Is the WAF BS?

[Mighty Favog]

Found this in my e-mail this morning.

http://www.tonepublications.com/blog/more-thoughts-on-the-wife-acceptance-factor/

[Marvel]

Like the article, Tom. I sure don't obsess over the gear in our house. I just like to be able to listen to music and have it sound good to me. My wife would be rather happy with a  loud boom box, but that's ok. We don't need one with what we have.

 

Bruce

[Paducah Home Theater]

Depends on how cool your wife is. If wife acceptance if an issue, the answer is probably "not very". Regardless, you need to turn in your man card if you ever have to mention it. I've had people use this excuse when shopping for utility trailers. I see it as a pretty lame excuse to be honest. Typically it's more about your eyes being larger than your wallet is but you don't want to say that so your nagging wife gets thrown under the bus instead of manning up and saying you simply can't afford it. People who do this come across as being whipped at least to me.

Edited December 7, 2014 by MetropolisLakeOutfitters

[Shakeydeal]

I thank God frequently for an understanding wife and a dedicated listening room.

Shakey

[oldtimer]

You are blessed.  Either one is good enough.

[Audible Nectar]

That's a pretty good article.

 

With regard to my own gear choices, WAF was a consideration - but NOT with regard to whether I chose to buy gear at a given price point, but which gear I would buy given a certain level of performance. A great example of this was my choice of the Belle Klipsch, as opposed to an industrial LaScala. The industrial LaScala had the BEST performance, because the bass bins were the most solid and free of resonance - but the fact was that the Belles LOOK better in our home environment. She would have accepted the LaScalas, but she appreciates the Belle look in the room more - and so do I.

 

WAF has also been a reason to pony up and spend some serious $$ on tube gear. In addition to the sonic attributes, she likes the look of classic tube gear. It was NOT a tough sale to bring a couple of pairs of 1950's era Mac MC30s home - especially good looking versions that sound as good as they do. Same with VRDs.

 

I also like the mention of "the system as a means to an end" with regard to HER preferences. My wife sees gear as a means to an end - while she appreciates the looks, it's ultimately about our listening enjoyment. If the purchase shows a benefit in that area, it's not a tough sell. Even with vintage tubes, the rolling made significant audible differences. She understands why the vintage bottles are better. Our experience has us in less of a frame of mind of  "buying to upgrade" - it has been about buying the good gears that we really want, and not monkeying around with incremental upgrades. We learned this lesson building the home theater room. We bought a pair of Cornwalls, Academy, and Chorus with a Velo HT line sub. When the limitations became evident, we sold off the mistake and bought six 1960's/70's era Cornwalls (one pair vertical horned Cornwall IIs) and a pair of JBL professional theater cabinets for subs and have never looked back. That experience told us to do it right the first time, and to not purchase anything that we would want to upgrade later.

 

All of which is to say that WAF IS a factor here, but that is because she is involved in the buying and decision making process - because she helps earn the money around here and enjoys the benefits of the systems - and NOT to be the butt of an excuse for why I buy or do not buy a particular gear. In the beginning, she wasn't as involved as she didn't really understand the point. But as the "successes" came with regard to the systems, she began to understand and become involved with the choices, and we've both had a learning curve with how to achieve the desired ends. She always has loved the music, and the "how we get there" has come along over time.

 

For those who have significant others who don't appreciate or don't care, and/or have issues with being able to sensibly allocate the funds to do it, that's a tough place to be, given that you're hanging out here. One does have to keep the finances in order as well as keep the peace. A refusal to use her as "The Excuse" and respect for her can bring significant results, though, as my exploits have proven. She started out quizzical, and became much more involved as I allowed her and encouraged her to be involved, and we've achieved a great deal not only with the hobby, but the relationship in the overall. These things are all connected

[wvu80]

The WAF is certainly true in my house!  I just moved some large DIY speakers into the living room, and my wife had me move them out the next day!

 

That's not necessarily a criticism of my wife, because 1) the new speakers WERE large and unpainted, and 2) I put them on old wooden bar stools to get them at ear height, because that's all I had.  It looked pretty bad.

 

It really was an ugly setup, even by my low standards. 

[Marvel]

I thank God frequently for an understanding wife and a dedicated listening room.

I have a dedicated wife and a barely understood listening room...

 

Bruce

[A1UC]

WAF  Id never ever be with someone that this was an issue .I guess I'm lucky

Edited December 7, 2014 by A1UC

[Schu]

I never a single woman that made me want to forget the rest of them!

[oldtimer]

How about a married one?

[Schu]

Oh... I'm married.

Edited December 7, 2014 by Schu

[minermark]

I think iv always lucked out in this department, many girls and a couple wifes, nope cannot really think of an instance, iv always used Logic and back it up with doing it the right way, the first time.

Keep in mind im in Kalifornia, i live in Wussi land.

[minermark]

These days, with more time than money, i sure could get in trouble.

[Fish]

I say it's BS only because I've never experienced it. I'm pretty sure I would not be 39 years in if deciding what I want was up to someone else. I try to be self moderating, no HT systems in the bathroom, dining or kitchen, only blutooth speakers there. No motorcycles under restoration in my living room like some people I know. No loud music in the bedroom when my wife is asleep. My main HT room is at the opposite end of the house from living and bedrm, insulated with double drywall. Sure it don't stop all the bass but its the thought that counts. What women would put up with me ? One that lives longer than me I hope!

[oldtimer]

Hot tramp!  I love you so!

[Daddy Dee]

WAF is a pretty significant factor at my house. She is pretty understanding though and does appreciate good sound. I'm blessed. 

[Paducah Home Theater]

I think you do have to have a little bit of design sense. Start putting cinema speakers in your dining room and there might be a problem. I dont really understand the whole man cave thing where you design things worse than a frat house. Things do need to look respectable.

[derrickdj1]

Man cave rule, man decorates man cave!  Things do have to have some nice aesthetics so that you will like the look and sound.  The atmosphere of the room adds to the sound experience for me.

[Paducah Home Theater]

When we started our theater room we were afraid it would go the way of the man cave, so we agreed to hire an interior decorator. Worst waste of money ever. We told her we wanted a pirate themed room. We're thinking classy antiques, a couple of movie posters, maybe a sword or two. Holy cow, she went off the deep end. Her recommendation was a room full of the cheesiest crap you can imagine, with stuff that had absolutely nothing in common except the word "pirate". Worse than that, she recommended this gray color that had a blue tint to it, so basically anything with brown shades such as rustic and antique items clashed with it, which unfortunately included most every piece of decor that even looked remotely authentic.