Disappointing Evening

I just added a third system. A Squeezebox radio with a pair of 30 year old Realistic Nova 45 headphones.

It replaced an alarm clock on the lamp table next to the bed.

Hey, the sound here is really good!

Its a sharp looking little gadget! Top notch WAF.

Ipods are pretty spiffy looking also and sound pretty good to most.

Given how relatively inexpensive and easy it is to get at least decent sound these days, I think the shock factor of a newbie seeing some of the rigs on this site would be the biggest conversation piece, more than how good the systems sound.

I remember when I was a kid, my first stereo was a Motorola all in on record player with fold out speakers.

Then, as a young teen, I got my first real stereo, for $200 an all in one Sanyo with radio, ceramic cart phono, tape, and speakers, a big step up, but still not really close to the best hi fi of teh day.

Then, finally, going into college, I got a good deal on some real hi fi, Lafayette Criterion integrated and tuner, speakers with Heil Air Motion Transformer, and a Technics belt drive table with MM Pickering cart. A true jump towards hifi. It impressed the other kids (mostly male) in my college dorm so much that they all to come into the shop I worked at then and I sold them their rigs.

Impressing anybody with hi fi has been all downhill since then. I mostly gave up a long time ago. I will show someone my stuff and give them a listen if they ask, but that's about it.

Mark
I could tell a similar story about having friends over for dinner and opening a very expensive bottle of Pinot from Oregon.. little appreciation for it.
People need to build up to things like that to understand and appreciate. The big sound stage can really intimidate new bees. Overwhelm them.

Different strokes for different folks. You just have to keep some people away from bright, shiny objects as they are too easily confused.

It never ceases to amaze me how an identical recording can sound so different going through different stereos. So much for The Absolute Sound.

why do audiophiles seem so surprised when others have no interest in sound quality ?

for many it is not a priority, just as expensive cars or expensive clothes are for people who can afford them.