Significant others and Hi-fi

Posted by: Sneaky SNAIC on 30 June 2015

My significant other (female wife in my case) is interesting when it comes to music and hi-fi, as I'm as sure everyone's significant other (or cat) is.

 

She claims to be hard of hearing...*chuckle*.  To back this up says she can't hear the difference between the RP1 Bias + Rega fono-mini and the RP3 + Elys + Stageline.  I can hear a huge difference as can my sons.

 

But get this: she says she can hear the difference between the vinyl and the digital, and the vinyl sounds better.  This is regardless of setup, and so that makes me wonder if its the black magic people speak of and also the music selection we have on vinyl.

 

To me the digital sounds pretty clean, etc...and Vinyl will sound better with a really good, clean record.  But its amazing to me she prefers vinyl over digital.  This seems obvious to most here, but I think I must be caught up in the details of the sound, blah, blah and "listening to the hi-fi instead of the music" as I've heard people describe it. 

 

The crackles and pops are annoying me sometimes...as are hitting a scratch that lasts 3 turns of the record...sometimes the short time between flipping the record get annoying.  Sometimes I'm glad to have *both* streaming and digital. *sigh*

 

Have to constantly remind myself to listen and enjoy the system and stop being such a bitch about the fine details.  Vinyl (analog) has become a new challenge for me, and I also have to realize I'm not always in the mood nor is the time always right to listen to vinyl. 

 

Posted on: 30 June 2015 by Erich

Sneaky,  my wife immediately recognizes a vinyl. I don't know what your case is, but ours is that we grew up hearing vinyls. So, (SQ apart, tech consideration apart) for us the sound is very evocative and emotional, specially when is a track that we listened when we were kids or teens and more if it is from after we met. ( We are together since I was 16 and she 14, now I'm close to 61).

 

Regards.

 

Erich

Posted on: 30 June 2015 by feeling_zen

When I went for a demo at my dealer to buy a new system, it was the wife who chose Naim over Linn in about 1 minute.

 

Dealer pitted SU against a similar Linn Majik all-in-one into the same pair of speakers they know to work well on both. She spent about 1 minute of listening to each and made up her mind before I did. Without looking behind her at the gear she was just adamant that "the one we just listened too is not doing it for me - go with the first."

 

And that was that.

Posted on: 30 June 2015 by Bananahead

It sounds like you found a keeper Mr Zen.

 

I always take my wife to demos and get her involved. We had an interesting evening deciding where to put powerlines. Both of us can hear differences and sometimes they are the same differences.

Posted on: 30 June 2015 by joerand

My wife isn't really into listening to music. She's more about the TV and all those popular 'detective' shows. I don't really care for much other than sports on TV. Opposites attract, right? When I first got back into vinyl a few years ago, she was very drawn to the sound versus CD replay, and quite surprised at how good it was. In our fifties, we both grew up with LPs; she just had never heard records played on gear other than the typical 1970s consumer-level stuff.

 

If you were born in the analog era, still have and listen to your well cared for LPs from 35+ years ago, there could be some sentimental satisfaction associated with listening to vinyl beyond its inherent warmth, and despite its compromises. If you grew up with CDs and transitioned to life on a smart phone it may be more about finger tip accessibility, compact storage, and instant download capability.

 

So SS, I wonder about your motivations with vinyl versus digital. Are you merely exploring what all the vinyl fuss is about or are you prepared to become a record collector and own dual systems?

 

Posted on: 30 June 2015 by Bruce Woodhouse

the better the HiFi we have had, the more she listen to it.

 

result

 

Bruce

Posted on: 01 July 2015 by Mr Fjeld
Originally Posted by feeling_zen:

When I went for a demo at my dealer to buy a new system, it was the wife who chose Naim over Linn in about 1 minute.

 

Dealer pitted SU against a similar Linn Majik all-in-one into the same pair of speakers they know to work well on both. She spent about 1 minute of listening to each and made up her mind before I did. Without looking behind her at the gear she was just adamant that "the one we just listened too is not doing it for me - go with the first."

 

And that was that.

Well, they do say women have better sensoric abilities than men.... It's a great story btw and one which I can relate to as my wife said something similar about the speakers I ended up with...

