Non-audiophiles who listen to your system...Comments and experiences?

[Rshatzer]

A very interesting thread. Read all of it last night and still pondering the replies this morning. When I started reading everyone's comments, I expected to hear that most of your friends would be overwhelmed with hearing music on your systems, but as some mentioned, a lot of people were basically disinterested. In my case, i've experienced both situations, but the majority of people who came by and listened, have such a short attention span. Blame that on our shifting culture which increasingly relies on instant gratification. Wanting to share music with our friends who don't listen as we do, has more to do with our feeling the need to share because of our love of music and not necessarily wanting to show off our gear. Just my two cents....

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

A very interesting thread. Read all of it last night and still pondering the replies this morning. When I started reading everyone's comments, I expected to hear that most of your friends would be overwhelmed with hearing music on your systems, but as some mentioned, a lot of people were basically disinterested. In my case, i've experienced both situations, but the majority of people who came by and listened, have such a short attention span. Blame that on our shifting culture which increasingly relies on instant gratification. Wanting to share music with our friends who don't listen as we do, has more to do with our feeling the need to share because of our love of music and not necessarily wanting to show off our gear. Just my two cents....

My non-audiophile friends are basically that, and I don't blame them. I might not be particularly interested in their gaming collection or car restoration projects either. It's all a matter of differing interests. Don't get me wrong, I try to take an interest in their hobbies and support what they do, but they know I'm not going to get involved like they are.

 

[puroagave]

Nowadays if someone notices my system I change the subject and we'll go to a different room. If you have to explain it to them they won’t get it, and when you tell them how it works the care a feeding involved and they ask the cost of admission they write you off as a kook.

Just recently we had guests over from Japan who were travelling on business, one of them was an audiophile and gravitated straight to my quad 57s and said “can I hear these!” he went on to tell me about his Magnepans he bought 30-yrs ago, yada, yada. I left him alone with my system only after he demonstrated judicious control of the volume and I felt he wasn’t going to blow anything up. He skipped our meal and listened for two hours straight – that might be the downside of inviting other ‘phles over I didn’t even get 2-hrs with my system that weekend.

 

[Rshatzer]

My non-audiophile friends are basically that, and I don't blame them. I might not be particularly interested in their gaming collection or car restoration projects either. It's all a matter of differing interests. Don't get me wrong, I try to take an interest in their hobbies and support what they do, but they know I'm not going to get involved like they are.

You are right on the money John. In the past, I tried persuading 2 friends to get into audio, but now I don't. Their interests are their own, but like you, I try to show interest in the things they enjoy.

 

[Ronm1]

For awhile now, the usual initial response is 'Where's your vinyl . Course after listening to there own cd's from the car its Heavens, my cd's have never sounded so good Then a few quality disc go in or the look on-non philes when they hear HiRez or quality disc for the first time is priceless. I've had some come back for more listening sessions and others just shrug, that's nice. Its just not their bag.