Does your female ever listen to your system?

BlackCat · « **on:** 25 Jun 2003, 10:21 pm »

Mine claims to love my stereo system. She was very supportive of all the expensive purchases. She listens to it, as long as I operate it. She's never once put on a CD herself, she doesn't listen to it at all if I'm not there. It's easy to operate, so I don't think that's the problem. She loves music but has never turned the system on herself. Anybody else notice this weird female behaviour?

mgalusha · « **Reply #1 on:** 25 Jun 2003, 10:25 pm »

You bet. She will even play records.

The only caveat is I have to keep it relatively simple to use. Pretty easy with the stereo, turn on the preamp, load a CD and press play. As for the HT, if the Pronto didn't have macros - not a chance in hell.

Mike

cjr888 · « **Reply #2 on:** 25 Jun 2003, 10:26 pm »

Same situation.
Loves music.
Loves music through the system.
I don't think she's ever hit play on her own though, but will often mention how nice things sound, discourage purchases before hand, and support them after the fact.

EDS_ · « **Reply #3 on:** 25 Jun 2003, 11:59 pm »

My better 1/2 listens quite a lot. She will not touch the system however.

ton1313 · « **Reply #4 on:** 26 Jun 2003, 01:28 am »

Mine listens, operates, encourages new purchases, and evaluates the upgrades

She really does, this is not a line of crap. If I am contemplating isolation devices or cables, she is the main decision maker if they stay or go, although we agree pretty much on all of the ugrades

bob82274 · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 Jun 2003, 02:09 am »

Ah to have a better half...

bubba966 · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 Jun 2003, 05:42 am »

Quote from: bob82274

Ah to have a better half...

Sorry to say I'm in the same, sad little boat that you are.

But I used to let an old roommate of mine use my system when I wasn't around. I had to write out instructions for some of the more complicated uses (such as watching PAL R2 DVD's, S-VHS recordings, etc.) as she didn't use it enough to remember everything.

She did like watching stuff on my setup. But, she was very content with watching a craptastic VHS tape on a mono 13" set before I got her to appreciate a nice presentation. And she still enjoys a nice presentation, but I haven't been able to fully teach her to search out a good presentation rather than just watching whatever POS presentation happens to be the most convienent at the time.

klaus@odyssey · « **Reply #7 on:** 26 Jun 2003, 08:11 am »

You betcha, and the kids are blasting anything from Linkin Park to Led Zep (especially the DVD, now Alex's favorite, and he's 9 !!!hehehe, yep, my son) to Nsync (aaaaaargh)

Sherrie had a $ 150. JC Penney thing when we met, and now she's bitching big time whenever there's something missing from the system (which happens from time to time, like the SL Belcantos, etc.) She's turned into the critic in the house, can you believe that ??? Anyway, her being part of the business made her completely loose any fear or second thoughts about operating anything, including the SL RG 8 Gold on warped vinyl (sweat).

Late,

Klaus

MaxCast · « **Reply #8 on:** 26 Jun 2003, 12:40 pm »

Wow, nice stories, guys. Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside

Actually I'm a bit jellous, as my wife listens to the radio and a CD once in awhile. She has learned to turn on the HT for TV and movies now because I made it so that is the only way to view (I ran the video through the Receiver).

She never listens down stairs with me

and doesn't give a rat's ass about tweeks, cables, and anything that costs over $100

doug s. · « **Reply #9 on:** 26 Jun 2003, 01:16 pm »

my wife uses & loves the main rig - even knows proper sequential turn-on for amps, x-over, preamp, sources, toob amp warm-up, etc. even uses the screw-down clamp on the oracle turntable. the only ting that gives her trouble is tuning the simple all-analog h/k citation 18 tuna. she'd rather i hooked up the tandberg 3001a in the main rig, w/its 8 presets - go figure. she's even more anxious than i am, for me to upgrade the speakers, but it's hard to come up w/the scratch, as she has a hard time saying "no" to my 8 & 11 year old kids...

doug s.

mojoman · « **Reply #10 on:** 26 Jun 2003, 01:42 pm »

My wife will listen from time to time but mostly she just ask me to turn the sound down.

Don't think she's ever put a cd into the player. On occasion she will ask what's playing and show some interest and from time to time will watch a movie through the HT. My kids both have stereos in their rooms so that's where they listen most.

JoshK · « **Reply #11 on:** 26 Jun 2003, 04:26 pm »

My wife listens to my system more than I do even because she works part-time. She thinks it sounds great but thinks that nothing else needs to be changed and it is perfect as it is. She thinks changing cables and preamps and such is a testimate to my premature senility.

cyounkman · « **Reply #12 on:** 26 Jun 2003, 04:46 pm »

My wife... most recently, sent email to some friends who were coming over for a listening session, telling them about our 'great new cd player' and explaining the speakers, etc. (These people were not 'audio people'.)

Obviously, she uses the system whenever she likes, uses the turntable comfortably, (although of course I don't think she tightens the clamp quite enough...) and for the most part uses the system a lot more than I do (particularly back when I was travelling all the time).

