Girlfriends and wifes, how do YOU cope?

I just use the same line my wife uses on me...."Look how much I saved, it was xxxx percent off!" Or, I just fund my next purchase via the sale of some existing equipment. If I really get desperate, I will research a purchase to death and when she can't take it anymore she tells me to "Just buy the stupid thing".

I was explaining to my wife this morning, "my amps and speakers are tuned perfectly, its that house thats rattling because it needs a contractor to come tighten the house up".

My wife told me in no uncertain terms that if I brought home one more piece of electronics she'd leave me. That was in 1999. I hardly miss her at all anymore.

Now that I've been single for many years, I seem to gain a new girlfriend from time to time. They all say the same thing upon first seeing the music system ...which at this point takes up the entire living room (of course). The say .... "Why do you do this!??" My response is always the same ... "Because I can!"

Some have trouble with thick cables lying naked on a living room floor. The best rationalize a man's hobby interests as benign relative to womanizing.

Remember this; girlfriends like everything until they become wives, and then you wonder what happened to your girlfriend. After I got into the high end, I became a professional "untruth teller", that's the only way to cope. If you can afford it, buy it.

Enjoy the music.

My wife is very supportive of my audio addition (and two other ones). I have ongoing spousal approval by paying her a 10% "bauble tax".  It's worked out very well for both of us. 

Keep 'em guessing .

My wife says very little because she know when she wants another new ring I have no argument! 

My rig is in the basement. Now she can walk all over me. Ba dumb bum, tish.

Early in 2015 I started the process of possibly upgrading the four year old monitors I had in our 13x24 living room.  As I listened to more and more speakers, it became obvious to me that I'd be happier with the floor standing speakers I'd auditioned.  So my wife & and I came to the decision that I'd move the music audio system down to our family room (kids are adults, left the nest long ago), a 26x24 room, my new "man cave".

After months of auditions I ordered a pair of floor standing speakers that would have been way too large for our living room.  But in that larger room, I "needed" more amplifier power, more sub woofer capability, etc.

Waiting for the sub woofers I ordered to arrive, I got the floor standing speakers and new electronics "dialed in" to the new room.  When the subs arrived I had all sorts of troubles getting them to sound right in the "man cave", lots of standing waves and other annoying resonances.  So I learned about bass traps and proceeded to install a half dozen or so of them.

While I was mounting the first of the bass traps my wife said that, recommending I move to the "man cave" that she "unleashed a monster".

Now that I have things the way I like, it's "all good".

In the early days, it was a big deal if i  brought in new gear, cause a real fight. But since then she has become a real team player. As the sound became better she enjoyed and used a lot more. She does not make a fuss when i bring in a new gear as long as i can pay for it. The real problem now, is getting her to sell a kidney so i can get a new amp. I did tell her if she would do this i would put her on the A team.
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Sobering to realize that many of the contributors from the first few pages of this thread have gone on to the Great Big Upgrade in the Sky.

Well, I hope it’s an upgrade, but I’ve never been there. Guess it depends on how good you were in this life.

My own wife is happy if I leave her alone to watch her favorite TV shows. And I have my wood-panelled study where I can close the door and enjoy MUSIC.

^^^ I have it on good authority that the angels play alto saxophones just like Charlie Parker.

........by having no girlfriends &/or wives.

Man there are some good one,s "when she became a team player" classic.

There are many more but that one saids it all.

I talked about buying this new amp... She said something like I was free to spend my money in all the junk I wanted and would be left with nothing at the end... So I didn't say anything and ordered a streamer with the amp. Then I installed them while she was at work. Didn't say anything. after weeks I still don't know if she noticed the new stuff or if she pretends to not seeing it, but she didn't mention anything. This technique works with Stratocasters as well...

"Girlfriends and wives, how do YOU cope?"

Audiophile rule number one: If your girlfriend complains about your audio system, do not make her your wife. 

Frank