When someone listens to your system for the first time.
I recently had a 30 something friend of mine, I'm 64, stop in for a bit and sit in my listening chair. He is a musician and had never heard my system. Decided to play him Sultans of Swing on my turntable. He was awe struck. Look of amazement on his face. he said he had heard the song countless times, but now knew he had never really heard it. He talked about the clarity, how wonderful the cymbals sounded, how awesome the bass was (thanks to the new subwoofers I bought). I played him a few more things, some Tony Rice, to hear some acoustic instruments. He couldn't get over the soundstage and imaging. He said he knew why I sat in that chair. He said he wants to come back, there are tons of songs he wants to now hear on my system. I listen to music just about every night. I enjoy my system, but sometimes get caught up in listening to the gear, wondering if I should change something. Nature of the hobby. So nice to get a new perspective. Reminder to stop over thinking and enjoy the music.
First time Forums poster here. Hello everyone! The shared knowledge here at Agon is incredible and hopefully I can offer something useful to its vast knowledge base. As far as different equipment speak goes I'm not very knowledgeable having a limited budget and experience. This thread really gave me a good chuckle with some of you posting about friends not believing you were only running two speakers. I've had the same response regarding my center imaging running only two channel. I've also gotten similar responses when people hear the image width of certain CD's go beyond the outside of the speakers. Getting the "How is that possible!?!?" comments along with the sense of disappearing speakers.
As far as people not caring, there's the better half who can hear the differences, but has no interest in the hobby itself. When I started in it about 20 years back I couldn't distinguish much either, but thanks to experienced listeners I was instructed and taught exactly what to listen for. Thankfully with a lot of listening and comparing efforts it did pay off for me. When I first heard my best friend, a non-hobbyist, say "You really have the best sounding system I've ever heard" it gave me a lot of satisfaction knowing my efforts were not going unnoticed. Currently running... Classé DR-6 pre-amp Perreaux PMF 1150b (waiting on its big brother the PMF 2150b) Sony SCD-1 CD/SACD player Unity Audio CLA 1 Fountainhead Signature speakers changed to custom maple cabinetry with slightly larger dimensions for better bass response Grover Huffman Empress IC's and speaker cable Black Sand Silver Reference Mark IV power cord (from Richard Gray RGPC 400S Mark II line conditioner to wall) Black Sand Statement One power cord (from SCD-1 to Richard Gray) Also have a Nakamichi BX-300 that requires some maintenance work before being apart of the chain
I've seen all over the spectrum. some are like wow and just sit and listen and begin to understand why. some seem to enjoy it, but start singing and become too busy singing to actually listen. some could care less, but they generally don't listen to music.
I had one friend who ask why i never listen to music in my truck - after listening to my system - understand why i don't bother unless it can sound like this.
I am 49 with older brothers. We grew up in the peak of the Bose era. We all had at least a couple models. This is where I feel my brother is confused.
He had a system many years ago while living in a cinder block room with a Carver receiver and some monitor speakers. He had no rug nor any treatment whatsoever.
He has been in my house a few times and while my space is a bit unorthodox, it does have a nice soundstage with well defined vocals, instruments and somewhat of 3 dimensionality.
All he had to say is that it sounds good but it isn't anything like his old system. He could hear sounds coming from all over the room. I tried to explain.....that isn't reaallllly what you want. I had to just let it go.
...ahahaha..the gas fireplace center-channel trick!...and the mow-centric neighbor. My neighbor with a large field vies for having "hand" on who nearby has most recently mowed...the John Deere often fires up just before my post work nap or some sweetspot time. :)
It is endlessly interesting to me how visitors react to a good system. My favorite immediate response from wife's friend was, "VISCERAL!" Another is music lovers taking notes on the music being played. And, yes, some simply don't react or find the room tuning more a curiosity than the music. Ya takes your chances.
Many years ago, a lovely young lady stopped by, waiting for her boyfriend to join us. My sweetspot was then a futon and I watched from a distance. Her entire body and face transformed as she melted into the music. It was one of the sexiest things I'd ever witnessed without being lustful.
I've read that maybe 5% of the population shares our interest in hi fi, the vast majority male. I have a nearby friend who equally shares my level of interest and passion. Fortunately, he lives nearby and we have a grand time evaluating and improving our systems. His space is VAST with a 30' ceiling and 26' side walls with an open backwall. My space is the opposite. We both have to adjust to each's environment before settling in. What truly makes it great is we mostly share music flavors. His recent upgrade to a Lampizator 7 Lite DAC running 300B tubes is a game changer. Onwards!
Five subwoofers can also have an effect. We once had a couple over with a small child and the kid insisted on viewing one of the Jurassic Park movies we had. During one of the T-Rex chase scenes the entire room was rumbling and shaking and our furniture was rattling, and you just KNEW the damn T-Rex WAS IN THE ROOM about to EAT you! 😱😳😱
When the T-Rex finally let loose a ferociously loud roar (just before he actually DID eat someone on the big screen), the poor urchin literally sh#t his pants and began crying and shaking uncontrollably. Yep, five subwoofers can cause a small child to sh#t their pants while jumbling the guts and flapping the pant legs of the adults in the room 😱
It's no good bringing over people (non-audiophiles) to evaluate nothing because they have no experience to evaluate. Most regular people just want to turn it (your system) in to a juke box.
My wife and I hosted a dinner party for another couple a few weeks back, and I was spinning Eric Clapton "Unplugged" in the LR while we ate in the adjacent (mostly open) dining room. The husband had been to our house a few times, but it was the wife's first visit. Her comment, "But that system makes it sound like Clapton's in the next room!" And that was from a distance...
dawgfish, that sounds lovely, I bet you would of loved to have Clapton in the next room, if that were true I imagine your guests would of been floored and they never would of left.
Most people that come over and l invite them to listen to my Stereo system, l have to somehow convince them to not stand off to the side and actually please sit in my listening spot. When they do l can tell most are not really understanding what they are really listing to. Some get it, but not many unfortunately
2 from the local “audio club” came by. They were “interested to hear” my system. Both are Naim snobs and devout forum status nooks so my feeling was they wanted to come and toss it. 1 left after an hour and the other stayed 4 hours. My gear list doesn’t make many peoples mouths water but she’s got it where it counts.
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