Do you listen alone or with guest s


I am curious about the social element of listening to an audiophile system. Do you listen alone?? with wife, ladyfriend, buddy or guests?? For myself, I prefer to listen alone and for a few important reasons. I like to listen to the performance of the system I have put together or have made changes to. I listen to judge the performance of the musicians in terms of innnovations,and new revelations about the music's structure. I listen to "just" listen, to get that emotional fix that only music can provide. I occasionally ask my wife to listen with me or to a particular cut, but after about six minutes she loses interest. In the past, with lesser systems, I tried to point out things to friends in the music that I was hearing. After a short while, I realized I was making others uncomfortable, and also myself. Listening alone over the years became a ritual. I never regretted following this path, and was/am surely open to other listeners in the room....Maybe this is smug attitude to have; I think it comes with the territory of high-end audio. It often annoys me when I see people switch on a stereo and listen for just background music, or incidental music. I feel it denigrates the music and the musicians (excluding hip-hop, Daughtry,and Lady Gaga) I realize and am grateful there is no "golden rule book" for listening to music. The audiophile who drops thousand of dollars on his system cares about sound and music---science in the service of art.
sunnyjim
I listen alone with my friends Mozart, Beck, Juana Molina, Simon and Garfunkle, Joanna Newsome, Leo Kottke, Oscar Peterson, Swingle Singers, Tony Vivaldi....
G M C,

A bit off topic, but your system just blew my mind...yikes! Others, check it out if you have not yet.
Ninety seven percent of the time I listen alone. I only wish the wife and kids would like to take advantage of my primary system. The benefit of doing shift work at times however is being able to listen alone. It is a double edged sword in fostering a good relationship with the wife. As I find myself spending too much away time. Best to shrike a balance. Keeps all happy. And happy listening to all, even if it is all by yourself.
Alone, whenever I try to share with someone they won't shut up! They don't appreciate quality playback. Which is fine I don't like golf. Bad experience was taking a girlfreind speaker shopping, no matter how good the speaker was, it couldn't drown her out! One sweet spot, one D.J., one critic, one man smiling, I like it that way.
12-03-10: Tvad
Harvey has an open invitation at our house. He sometimes joins me.

Isn't that right, Harvey?

Harvey says yes.
I'll bet that Harvey helped you to improve the transparency of your system.

Best regards,
Al :-)