Kids during audition - aaaaagh!!


It used to bother me a lot when I would try to demo my system for someone and all they wanted to do was talk during the music. I get it - not everyone is an auditory person. But I still found it off putting and a bit depressing. Like if you took them for a ride on a windy mountain road in your Ferrari and all they noticed was the nice leather.

But FAR WORSE than that is when you're trying to demo your system for someone and they bring their kids. It happened to me last summer, and again tonight. In both cases it could not be helped but it totally destroys the listening experience to have a 6 year dancing around in front of the speakers while the 2 year old sings along with Rebecca Pidgeon.  The listener is denied the chance of the listening experience that we all know and love. I found it actually painful, emotionally. A lost opportunity for a new person to be swept away by the musical experience that comes from a high end system. I guess this time it's like they strapped their screaming kids into child car seats in the Ferrari and only let you drive in the small parking lot. Why bother? And no, I don't have a Ferrari. But yes, with no local audiophile friends to appreciate it, I do yearn to at least share the experience with someone who's never heard good sound.

One other note. Isn't it funny that non-audiophiles often assume that you're going to blast their head off by playing Metallica with the volume set to 11?
bob5560g
Kids running around bothering adults? Back in the day parents knew how to explain it to them. One more for the "General Decline of Civilization" files.
Bob - I wonder if you invited your friend over to specifically listen to music and explained that him/her? I find that unless I’m clear that “I want you to hear this cool thing but you can’t talk or you’ll miss it!” Then people aren’t comfortable sitting in “silence”. Or they don’t consider “listening to music” as _just_ listening without distractions. If you explained it, and then they brought the kids, well you should have just moved on, because that wasn’t happening. But I agree, if you did explain it, that’s a little rude. 

In terms of listening loud - well it is helpful to have people not talk!

as for kids and auditions?

kids are around just to make convex or domed tweeters, concave.

so who is odd? silly? or just plain nuts? it doesn't appear to be those we think we might could impress with our audio rigs.

maybe then its just us.

Wanna blame someone?

blame C.H. Brandenberg and bose. its all their fault.

https://blogs.windows.com/devices/2013/01/29/eureka-people-how-karlheinz-brandenburg-invented-the-mp3/

well, and maybe Sony too. Phillips to a wee bit lesser degree but they are definitely culpible.

I think there is something to the notion people now neeed something to view or visually interact or interface with, the sound.

Albeit quite necessary, sound quality is seldom the focus.

there are 'screens' everywhere... and the speakers? now, those are much harder to find.

on your wrist! in your eyewear. in your pocket. on your belt. on the dash board. on drop down LCDs.

OMG! Even in the back seat which used to be a sacred part of every sedan!

you can't get away from them. only cameras are coming close to parralleling flat screen numbers.

I know a guy who put flat screens in the hallways of his house so he could view whateveer without interruption.

yep. there's one on an articulating arm in each bathroom so one can watch from any standing, ;'seated' or reclining position.

yep. 4K video... no k audio with most screens, save for those in homes whose owners dig both sides of the home entertainment coin equally.

BTW... the fella with all the flat screens throughout his house? he has a huge plasma screen in his 'theater' room. reclining chairs with cup holders in all of the arms. but uses Bose as his audio system.

its always about one's priorities.

oh, and a little bit about 'expectations'.

I seldom show my system to anyone not 'in the fold', so to speak.

I would as soon just keep the actua level of my insanity on a 'need to know' basis..
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