At one point, we had decided to ditch the current cdp and use our older model for a while longer to spend the $$$ elsewhere... She wouldn't listen to it. "Put the GamuT back! This is crap!"

I always get her to listen during cable upgrades, etc., although she isn't patient enough to sit while I move the speakers. Some kind of complicated bribe scheme will have to be hatched...

jcoat007 · « **Reply #13 on:** 26 Jun 2003, 05:41 pm »

My wife and I listen together every so often. She's a TV junkie and I don't care to watch the crap that she watches. Every now and then we watch crap together and every now and then she listens to music with me.

The other night she said that it sounded like the musicians were in the room with us.

I think she had heard me mention that as a goal of this hobby, and she wanted me to know that I had arrived and to STOP UPGRADING!!!!

I share my listening room with our office, so she works in the office sometimes and plays CD's or just listens to the radio. She knows I am way too anal about the TT to even go there, so she leaves it alone.

I think she thinks it's cool, but would be just as happy with a house that was fully wired with a central music system and a single speaker in each room. Like Musak for the home. Then with the money saved she would go on lots of vacations.

Steve

Carlman · « **Reply #14 on:** 26 Jun 2003, 06:54 pm »

It sounds like my wife has the same tastes as jcoat's.. I would suggest that you do not take her to a model home where they have exactly what you describe... central music with single speakers... You may end up having to call Nutone dealers.... Luckily, we bought a used home and retrofitting would be VERY expensive. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it;) )

My wife absolutely hates my "hobby"... She hears notes and I hear sounds. A note still sounds like a note to her whether it's on a $50,k system or a $500 system. She also claims not to have the ears I have. I can easily discern different brands of guitars, effect pedals, drum types, etc. However, she hears what the music says better. She says she's simply incapable of hearing what I hear. As are many untrained ears.... As I once was. It either sounded 'good' or 'bad' to me at some point, many years ago.

However, I can't seem to kindle any interest for her to hear more than 'good' or 'bad'. She's resigned to never hear what I hear and doesn't want to know what I'm doing or spending on my "hobby"... (she likes to use the double finger motion when she talks about my "hobby"... which is usually accompanied by

)

:sigh:

I love her despite the fact that she despises hifi. She plays piano and can pick out a tune in no time. She can correct my guitar playing with no problem. No interest in hifi though.

Back to my Aiwa headphones... and work.... Thanks for the fun topic.

hmen · « **Reply #15 on:** 27 Jun 2003, 02:50 am »

My wife is an actress who sings and does voice overs for a living so you'd figure that she'd have some interest in the way things sound but she is happy listening to the music channels on Direct TV. I don't think she's ever used my system without me putting in the CD and turning on the amps. And she'll only listen to a song or two and then go back to her music channels. I'm completely baffled by the fact that she says she likes the way the stereo sounds but really shows no desire to use it. She'll watch a movie with me using the HT but rarely uses it without me. When she does I have to "get everything set up", which means putting in the tape or DVD, turning on the receiver and showing her how to use the remote (again). She seems intimidated by audio and video equipment even though she's spent a lot of time in recording studios and made her own demos at home. She also watches the Soap Opera Channel a lot.

nathanm · « **Reply #16 on:** 27 Jun 2003, 03:42 am »

The difference is that the men are approaching the music via all the gubbins, but the women see the gubbins as an obstacle, an unpleasant user interface they have to get through in order to hear the damn tune. Hence the desire for ceiling mount speakers - all the fiddly bits hidden away out of sight. This is an extremely hard concept to grasp for guys where the gear is presented in a shrine-like manner!

Many people have a fear of technology. They never learn how to operate even simple things like CD players because they are afraid they will "break it". Fundamentally that's why women aren't into hifi. Many just don't care about gear, it's just a complication and inconvenience. Granted, this phenomenon is seen moreso in computers, but the same idea applies to stereos.

But not MY woman though, she is hella into music and gear; she just doesn't know my name or where I live, that's all.

bubba966 · « **Reply #17 on:** 27 Jun 2003, 04:28 am »

Quote from: nathanm

But not MY woman though, she is hella into music and gear; she just doesn't know my name or where I live, that's all.

That must be the same problem my woman is having...

KevinW · « **Reply #18 on:** 27 Jun 2003, 09:04 pm »

My girlfriend likes music, but rarely does "active listening", where listening is the primary focus. She does occasionally like dancing to my system, but her one attempt so far at using the system while I wasn't around was a disaster...

She recently had a "Goddess Party", where 20+ beautiful women all came over to party. No men were allowed, so they sent me kayaking. Anyway, she kept telling everyone how great my stereo system sounded. When it came time for dancing, the silly goose turned on the amp, but forgot to turn on the subwoofer. FYI, the Chemical Brothers sound completely anemic on my 4" full range speakers without the sub to fill in the bass. Now all of her 20+ girlfriends think my system sounds like crap.

nathanm · « **Reply #19 on:** 27 Jun 2003, 10:00 pm »

Quote from: KevinW

She recently had a "Goddess Party", where 20+ beautiful women all came over to party. No men were allowed, so they sent me kayaking.

And you're upset because they forgot to turn on the subwoofer!!??