Who R U?

I'm 31 and live in the deep hills of Colorado. I'm lucky because I have a number of the best audio companies in the world in my back yard - Dunlavy, Avalon, Rowland, Bouler, Audio Magic, Green Mountain and Ayre. They all seem to be fairly friendly and willing to extend a welcome to anyone that stops by. I got into this hobby in high school when I noticed that as I upgraded my car stereo, it could go louder without sounding worse. My car audio dealer was also a high-end dealer and got me started with a used CJ preamp and a little Adcom amp. Despite the CJ blowing up about 10 times, I never managed to give up on audio and have since built my system to the point where my focus has gone from music to equipment and back to music again - my system lets me enjoy what I hear rather than nit-picking about perceived flaws or things I can improve on. I'm married to a woman who claims to not care about the gear, but who has objected if I bring home something on audition that she doesn't think sounds good. I have no kids (yet), though I have two dogs who couldn't care less about the source of my tunes.

Bert T Murph(y?) - I suspect we had the same dealer in CO, either ListenUp or US Tech. I'm 32, and also got into this odd little hobby of ours the same way, through car audio in high school. My salesman led me to a room where I played the same CD I had just heard in my car on a pair of Infinity IRS Betas, and I was hooked. For the next few years, I suffered through miserable systems in college and when I graduated I managed to secure a grunt job at a local dealer. 9 years later, I'm working for what I consider to be the manufacturer of the best SS gear in the world (naturally that makes me biased, so no rants please). I think I get more fun by watching new people to the high-end discover what they own but have never "heard" before, and I'm happy to see people discovering music and the high-end, regardless of the brand they choose to play it on. I'd much rather swap music than arguments about brand name foibles and preferences. My wife is fairly patient and very tolerant, though the hounds are oblivious - the amps are just warm enough to lie next to. Over the years I've met and learned so many people and things, it's impossible to value the wealth of knowledge I've gained - we're an opinionated and argumentative bunch, but we're dedicated. Just when I think I've heard it all, something new pops up - audioophile quality punk rock, symphonies compsed with feedback, jazz on Fisher-Price instruments, you name it. Who's got a good musical oddity or an excellent unheard of recording to share?

I'm 36, married recently, and have an understanding wife who looks at me like like I'm more than a little crazy whenever I tell her about my latest purchase/discovery in regards to this insane hobby of ours. However, in the immortal words of Ferris Bueller, "I catch her digging the ride" sometimes. My Mother was Irish and my Father was Italian, so I really had no choice about growing up and loving music. I caught the Beatle bug at the tender age of 7 and never looked back. My oldest sister married an audiophile when I was 10, so you can see how all of these ingredients in the same bowl can really leave you with little choice but to be afflicted with this hobby(illness).
To make matters better(worse?), I'm a systems designer for a home theater/ audio company in Cherry Hill,New Jersey.
I LOVE MY JOB!

Sounds like your living a charmed life Patmatt, I'm envious that you make a living thru our hobby. Must be great, and welcome aboard.

welcome Patmatt