[BossaNova31]

I'm generally wondering why more people aren't into audio. I think a pretty high percentage of the population really enjoys music, but either don't know, don't care or can't afford HiFi.

My recent experience tells me that many people are in the second camp - ie "dont know".

A few months ago my sister and her husband came by and heard my system for the first time (300b monoblocks / Omega Superhemps). Even my sister, who would normally pay little attention to things of this sort, just sat there in amazement as I played some of their favorite albums. They immediately wanted to know what I could put together for them on a modest budget that would suit their small NYC living room apartment. I helped them put together a very nice budget system for just over $2k - Almarro 205a (used), Omega Super 5XRS, Scott Nixon USB DAC (they wanted to use their Macbook as the source) and Anticables.

Anyway, their friends are coming over, listening to their system and are now asking me for advice on putting together systems. Funny how that happens 

Have people here had similar experiences and actually converted family and friends to audiophile status?       

[laserboi]

Bossanova,

Great topic,  I recently had an experience like this happen to me.  I've been into 2-channel / HiFi for around 3 years now and my friends would always give me crap because how obsessed one can be with their hobbies.  My one friend who used to be a musician during his college days (played drums) came over and I ran him through the gamut of demo songs on my system and he said that it sounded good but he still didn't get it.  Over the last few years I consistantly badgered him to get a stereo system since he loved music so much and because of the great deals on entry level audio equipment we can get from our company.  Well the day finally came last week when a Best Buy in Chicago was closing down their Magnolia for a new project so they were selling all of their displays to employees for dirt cheap.

My buddy calls me up while I'm on my way home to work and asks me to come over to help him build some new high-end stand he picked up from Magnolia.  The first thing I asked was, "Did you finally get some speakers" to which he replied "nope."  When I arrived, to my surprise I found two Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grande's standing in his living room.  Needless to say I was ecstatic with his new purchase.  He told me that since they offered him such a good deal (50% under our normal employee cost) that he couldn't pass it up plus he knew that I would flip.  I ran home and picked up my Outlaw Audio RR2150 and hooked up his speakers since all he had were the usual substandard surround sound receivers at his place.  I spent roughly 2 hours setting them up and brought over an album to play on his speakers that I knew would floor him. 

The Beatles are probably his favorite band and so I picked up the "Love" album and played it from track one and he was absolutely floored.  He told me the next day that he demoed his stereo to his girlfriend and that he finally understood what I had been talking about all these years.  Now he's been going to work every day and picking up new cds to listen to on his Vienna's, which I must say sound absolutely amazing.  I've never heard a speaker that made everything, even bad recordings sound good.  They aren't the most detailed or revealing speakers but there's nothing wrong with that if warm and sweet sound is your cup of tea.

Thanks for reading,

-Pete

[Russell Dawkins]

based on this review, I would experiment with reversing the polarity of the tweeter on your friend's Vienna Mozart Grandes. It's easily done since the speaker has bi-wire terminals.
http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/197vienna/index5.html

[laserboi]

Russell,

Thank you for the concern but his version, the "Grande" is not a biwire setup.  I would've hoped that in the second revision they fixed that crossover issue.  Regardless it was interesting to read about the issues Stereophile had with the original.

Thanks,

-Pete

[Nick77]

I am encouraged with your experiences with friends and family. I have had less than favorable responses from friends and never had the experience of helping one formulate a system. I think it has been mostly a case of envey, not being able to afford an audio investment. But I will endevor to stay motivated in hopes of a convert someday.

[sleepkyng]

Yeah.

with the family it's mostly been headphones via headfi

but with some good friends - i got my friend addicted to vinyl and basically sold him my old setup (pro-ject 6.1 tt) and another good friend is now really into vintage marantzs'

It's been a hearing is believing sort of thing.

[Crimson]

I converted a close friend who ended up with a Magnepan-based system, and my business partner who now has an Omega/RWA system.

[WerTicus]

anyone and everyone who has had a proper listen to my system will want one, $ is another thing. but I've built 4 friends stereos so far.

[JeffBrown]

I would think that all of us had to be brought out of the dark ages of sound at some point by somebody.  My dear friend Les (RIP) introduced me to both of the hobbies my wife so much wishes I didn’t indulge in.  Audio and single malt scotch, they just go together so well!  While I have a modest system, the most important thing I learned from my once mentor was that well chosen components are more important then dollars spent.

[TONEPUB]

All the time!

One of the biggest sales tools I've had (if you will) has been the Wadia 170i.  I have
one in my living room system and when a friend comes over they often ask if they
can plug their iPod in....

That's usually all it takes, but putting it out there in a non threatening way and not
getting too technical about it also helps.

Because of what I do, most of the fam and friends know me as the "stereo guy"
so they usually call and ask me for suggestions.  Works pretty well, I have my
set of friends/experts that are the "bike guy", etc. and I always
call them when I need to know what to do, because I know they are really into
their particular hobby.

But I've seen the key over the years is to try and make it as simple and fun as
possible.

These days, I tend to have more style oriented stuff in my living room system
and that's what usually appeals to most of my friends wives....

[droht]

With my friends HT is a much easier conversion than 2 channel.  Hearing a real sub and good speakers when all you've ever experienced is built in speakers or maybe HTiB is ear-opening.  With me that transformation led quickly to 2 channel semi-obsession.  Can't say I've pulled anyone over the edge with me though.