Hi end audio who cares

I wouldn't describe my system as "high end", but I still get some analogous questions and comments, such as-

"I really like those speaker stands." (which is OK, since the N805 stands were my most difficult purchase to rationalize)

Sample questions and answers-

Q: How loud can it play?
A: I don't know.

Q: How much did it cost?
A: I've lost track. (or "Quite a bit.")

Yeah, maybe nice time, you can answer....

Loud enought to blow these $5000 speakers

or....

It cost me a few thousands and a couple of girlfriends....

I enjoy non audiophile comments. They always seem so surprised that a stereo can be an experience than just a pair of speakers playing stereo. I also love the terms they use in describing the sound they hear. I never hear words like accurate, neutral, or other audiophile terms. I never talk of the cost of my gear. The few complaints have come from a woman or two. WOULD YOU PLEASE TURN THAT DAMN THING DOWN! How can you listen to that guy. He can't even sing. Play something that they like and it's now, what a nice sounding stereo. The terminology of non audiophiles is very refreshing.

I think it somewhat depends on whether you have an out-of-the-way dedicated listening room or if your system is set up in an accessible place. My system is set up in a room with no windows - I find it comfortable (and private) and it's perfect for HT, which I also love, but it's not easy to drag somebody down there to listen. If it were in my LR, I think I'd get more takers.

I also think that most of the comments one gets about their system are inversely related to how hard they push to get somebody to listen. If music just happens to be on and somebody new hears it, I think a large percentage of them would either make no comment or notice how good it sounds. I have had very poor luck, and rarely try anymore, in trying to get somebody to appreciate how good the music they like can sound.

Hi, I think the abovementioned situation is quite recognizable. Personally, I only fire up my audio system when people (visitors) are asking for it. The positive point is that people who are not familiar with so called high end audio and home music reproduction are often capable of pinpointing some problems within this sound reproduction. Off course they would never mention that there is not a good "soundstage" or that the "imaging" suffers or that the "treble" is tizzy, but is spite of this their description is quite analytic. Sometimes visitors are pinpointing (minor) flaws within the sound reproduction and that gives a very unpleasant feeling. At that moment I know they are right and that I have a "high-end" system which needs another "fix". This is one of the frustrations for being an audiophile.