I've never been criticized for anything in my system because:
A. Most of my friends don't know anything about hi-end audio equipment -- all they know is my system is the "best stereo I EVER heard!"
B. And/or, "It's worth what?!@*"
There WAS this one exception: I have a 'theater' friend, of a certain 'persuasion' who is a true opera and musical comedy maven (what else?) He actually prides himself on his bitchy and disdainful sense of humor -- which I must admit is quick, and often drop dead funny ;-) Anyway, back in oh, must've been around the late seventies, he dropped by one day, and I had a pair of 3/4" dia. by 15' long Straightwire Maestro II speaker cables (I'd just got) stretched out together full-length across the living room carpet.
They have that beautiful silver colored woven shield under a clear jacket, if you've not seen them . . . Anyway, my friend Zale, who needs help changing a light bulb, immediately spied the cables, and starting to chuckle disapprovingly, he says, "What the hell are those?!" I replied, completely matter-of-factly, "Those are my new speaker cables."
At which point, he broke out laughing, so hard, I only barely managed to hear him say, "Oh! I thought you were sending electricity to Poland!"
.