Posted on: 01 July 2015 by Bert Schurink

My Ex-Wife also had a great ear. When we selected Naim it was also for us both clear that we preferred the sound over Linn. She also pushed on the Verity Audio speakers I have which had been a bit above budget, but now I am very happy she pushed on that one as well.

Recently I heard a Linn system and was also very much into that sound, but still happy I have the more organic Naim sound.

Posted on: 01 July 2015 by Mr Fjeld
Originally Posted by Bert Schurink:

My Ex-Wife also had a great ear..................She also pushed on the Verity Audio speakers I have which had been a bit above budget, but now I am very happy she pushed on that one as well.

Recently I heard a Linn system and was also very much into that sound, but still happy I have the more organic Naim sound.

Haha, exactly what happened to me as well Bert! I wanted to go for a pair of Audiovector Si3 Signature with a dome tweeter, but when she heard Diana Krall through the Si3 Avantgarde with ribbon tweeters she just uttered " you have to have these ones and there is no question about it". And so I did.

Posted on: 01 July 2015 by Morton

My wife enjoys music & going to concerts but has zero interest in hi-fi.

She judges speakers by how flat the top is (all the better for ornaments or even candles!!). This was solved when I bought B&W 805S speakers.

Posted on: 01 July 2015 by BigH47

The current Mrs Sanders has a good ear, she decided that an LP12 was better than the TT we had selected from a lower price point. It also meant we had to "make do" with a second hand NAIM 12s/160 instead of the earlier section of Cyrus Amp and Pre.

Sally does listen quite often she has access to a MuSo now so leaves me from time to time. 

 

We both enjoy live music though.

Posted on: 01 July 2015 by Lionel

My wife has no interest in hi-fi and does not listen to music other than on the car radio.

 

When I was in the naim upgrade loop (thankfully I have grown out of it) she would listen to my new box and say "that cost how much and sounds no better?"

 

She was right.

Posted on: 01 July 2015 by Sneaky SNAIC
Originally Posted by joerand:

My wife isn't really into listening to music. She's more about the TV and all those popular 'detective' shows. I don't really care for much other than sports on TV. Opposites attract, right? When I first got back into vinyl a few years ago, she was very drawn to the sound versus CD replay, and quite surprised at how good it was. In our fifties, we both grew up with LPs; she just had never heard records played on gear other than the typical 1970s consumer-level stuff.

 

If you were born in the analog era, still have and listen to your well cared for LPs from 35+ years ago, there could be some sentimental satisfaction associated with listening to vinyl beyond its inherent warmth, and despite its compromises. If you grew up with CDs and transitioned to life on a smart phone it may be more about finger tip accessibility, compact storage, and instant download capability.

 

So SS, I wonder about your motivations with vinyl versus digital. Are you merely exploring what all the vinyl fuss is about or are you prepared to become a record collector and own dual systems?

 

We actually had her collection of old LPs and a few of mine that I dug out and it started this whole hi-fi thing.  My collection is growing...not sure why I need dual systems, but I have digital and analog now...all going to one amp.

Posted on: 01 July 2015 by Christopher_M
Originally Posted by Sneaky SNAIC:
......but I have digital and analog now...all going to one amp.

Rad!  :-))

 

C.

Posted on: 02 July 2015 by Chris G

Usual comment received when listening: "it's too loud!"

Posted on: 05 July 2015 by Sneaky SNAIC
Originally Posted by Chris G:

Usual comment received when listening: "it's too loud!"

"Does it need to be that loud?"

 

Yes it does.

Posted on: 05 July 2015 by feeling_zen
Originally Posted by Sneaky SNAIC:
Originally Posted by Chris G:

Usual comment received when listening: "it's too loud!"

"Does it need to be that loud?"

 

Yes it does.

+1

 

We all know this story. When it is an album she bought it can be played at normal volume but an album I buy and anything that is barely audible is "too loud".

 

Then there is her opinion that the Rolling Stones is hard rock/metal (WTF?) but then she cranks Twisted Sister. 

 

I have given up getting my head around it.

Posted on: 06 July 2015 by Ebor
Originally Posted by Sneaky SNAIC:
Originally Posted by Chris G:

Usual comment received when listening: "it's too loud!"

"Does it need to be that loud?"

