I'm not sure this story qualifies. It's more about simple observation than stupidity. I have this friend, Joe--a wonderful man in every way, a former drummer. Loves music, really knows it. But he's crazy busy in his work and has neither the time nor inclination to really figure out audio. So he bought some relatively low-fi stuff to put around his big flat screen (a sub + 4 satellites) and was happy w/that.
I was over there at a party last Easter, and Joe (who knows I'm an audio wonk from hell) was complaining that his living room system "doesn't sound right." He was cranking it up a lot louder than usual and "something was missing." He asked my advice.
I walk over to where the sub sits right below the receiver to which the 4 satellites are connected. The receiver is typical flash & sizzle--dozens of different color lights. This thing is very obviously on. But the sub is dark, front & back panels.
I say, "Joe, your sub isn't turned on." He gets this very funny "How stupid am I?" look, so I just press the sub's "ON" button, and all of a sudden this somewhat mediocre system sounds 1,000X louder & better. We burst into hysterical laughter. I mean, he had no idea how to turn his sub on. It might have been off for a year. My friend, Joe...
