“Civilian” reaction to your gear?


What kind of reaction do you see/get when non-gearheads see or hear your systems? 
I have gotten the full spectrum- one person called my assembly of gear obnoxious (call me obnoxious, ok, but my gear? Fighting words!). Others have been politely  (and sometimes dismissively) curious; I’ve been asked if it’s as good as Bose (I usually say “close”); and some thought this level of music reproduction at home was not possible. Many have asked what does each “box” do. 
For the genuinely curious I tell them “sit hear” followed by “what would you like to hear”? I play their choice (thank you Qobuz) and invariably the expression on their is quite positive. 

zavato

I keep both systems components in cabinets to hide my compulsion….now speakers?  Well usually get eye roll or jokes/comments like “Wow your speakers sure are well endowed” or “My what big speakers you have to listen to”  and “I think your speakers need birth control”….just a few.

The responses have been mixed. Some sort of shrug and say "That's nice." Others have said they've never heard music sound so good. The phantom center channel gets remarked on - I'm surprised at how many folks have never experienced that phenomenon. 

 

If I needed people to give me validation on my choice to have a nice sound system, I'd of ditched this pursuit a long time ago. But I have moderate responses when people have showed me their wine collection, or their cars, or their fishing gear. They are enthusiasts, and hoped I'd be impressed. I loved that they care about something, but I just wasn't interested in that particular thing.  I was interested in their interest, but that is about it. I guess I shouldn't expect more than that for my little madness...

 

David

People love the acoustic treatments and then are blown away by anything I play. They have usually never heard something so "real."

For the few that ever get to enter the house of stereo, they are usually very quiet trying to take it all in and leave in love with the sound. It's not for everybody though. My wife has been in it probably only a handful of times since it was built in 2019.

That's not a problem.