High end Audio for ladies? Check this out

Stereolady: Yes over the years I have attended many shows, CES, CEDIA, HES, the Stereophile show when it was in NYC. I got treated with respect was when I attended as a Wall St Analyst covering the sector. When I attended on my own I got the "where's your husband?"

Soniqmike: people should take a page out of the Aquos/Sharp playbook. They targeted the function/design towards women because they knew recognized that women shop differently and were the primary decision-makers in large ticket purchasing.

General question: if someone is going listen to music while they do other things, then why do they need/want high end audio system. Recent studies have shown that it is not possible for the human brain to fully concentrate on multiple items but it switches constantly. Therefore, an iPod and a decent ss integrated and a pair of monitors should be enough. Perhaps this is why most women don't get the investment of cash and real estate to something that generates background music. In this case, B+O and Bose already have th

I'm just teasing, you know that, right?

Pookine, it just occured to me that maybe the answer lies with the title of a song on one of the most celebrated of all ''audiophile'' recordings - Belafonte at Carnegie Hall - and his song.... ''Man Smart (Woman Smarter)! ''. There it is - a ray of truth barried under the high-end audio shrine !!

Soniqmike,

Are you showing this thread to the wife with the hopes of gaining favor for the impending large audio purchase:)?

Or have you really convinced yourself that trying to demasculinize the ownership of audio gear is a worthwile endevour? I know that this might seem contraversial in such a forward thinking liberal society, but I do still enjoy the freedom that comes from standing while using the restroom. Hence, I still enjoy the few things that are almost unique unto us guys. Is it a crime to try to preserve some of these traditions? The answer would be NO!

My wife does have her own audio rig, and I support her because she likes to listen to music, not make a statement by ownership.

Ibog1, interesting point of view and I thank you for your comment. I will be the last to say that so far the high-end audio experience has not been mainly a masculine thing. Again, nothing wrong with that to the same extent that we are mainly talking ''toys'' here. Women of course, have their own toys of which many are of absolutely no interest for most men (unless a $ 3,200 Louis Vutton bag excites you but - hey - it's a free society!).

I guess my point is that a lady is trying to get in ''the club'' and probably risking a good sum of money in an effort to make a living at it. Risking more than most if us that are well shielded behind a computer screen where it is easy to give our opinion. I just feel that it is an old-school thinking not to find this refreshing. And what about the possibility that old-school, know-it-all dealers out there (you know the type) could learn a thing or two in the process? One reason why I enjoy Audiogon and the possibility of buying on-line is because I feel the traditional audio shop has not followed with modern times and modern attitude. But that's a whole other debate of course. Of course Stereolady can learn a lot by watching the whole male-dominated audio scene. I just feel that it could also be the other way around, and that it could induce some much needed energy to spice things up a bit.

Please bear in mind that my point of view is totally subjective, but then, my job is on a daily basis to exactly try and pinpoint the possible flaws, threats, and opporunities in a given market or industry, and this has to be done very objectively. Being an ''audiophile'' myself, I am influenced by my own bias here, although I can detach rather quickly when needed, but granted it is not always easy to do so.

Quick story to illustrate this: I had a consulting contract with a group of purveyors of hunting trips. The objective was to attract wealthy americans to northern canadian hunting trips. Expensive ones, where the guest is lodged in fancy castle-like ''log homes'' with gourmet food. The main promotional attraction was that with this hunting-trip company, you had a better chance of killing a huge deer, moose, than with another destination. My personal bias came into play here, but to a point where I just could not indulge in a business activity where my client would promote a ''better chance'' of killing an animal, and where I would help him do this. We all need to work (well most of us) but this I could not do. Holy smokes, am I off track here of what! Let's keep it audio, sorry !