Concede her point about the hobby angle, don't argue it. Admit that it's a luxury, and let her know it's one you really want to have and that makes you happy. Don't get hung up on betting whether or not she'll be able to hear the difference between the CDP's - even if she can (and she probably can), she won't care enough not to resent being made the unwilling beneficiary of your upgrading. This is for you; be straightfoward about it and ask sweetly (telling her exactly what it's going to cost), and you'll probably be on your way with her blessing - at least to finishing up with your plans for *this* system. (When full-blown audiophilia nervousa hits, OTOH, you're strictly on your own buddy boy... :-)
How to respond to those who say it's not a hobby?
I only recently started to get into audio and, although my system is definitely not in the high-end category, I like to think it's a lot better than the components that were replaced My better-half was quite accepting of the initial purchase of a new integrated amp (NAD C370), tuner (C420), speakers (KEF Q5) and interconnects (VDH D-102 III). She definitely heard an improvement over our previous gear.
However, she is now quite opposed to the upgrading of the CD player and the addition of a second amp (bi-amping). I've mentioned that it will likely make a great improvement to our listening enjoyment and hinted that this is a new hobby for me. Essentially, her response was that "spending hundreds of dollars on audio equipment does not qualify as a hobby", since I don't actually create/build/assemble any of it.
Any thoughts out there about how one might respond or convince the nay-sayer otherwise?
However, she is now quite opposed to the upgrading of the CD player and the addition of a second amp (bi-amping). I've mentioned that it will likely make a great improvement to our listening enjoyment and hinted that this is a new hobby for me. Essentially, her response was that "spending hundreds of dollars on audio equipment does not qualify as a hobby", since I don't actually create/build/assemble any of it.
Any thoughts out there about how one might respond or convince the nay-sayer otherwise?