The partner or wife factor

This thread makes me chuckle, so I will pass on a little tale that might help you out. Show this one to your wives if they think you go "too far"...
Upon moving into the new domicile, It was discovered that I just COULD NOT get the turntable to be free from the shabby listening room floors "bendable" nature. Even a wall mount would not work. (Next house will be a concrete dome...)

Since the listening room does not have a basement under it, I did the right thing. Well, I thought it was the right thing.

As my wife got home from a long day at work, she found my brother, a friend and I deep into a project. The living room rug was history, there was a 4'X 4' hole in what used to be the floor/subfloor and where there once was the concrete pad that the original addition was built on, now was a 4 foot round, six foot deep..hole right into the ground.

She asked if we had too many beers. (There were only two empty cases in the kitchen.) She then asked if we had finally gone off and killed the trash next door and needed a place to dump the bodies.
Then she asked how she would get the concrete dust off of everything.
The WORST thing however, was the aircompressor spitting oil all over the porch after it ran the jackhammer for an hour to chop out the concrete. (carpet number two)

She decided it would be best to go to her friends house untill the dust settled and the slightly intoxicated helpers were gone.

The next afternoon, with a new piece of plywood on the floor she realized that there was a 4X4, sunk 6 feet into the ground (no bodies dear), then concreted under the house.

There were no arguements about the whole affair, we both knew better. I dont tell her what furniture to buy, what dishes, art supplies, dog classes, "you want a new car honey?" Go ahead, buy that new dress, it looks nice on you. Get the PROTON clock radio dear, not the cheapie. Go for the gusto! You like that color for the siding? Okay..etc etc.
The sound system and the autos are MY department. Everything else is hers.

In my living room now protudes a nicely stained 4X4 with a "home-made" plastic gasket around it. There is a cut in our carpet that "kind of" hides the interface between the floor and the 4 feet of beam sticking out of it.
The concrete dust has settled and been cleaned.

The LP12 sits on its perch like a proud bird on a dock piling. We have had company over the years that have commented on the "ugly" thing next to the "ugly" seven foot tall metal rack. "What is THAT for? Don't you stay with the times? We have CD's nowadays you know..."
A few have actually been seen to have goosebumps when she would proudly smile and say "yeah, but listen to this new Sting we just had imported from the UK."

As the Grado dropped in the groove, those without ears of tin understood.

But I still joke about that day she came home and handled the situation so well. It all worked out. Plus, she got new floor coverings. ;)

The day after, as we danced on our bare living room floor with zero upset to the stylus riding in the groove....she said, "I think the sound is wonderfull, but I think the cartridge is getting a bit tired. Maybe you should go get a new one."

God, I love my wife.

First time I ever went over to my wife's house, she had Al DiMeola playing over a classic pair of JBLs. She had no reason to know that would impress me (on both counts). She's very interested in music, having taken up playing the guitar a couple years ago, but she keeps her distance from the electronics. I'm not sure why - if I ever get her to sit down and listen, she realizes it's awesome, but I suppose if she ever let on that she enjoyed it, she thinks it would just fuel the fire. She's always been okay with my expenditures, though I'm the wage earner so she probably doesn't think she can put the total kabosh on them. It's the only really expensive thing I do, so I don't see how she can have too much of a problem with it.

The only way I can really get into music, and the associated gear, is alone. My wife comes into the sound room by invitation because it is also my studio (I am a visual artist). When she does she demands to hear Cannon's Jog Stompers or Blind Blake (1926-32 recordings). Then maybe Arvo Part, and then she gets antsy and wants to leave. It's a good arrangement because I really listen alone. When she is there I am enjoying her presence more than the music anyway.

if people are rational and communication is possible, all problems can be solved.

it is possible for the "addicted" person to educate and have many talks with the "disinterested" person. it helps to have some love and respect so comprimises can be made.

in my case i have my gear in a separate room and i frequently ask my wife to confirm what i hear. i get a kick out of her comments when she says "that sounds muffled".

i occasionaly play music that i don't like just to please her. she is very tolerant, but disinterested.

My wife has put up with my upgrades for the last few years without much fuss. I went from a system that was worth around 15 hundred to my current system, which cost quite a bit. When she wants something, she usually gets it, like the new deck and front porch we are putting in, with a new lawn to follow. I didn't hesitate to agree with the deck/porch/lawn, even though I had multiple thoughts, and suggestions of different system upgrades, of which, she politely declined. She's been the greatest with my habit. I always turn the music down, or off, when she is around because she had 3 brain hemorrhages about ten years back, and still has very severe headaches on a regular basis, and once in a while she needs to take some heavy duty medication to quell them. Yeah, she's been real good to me, and I return the favor.