Girlfriends and wifes, how do YOU cope?

Sek, you make an interesting point and most can hardly disagree. Certainly, hobbies should generally play second fiddle to a long term relationship. At the same time, good long term relationships are "give and take" so successful ones are usually those that allow everyone involved to express themselves and be themselves.

I would like to add though, that the gear and the music are wed (no pun intended). Food and shelter are certainly the highest priorities for everyone, but art is not frivolous (going back to pre-historic times, it has always had a place in even the most desperate conditions). The gear is much like the canvas -- necessary to convey what is really important. Do we tend to spend toooo much time on the gear? Sure. But that's our hobby, and the means to the passion: Music.

To your point, let's not let it interfere too much with all our other passions in life. Thanks again for the thoughts. With that said, let's keep having some fun with this ;-) Cheers.

Katharina, as you well know, I'm an old cynic, but I hope all the same, that neither you or anybody else took my post above seriously. I was just poking fun...Hope you come over soon, golden eared one, and I'll heat up the Quads. Cheers,

1 - get her into the sound of the system (even if you have to listen to horrid eighties music).

2 - make small changes on a regular basis - and ask her to give her opinion of the changes they make.

3 - choose a part of your system that you can roll over on a regular basis without changing the basic sound or spending much money at all ... then swap that part out just for the sake of change as often as possible.

4 - be open and honest about the costs involved in 2 & 3.

5 - make your major changes after she supports the small changes ... don't treat big changes any different than the small ones.

This strategy has worked for me very well as of late. One year ago my system was monitors on wooden milk crate with electronics not nearly as resolving as I would have liked. In the past week my wife has signed for the deliveries of my Hales Rev 3s and Classe CAP-150. She's actually on my case to get the CAP into the system so she can hear how it sounds!

do not, under ANY circumstances, allow them to meet.

Girlfriends and/or Wives are NOT allowed entry to the extra space at my office, where I can and do spend many selected late hours listening at whatever volume I wish, drinking whatever I want, with whomever I choose, to the components of MY choice.

The a/v system stays in the house.