A solitary hobby??
- Thread starter DaveyF
- Start date
Leaving aside the fact that hi-fi and house pets don't mix (at least when you are using vinyl as the source), I prefer a dedicated room where there are no phones, no appliance noises, no distractions. My wife or a visitor will join me to listen on occasion, but it is largely a solitary activity, except when chatting with others on the intraweb, talking in person, by phone or email with others involved in gear, vinyl collecting or related topics involving music/reproduction/history/production/tours or legal matters or business matters relating to copyright.
I wonder how much these numbers would change if conditions were specified, i.e.; seated, concentrated listening. I'd guess the overwhelming majority of the co-listening going on is "music playing in the house," while other activities are primary.
Tim
Tim
Probably 99% of my 2- channel room listening is done alone. My wife has no interest in just sitting and listening to music. When she wants to hear music or if we need background music when company is over I play it via the whole house system.
Music is much more important to me than my wife but only has it relates to "dedicated" listening. She loves the music we own but had no interest in sitting in a chair and "just listening".
So, with a music server and a wireless device, music can now be played in our family room and controlled with our iPhone/iPad.
And to veer slightly off topic, that this is generally a solo sport has helped drive home theater. While my wife won't sit and listen to music, Friday night is our date night. Go out to eat and come home and watch a movie (or two).
So, with a music server and a wireless device, music can now be played in our family room and controlled with our iPhone/iPad.
And to veer slightly off topic, that this is generally a solo sport has helped drive home theater. While my wife won't sit and listen to music, Friday night is our date night. Go out to eat and come home and watch a movie (or two).
My music room is meant to both my fortress of solitude (the bass trap design was inspired by that concept 
) but also doubles as a lounge for the gang to hang out in.
When the gang is in, we drink and shoot the breeze with music in the background. Serious listening time is either alone time or time with other audio friends there to check whatever is new out or potential clients who are over to checkout how we do end to end room design and integration.
I have had my solo time raided by the gang. It's all good though. The Munsters are a funny bunch of degenerates.
) but also doubles as a lounge for the gang to hang out in.When the gang is in, we drink and shoot the breeze with music in the background. Serious listening time is either alone time or time with other audio friends there to check whatever is new out or potential clients who are over to checkout how we do end to end room design and integration.
I have had my solo time raided by the gang. It's all good though. The Munsters are a funny bunch of degenerates.
When I was married we would listen together most all of the time. After the marriage some GFs would listen with me but I never had a "live in" so I can't really say. Terry moved in in 2008 and we listen together about 95% of the time. But she is a an audiophile
As far as family goes, my kids listen with me far more than the wives do. My six year old boy can sit on my lap at attention for long stretches at a time but only if it is classical music. He tends to dance around with Jazz and R&B. His older siblings are developing their own musical tastes and do mostly headphone listening. At the old place they had their own little Yamaha and B&W 302 system but the way their room is set up right now, their study desks have taken up the two spaces where their system might have gone. My brothers and my Dad have very good systems as well, Big bro Jim's is as extreme as any I've seen anywhere. Dad's was built for ease of use and my other brother a mixed party and 2ch AV system. Cousin/Business partner Keith is the SET guy. We spend quite a bit of time in each other's places.
My wife reigns supreme over the HT where she watches her indie flicks and Rom-coms. She's got a pretty neat collection of CDs herself and downloaded music too. The former gets played in our bedroom and the latter in the background while she's on the desktop doing whatever.
My wife reigns supreme over the HT where she watches her indie flicks and Rom-coms. She's got a pretty neat collection of CDs herself and downloaded music too. The former gets played in our bedroom and the latter in the background while she's on the desktop doing whatever.
I surely am lucky!
Not only do I share my hobby with my wife, she also has some serious demands on the system. I was in the market for af new CD-player and tested several models including Wadia 7i, Audio Aero La Fontaine, DCS Puccini. All of these machine failed in her opinion: "They are not as good as the Eera CD2 that we have already". It wasn´t until the Eera Tentation entered the house that she gave in. That particular CD-player could stay.
Regarding CD vs. vinyl she also has an opinion: "Darling, shouldn´t we listen to qualified music tonight? Please bring out the LPs" (our SME 20/2 Koetsu Urushi combination actually bettering the Eera Tentation in terms of pure musical joy)!
Not only do I share my hobby with my wife, she also has some serious demands on the system. I was in the market for af new CD-player and tested several models including Wadia 7i, Audio Aero La Fontaine, DCS Puccini. All of these machine failed in her opinion: "They are not as good as the Eera CD2 that we have already". It wasn´t until the Eera Tentation entered the house that she gave in. That particular CD-player could stay.
Regarding CD vs. vinyl she also has an opinion: "Darling, shouldn´t we listen to qualified music tonight? Please bring out the LPs" (our SME 20/2 Koetsu Urushi combination actually bettering the Eera Tentation in terms of pure musical joy)!
I got seriously back into 2ch about 20 years ago and when my older brother stopped by for a visit, I was excited for him to hear my system. I sat him down in the sweet spot and must have put some audiophile recording on. After a few seconds he turned to me and asked "what do you do now?"...oh well.
classic
thats about the reaction I always got and you wonder why its a solitary hobby for some. i'm happy for those that have a spouse/significant other that will join them and listen along, i'm quite the opposite and i relish my alone time to meditate, veg out or whatever and thats what my system helps me do.
Most times, people are impressed by scale and deep bass. Because great systems can do this better than typically run of the mill systems. otherwise, the little 'ting' here or the 'soundstage' there is lost on most people,
About half of my friends usually walk in and say "is that a new version of the song? it sounds clearer, or I can hear all the words, or I hear different things." But its a passing comment. The only time you get their attention is if you take a Ref Recordings Dallas Wind Symphony or 50 Cent and throw it full throttle...like pushing past 100db for a few seconds...when the bass is driving their pants to flap in the wind a bit...or their stomach is getting punched...they get this half-frightened, half-thrilled look on their face like you're doing a 120 in a car on open road in AZ...and they look at you a little breathless. That's cool...so they appreciate it...but again, its clearly 'not their thing'.
So after that, i just go back to leaving it on in the background. At the end of the nite, about half the people just look at the equipment and the speakers and say 'cool...you're clearly nuts about this...but i [guess] i get it now.'
If I want to impress the casual visitor, I will play something like Crosby and Nash - Another Stoney evening (in surround sound). This has not rhythm section. I will consistently get commentary that this sounds much better than it would sound being at the live event.
You know...I've never played Stevie Ray Vaughan 'Tin Pan Alley' for guests...I have the MFSL Gold CD...I know Steve uses it quite often as a reference recording to impress non-audiophile friends. At the same time, I have to wonder if Dallas Symphony with that massive organ or, dare I say it, even 50 Cents 'In Da Club' is going to get a bigger reaction because people can at least appreciate raw volume, scale and bass...I do not know if they fully appreciate nuance or clarity. Tin Pan Alley has great bass...but its not a 32hz pedal, or a club song people are so used to hearing they can at least 'hear the difference'.
I will try it some time.
garylkoh
WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
For the non-audiophile casual visitor, I always put on something live - Eagles, Deep Purple, Muddy Waters, even Chuck Mangione. I usually get a good reaction out of that. I can't remember was the first track I put on for my wife - but she stayed the night, and spent the next day listening to music after I left for work.