 

Yes it does.

From Top Tips in Viz, a year or two ago:

 

"Men: when listening to your favourite CD, set the volume to the level you want, then immediately reduce it three notches. This will save your wife coming in a changing it 30 seconds later."

 

Mark

Posted on: 06 July 2015 by Dungassin
Originally Posted by Ebor:
Originally Posted by Sneaky SNAIC:
Originally Posted by Chris G:

Usual comment received when listening: "it's too loud!"

"Does it need to be that loud?"

 

Yes it does.

From Top Tips in Viz, a year or two ago:

 

"Men: when listening to your favourite CD, set the volume to the level you want, then immediately reduce it three notches. This will save your wife coming in a changing it 30 seconds later."

 

Mark

Wouldn't work.  She'd still come in and turn it down even more.  

Posted on: 06 July 2015 by Mike-B

Big Respect for my Significant Other - likes easy listening & tunes/songs to sing along with,  unfortunately Michael Buble, ABBA & Gary Barlow are most popular,  hates my heavy "unmusical" rock & jazz but does like smooth jazz such as Fourplay, Diana Krall etc & most of my more musical AOR in the Clapton, Floyd mold.

Likes BBC R-2 for background musak,  hates R-1,  loves RP, Martini in the Morning & Naim Radio sometimes.    

Has a keen ear for fine detail in SQ changes,  was even more gob-smacked with XPS on the CDX2 than I was,  liked Odyssey more than NACA5,  did not hear any change with a PSU on the SN but did hear it when I took it off after about a year, didn't think the NDX was as exciting as the old CDX2 but appreciated the fine detail,  can't hear any difference in ethernet cables,  thinks DSD is super sound but doesn't find it as relaxing as 16 & 24 bit PCM .

 

She is in for a treat when she gets back from visiting as I have just downloaded a DSD copy of Blue Coast ESE Sessions 

Posted on: 07 July 2015 by Mr Fjeld

Well, reading through this thread only confirmes that audiophiles shouldn't bother with wife swapping, as one would only get more or less the same....

 

...that's a joke of course as I have only the highest respect for my wife and women in general!

Posted on: 07 July 2015 by Bert Schurink
Originally Posted by Mr Fjeld:

Well, reading through this thread only confirmes that audiophiles shouldn't bother with wife swapping, as one would only get more or less the same....

 

...that's a joke of course as I have only the highest respect for my wife and women in general!

..sometimes the swapping is not your choice.....

Posted on: 07 July 2015 by Mr Fjeld
Originally Posted by Bert Schurink:
Originally Posted by Mr Fjeld:

Well, reading through this thread only confirmes that audiophiles shouldn't bother with wife swapping, as one would only get more or less the same....

 

...that's a joke of course as I have only the highest respect for my wife and women in general!

..sometimes the swapping is not your choice.....

True  but you would still have a very nice stereo system - and that's not too bad!

Posted on: 07 July 2015 by Bert Schurink
Originally Posted by Mr Fjeld:
Originally Posted by Bert Schurink:
Originally Posted by Mr Fjeld:

Well, reading through this thread only confirmes that audiophiles shouldn't bother with wife swapping, as one would only get more or less the same....

 

...that's a joke of course as I have only the highest respect for my wife and women in general!

..sometimes the swapping is not your choice.....

True  but you would still have a very nice stereo system - and that's not too bad!

......I would drop the stereo system, if I had the choice.....

Posted on: 07 July 2015 by Phil Harris

My ex-GF came over to my flat the weekend after the arrival of a set of our DBLs...

 

"Those are never coming into any house that we have ..."

 

She regarded it as an instruction to get rid of them ... I regarded it as her generous acceptance that there was a choice to be made.

 

Phil

Posted on: 07 July 2015 by Clay Bingham
Originally Posted by Phil Harris:

My ex-GF came over to my flat the weekend after the arrival of a set of our DBLs...

 

"Those are never coming into any house that we have ..."

 

She regarded it as an instruction to get rid of them ... I regarded it as her generous acceptance that there was a choice to be made.

 

Phil

That's the spirit.  One has one's priorities after all. As a friend once advised, women are like trains.......another one comes along in 15 minutes. Same can't be said for DBL's.