Anyone else prefer listening to their system more than a concert?

@mswale - Link to the ear plugs? Thanks.

In general I prefer my system over live except when live is performed in an intimate, unamplified setting, or if amplified then only when oprtated by a sound person who has an appreciation for proper soundboard settings. 

Living in the Puget Sound area we are blessed with a vibrant music scene. Classical, Jazz, Rock... It's all here and lots of it. Only one problem: People.

As others have mentioned, I have an aversion to crowds and noise. I've passed up many shows I'm sure I might've enjoyed simply due to the thundering herds hereabouts. Don't get me wrong: I'm glad for the artists that can get such patronage, but man I hate people. LOL

Then there's the horrible tendancy for venues to amplify artists to earbleeding levels. They should be charged with war crimes! My ears should not still be ringing 2-3 days later! 

So, give me a nice cocktail, my comfy couch and a quiet evening at home with my rig. 

Happy listening.

I worked painstakingly hard to get my system to a level where I don’t feel guilty choosing my own setup over live shows. At home, I get the sound exactly the way I like it, no bad seats, no crowd noise, no harsh room acoustics. Just me, the music, and a system tuned to hit that emotional spot every single time.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love the energy of a concert. But when I want to really hear the details, the tone, the intimacy… my system at home gives me a connection that most venues just can’t match.

I generally prefer listening to my system for all the reasons given by the OP, plus my system sounds better than amplified concerts.

I occasionally attend local jazz performances, but there aren't many good shows or good-sounding venues where I live, and really not that many performers I'm interested in seeing, especially who come to my area.

I would be inclined to attend orchestral concerts, but rarely do orchestras program an evening of music I would want to hear, as I don't care for most 19th-century orchestral music, and that still seems to be the core of most orchestral repertoires.