Unfortunately I have learned that I cannot tolerate inferior sound almost anywhere I go. In other posts on the site I've mentioned how I have set up my girlfriend's house; Marantz 2250b receiver, Meadowlark Kestrels, Pro-Ject TT and Marantz cd player in her living room, Pioneer SX 1050 receiver and Usher bookshelves in the bedroom - both because she had gawdawful all-in-ones with cassette players previously.
Now I'm no fool when it comes to appreciating music in any setting. An am/fm mono radio on the beach will do just fine, and has for many, many years. I still remember hearing The Allman Brothers "Eat A Peach" on the beach through my older brother's Grundig radio and it was glorious.
When music reaches out it ain't never the equipment...
I just bought a Geneva Model M all-in-one fm/ipod thingy for her kitchen because she has this nasty am/fm/cd/cassette player in white that has yellowed to the point of no return. (I had this product before and it's far better than what she has. Personally I prefer Peachtree Deepblue2 for outdoors.) I'm not telling her about it, I'm simply going to switch them out and wait for her reaction.
Being in the wine business I have found that this hobby is as subjective and confounding as my livelihood. I've had all the wines you can imagine in my tenure, and then some. The first growths, the cult wines, the garage wines. I've listened to vintners, experts, sommeliers, Masters Of Wine, the whole megillah,
Sometimes a glass of wine is just a glass of wine...and should be. I remember how utterly mind-blowing a late 60's vintage of Beaulieu Vineyards Georges de Latour Cabernet Sauvignon tasted one night amidst a gaggle of wine freaks, but I remember with equal fervor that bottle of Lancer's Rosè I knocked back with Mary Beth one moonlit night on the beach waaaaay back when.
Sometimes the Allman Brothers sound great out of a crappy radio on the beach, sometimes on the gear I have in my living room.
I must confess...I actually had a Bose Wave radio in my office once,
