Definitely lonely to be an audiophile

Stating that audio geeks are on the autistic spectrum is insulting to those who know people with autism unless the statement is broadening the "spectrum" to make a lame point. It's sadly ignorant, and simply wrong.

I value my alone time too, but I'm lucky that my partner Valerie is interested in my fiddling endeavours to improve the sound, and has input with suggestions. She also likes sitting quietly next to me to listen, as we share a liking for a lot of the same music. One thing I will say, in my alone time, I tend to have the volume higher than when we are both listening. I'm not sure if that's because Valerie likes it quieter or because she is thinking of the neighbours, I should ask :^)  Also we have totally separate finances so she doesn't grumble about the cost, she buys what she wants and I buy what I want.  In fact she has two amps and speakers of her own, even if they are Chinese :^(  We have managed 20 years like that, and still happy.

@charles1dad

"Nice thread!
Many interesting responses and perspectives.
+1 ghdprentice and tomic601 in particular.
I can attend a jazz club and sit through 2 or 3 sets or listen at home for hours"

Thanks Charles and thanks for posting, ah the jazz club, big band performances, any of these venues ... looking forward to get back to that.

@perkri

Mostly, its my cat and myself

Man what is it with animals and music, my dog is the only one that doesn't like it? I think I am coming to the conclusion I'm the one she doesn't like

@aewarren

I was going to reply to the OP but since I'm an audiophile, I think I'll keep my thoughts to myself.

Got it ;-)

@lp2cd

Read this story on WaPo and consider...

I don't read WaPo usually but not bad of an article. Especially these quotes below, to which I can relate sometimes but it is definitely not who I am.

The truth, says Sólo, is that introverts can be very engaging, but it’s draining. “If I’m going to go to a social event where I actually want to be, I’m loud, I’m making jokes, I’m telling stories. But it really does feel like you have a battery running down pretty quickly.”

Introverts missed seeing their close friends but savored the ability to go for hours or even days without speaking to another person.

@keegiam

Hopefully you will find a few friends that get into it.

Have some close but really the pandemic has placed a wide range halt to anything social, here in South Florida (party town) cases were out of control and some people decided to just sever all social interactions, for example I called my friends and they were "I would love to go to your house but I don't think my wife is onboard as she is concerned of getting sick" or "Yeah sure but if I get sick I will pass it to my kids and that wouldn't be fair"
I mean I can't argue with that logic and I totally understand, I don't consider myself a reckless person either, to be honest my wife also was freaking out of social interactions in general.

@jjss49

"nowadays, i have a much slower work pace, more time with golf (group/social/sometimes alone), cars/track driving/instruction (mostly social), socializing with friends (over meals, concerts, etc etc) -- all of this balanced by solo time (sometimes with s.o.) immersed in music and hifi matters -- not to mention minimizing watching the cable news b-s"

Thanks for posting, from your comments you have a truly balanced act, live concerts? so far I have only heard of virtual ones.

@asvjerry

A subject that hasn't broke into friction and fuss.....;)

To be honest I just posted without structuring the writing too much and just what I had in mind at the moment so it wasn't a well thought post but I knew most of us here could relate.

Sit, staring at the wall, and listening to the ghosts playing in front of it...

Nice line

@audiodwebe

Audiophiles setting up their listening room so others can enjoy the music

Not what I said.

@wolf_garcia

Stating that audio geeks are on the autistic spectrum is insulting to those who know people with autism unless the statement is broadening the "spectrum"

The statement was made like you said broadening the "spectrum" not literally, you are correct it could be insulting to some, not my intent to make it such, my apologies if it was insulting to you or others

@chris_w_uk

In fact she has two amps and speakers of her own

Impressive, I'm just curious how many do you have?

Yup, alone time is best!

Lots of truth in these posts.   I have been “searching for musical truth” only the last three years when I finally made some time and decided what the heck, “you can’t take it with you” so you might as well spend some of it..  Being absorbed in the music, usually alone, is second only to long walks in the woods or along a beach, two places where one can listen to the sounds of nature, to clear the mind and recharge the batteries ...