How To Field Questions About Your Audiophile Lifestyle...


We Audiophiles often have a bit of "The Adams Family" about us to other people..especially to neighbors and those who come into contact with us often.Here are some of the most common questions that come up and some suggestions on how to field them.

Q."About that stereo of yours,; "what kind is it?"
 A. Looking at your watch, "It's a q
uarter to 5."

Q."How much did it cost?"
 A. "I'm not sure.I stole it."

 Q."How come my stereo doesn't' sound like that?"
 A."You need smarter friends with better advice." "I hear they really kick"is 5 words from hell, if you are really serious about your selections.

 Q."Why do you play "Aerosmith" and the "Butthole Surfers"then switch to that "Beethoven"
 crap?"
  A. "Beethoven was a musician too."He went deaf without any rock music at all.

  Q."Why is your furniture differently arranged than everybody else's, all diagonally?"
  A."It has to do with the lighting,"or "Thats the way the previous people living here liked it."

  Q."Why do you always walk backwards when there is a strong wind coming at you ?"
  A."I like to protect my nice face from aging" or "I forgot my ear muffs today."

  Q."Why do you play your CD player with the top off and why does the Xmas tree near it always have greenish blue lights."
  A.It has to do with the absorption of stray laser..Err it's too long a story."

  Q."Why do you have a Xmas tree still up by your CD player?"
  A."It's already September..Might as well just keep it up now."

I hope this helps.

supertweak
 With the speaker cabls removed from trestles temporarily."Gerbil Olympics" (training).

Another concern is convincing the DEA that all the electricity being used is not actually for growing anything...
   I have had people see my Apogee Duetta II speakers for the first time, marvel at their design and how "thin" they are and then ask me to play them so they can hear "how loud they will play." I politely decline, and change the subject. I have had some people see my McIntosh separate components and comment that they didn't know that Apple also makes stereo components. Hmmm....
I’m too old to tolerate that crap. I usually say ... "If you don’t know or can’t figure it out, then I’m not gonna tell ya until you're much older." Seems to work everytime and makes the questioner feel pretty stupid ... just the way I like it.

I'm about a clean aesthetic, so the source components/amps etc are in a separate room, and cables for my speakers are essentially hidden.  Thus people really just see a pair of nice looking speakers and - if they aren't interested in such things, don't comment.  If they are it's usually "what nice looking speakers, how do they sound?"
But man, when I see some of the systems some audiophiles have, every bit of technology just in your face, cables everywhere, risers, tweaks on walls, etc...yeah...that would take some 'splainin'