This is just a perception, but the folks I have met online who are audio/video enthusiasts (I think audiophile is such a pretentious term!) seem to spend more time buying and selling, posting on boards, reading reviews about what others think, and I never read anything about folks sitting in their "sweetspot" for hours listening to their favorite toons. Oh, I know folks who listen while they are lifting weights, reading, or doing something else. Seems to me if you are moving around or not concentrating, there is a whole lot of money being spent on pride alone.
Wow, it sounds like our audio sanctuaries are just that. No surprise here I guess. Low light, something to nibble on, sip and read make it that much more enjoyable.
If I lived alone I'd listen more, but I try to get 3 nights of 1-2 hours of listening in with some Cabo Wabo n' Kahlua (or Sailor Jerry). My girlfriend is getting more and more involved with this stuff and is always a good source of unbiased opinions.
I would definitely call it a sanctuary as I can feel the tension of a workweek more if I don't get my music time in. Lights are generally off, and sometimes the TV is on; some shows I just enjoy more without hearing them (NASA TV is a good channel to watch with music).
I only wish I could have a variety of gear at once to test and decide what I want and kick the upgrade habit. Of course when that day comes, I probably wont be sifting through Audiogon daily.
I'm a lucky guy. I have no distractions except the ones I create. I am able to listen to music with absolute silence around me, from my sweet spot, for at least an hour a day during my work week and 2 hours each day on weekends.
Retired two years ago this March, every day is the weekend and no shortage of spare time. On top of that, I always put off till tomorrow anything I don't want to do..this leaves me with plenty of time for listening and the WWW.
PS, I do find time to take my wife out to dinner once a week and that seems to keep her very happy...plus, I do try to find time for the sweet spot.
I spend many hours listening to the system every week ... but I'm only in the sweet spot for a few. That's fine by me. First, it's nice to know that I can immerse myself whenever I'm in the mood. Second, a fine system should, IMO, sound very good outside the sweetspot. That's one of my primary decision factors when choosing components. I want to groove to the tunes even when I'm chopping carrots in the kitchen or on the PC gon'ing it with y'all. Happy Listening!
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