellery making.
This is my tuner/amp a Leak 2000 from around 1980, which cost me about thirty quid three years ago on eBay. It's near immaculate looking and it sounds great.
It replaced a Philips 790, that I'd paid £90 for in 1972 (that'd be about £500 in today's prices) which blew an output transistor, so wasn't worth repairing. It had those touch controls for changing channels which went "bang" every time you touched one if you had the volume up loud!
I use this Philips 308 turntable on the right for records
And occasionally, this Sharp cassette deck on the left.
Both purchased in 1972, along with some big Goodmans speakers, still going strong.
I do have a modern DVD/CD player, which lives under the TV to the left with a Humax PVR and a VHS recorder.
But I play mp3s on my computer through this Rock-Ola Phonette wall box in the smallest bedroom upstairs. The title cards I use as a telephone directory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EFV25tY0fc
We have this in our summerhouse at the bottom of the garden
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i42Wuc_Pzoc
....Err.. and this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISeRK8vCa1M
I'm presently waiting for a kit to arrive from America to connect to this new acquisition, a Rock-Ola 507 Tri-Vue jukebox wall box, to a second-hand iPod I've just purchased to play 160 mp3 tracks through the Leak. It's from the early eighties, in immaculate condition and I got it a couple of weeks ago on eBay, for a third of what'd I'd have been willing to pay.
The advantage is there's no rubbish "B sides" that you always get with vinyl 45s and you can play stuff recorded later than the eighties.
I've also got my tenor sax and electric piano in the same front room.
I think that about covers it.
Err 'cept I also play golf (weather permitting) three times a week and I keep Japanese koi. This gives me no time to actually have a job.
thymanst
Minnesota morning
When I first started getting back into audio 11 years ago she had no tolerance for stereo gear in the main part of the house - then I started making money by buying/selling gear - I turned a real corner with her when I bought a mcintosh mc22 pre amp for $500 and sold it for $2300 - now I've got stuff everywhere and she doesn't mind as long is the house is paid back for purchases - I've also paid for her computer and helped pay for summer vacations .....
My wife is just not in on my Magnapan MGIIIa's, their size just bums her. She even tried to sell them to Blue Shadow on the cheap at the last get together at my house. :sigh: That being said, she is OK with my gear. Whenever there is an issue I bring up our Bernina investment in her dedicated Sewing room, and all is well once again.
Regards,
Jim
Regards,
Jim
Robinhawaii
Super Member
My wife likes our McIntosh XR-19's so much, she told me to buy another pair... easier said than done.
Happy holidays,
Rob
Happy holidays,
Rob
Wes_in_VA
Super Member
She must never have seen Apogees.
My wife was with me when I checked out a pair of Apogee Stages at jjohnson's house. Her response to them: no way in hell.
blackfly
Fidelius Claritus
I could say that I am lucky, but my wife and I have been together since we were 17, so 24 years now. Moreover, I was into audio at the time, so it is no surprise that I have the system that I do. My speakers are very "wife approved". Despite the fact they are somewhat large (look them up) they are elegant. My only time my wife was upset was when I made my own audio rack some years ago, and at the time I had little tools... it was ulitarian, made of pure oak, strong, but BUTT ugly. She always took a dig how ugly it was. When we moved into the house we now have she actually helped me search out the equipment racks I have now. Good eye. They are no longer made and I am lucky to have obtained two. But why is it whenever you find something good it never lasts? I was hoping to get two small ones for the eventually day I go monoblock, but no dice.
Money is never an issue with my audio gear (or any other hobby) since it is well used. Only if I spend on something and I don't use it or justify it does it get me in hot water. But not yet.
It helps I have my own room for my audio gear though. I suspect most trouble comes from those who have to share the living room with the audio gear and the rest of the house. Strange there always seems to be a new purse every so often....
Money is never an issue with my audio gear (or any other hobby) since it is well used. Only if I spend on something and I don't use it or justify it does it get me in hot water. But not yet.
It helps I have my own room for my audio gear though. I suspect most trouble comes from those who have to share the living room with the audio gear and the rest of the house. Strange there always seems to be a new purse every so often....
poortom
Active Member
I am out of town overnight in a motel. The kids and wife bought a Chirstmas tree tonight and are rearranging the living room. I suspect my speakers will be in the storage room in the basement by the time I get home. She's been lamenting the "College Dorm" look of the stereo in the living room for a while and making loud noises like it's got to go. I tried to explain that my AR-10pi's were TOTL in their day and are covered all the way around in real walnut but it made no difference to her.
At least I still have my office system.
At least I still have my office system.
The only reason I have all this stuff is because my goodwife asked me to get a stereo a few years back to replace the one she bought that fell apart bit by bit in just a few years (made in someplace not here) and when I couldn't find them at the stores I started buying vintage. So it's all her fault anyway.
KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
My wife is small and short, but the speakers and equipment racks are large. And she likes her cornerhorns and the furniture arranged around their optimum placement. She chose them. And we both love them as do the children. I am lucky, she's a musician and broadcaster. And an equally fine engineer in her own right.
bre's dad
I drank what?!?
There is a delicate compromise in our household. I can pretty much do whatever I want to downstairs (which is fine as the good stuff.. tubes... are there) but she has to have say in what goes upstairs. As long the room doesn't look like a stereo shop or speakers don't look like speakers (big box), she seems more open to them. I've had Time Windows in there she didn't even think was a speaker (she asked why I got rid of the speakers and replaced them with plant stands). About a year ago I took a shot at a from scratch DIY build. Partially inspired by Thiel & some Sequerra Pyramids I had, I designed the cabinets as a truncated pyramid and she really seems to like those and they sound good too (not trying to toot my own horn). She got mad when I put those downstairs and put some JBL 4411's in their place. The 4411's are now back in the closet and the DIY's are coming back. Will post when I get a chance to take a picture.
When she told me that we are never selling the Khorns, I married her.
When she told me that she likes how the QLS1's look and sound, she got lucky.....
When she told me that she likes how the QLS1's look and sound, she got lucky.....
