“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

66% don't get it.  100% if they can't even name one song they want to hear.  Some people I think have a very shallow relationship with music.  I kind of don't even like showing it to people.  But occasionally, someone really is wowed.  My system is not high end but I make up for it with acoustic treatments.

My friend, saw my two amp for this first time and asked. “what are those Light bulbs?

YEAH! BOSE is mid-fi at best. Of course you didn't define your system, so I would not venture an opinion. Sounds like you have some "deaf and dumb" friends.

I had someone call my amp of years ago, an Art Audio PX 25 power amp a “Time Machine “.  She actually wasn’t far enough considering it was based on a big old tube. Funny.

it's mostly about the albums and the turntable, asking if it's still a thing and if I am somehow stuck in the 80s still.