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

There is the Old Fart factor.  Last night there was a Holiday Concert at a University about 1/4 mile from our home.  The conductor is a great friend of ours and it was free.  I had forgotten about until an hour before, having settled into my easy chair ready to sample my just arrived box set of the Guarneri Quartet recordings.  My wife roused me out of my snug den.

  10 minutes later, having put my boots on and three layers of clothing against the Chicago winter, we were fighting for parking space, as this is a very popular event.

Then we find our seats, remove layers, settle in, only to be jostled by late arrivals trying to squeeze the last bit of space in the chapel pew.  Our coats in our laps I began to feel overheated after 15 minutes.  The row in front had a squalling infant obligato, and the parents apparently never considered walking into the hallway so not to spoil everyone else enjoyment.  Did I mention that the newest infant in our family shared his latest respiratory infection with me and I was sucking cough drops and drinking water profusely so as not to cough and hack?

  At home I would have been more comfortable, could cough to my respiratory systems content.  Yet…there is no way that I would have been able to reproduce the musical content.  Our friend the conductor is a great programmer.  One piece was a medley of traditional carols but all in minor keys, and it was titled “A Minor Alteration “.  The band-an alumni band-was clearly fired up with tons of enthusiasm.  OK, they weren’t the Duke Ellington group, but a very good ensemble and with a lot of unique instrumental textures.  And being with an appreciative audience-even with Mr. Squaler- was great.

  So I was very glad that I went, and no, my expensive stereo would not have duplicated the experience.  The older I get, however, the more prodding I need to get off my ass

@hysteve 

I was at that same Stones concert,  way up at the top as well. Had same experience. Which is why I almost always prefer home listening. 

Concert arw fun sometimes, but the only in a small venue.  Arena show are terrible, loud, too many people, sound is bad.  

@eisen0169 - I'd love to go to a show at the Sphere some time - that's a different experience altogether; I just don't know who's big enough that I like that much to get me to go to Las Vegas.... 

As i have been in the music business for over 45 years the only way i would go to a concert is if I am backstage working the show dealing with the crowds is not for me, to many rude people. In my lifetime my father was the Techinical Director for the Chicago symphany so i was exposed to the music world at a very young age as i got older i started mixing moniters for various groups sometimes when the musicans just click it is a once in a lifetime show but for me i would rather lister to them thru my system.

As i am fortunitate to have copies of most of the shows i worked  The newer Line Array systems when used propery by the engineer can sound great, but you have to remember they are traveling from venue to venue and every venue acoustics are different and have to becompensated for during the sound check, now that i am retired

a lot of the musicans i have worked with are no longer around. Paul McCarthy just did 2 shows in Chicago and due to the sound tech's they sounded great.. Besides the ticket prices are so unrealistic that's why there is a lawsuit going on with live Nation over pricing.