Ever feel you're alone in the audio world?

[picky]

wuzzer: I understand exactly what you are talking about. About 90% of my friends never discuss audio at all, but they are always fighting for a prime seat in our theater when they come over to view a movie or sporting event. So, I think they really know the difference: They're just avoiding being labeled "a nerd". Little do they know that being a nerd is actually a superior position! []

At work, I am known as "that home-theater-guru-guy". They all think Blose is tops, but I am slowly converting them over, one-at-a-time. I don't talk about HT unless they come over an ask. I only give them a little information at a time, or else you can see their eyes glaze over. They usually walk away and think about what I said. They usually return with a million more questions. I actually believe that I am helping to make a difference as several people have become serious HT enthusiasts and owners.

The main difference in my case is that I am blessed with a wife whose ears became educated early on. She's always had a basic love of good music and sound and was willing to allow me to purchase as good of speakers as we could afford, progressively as our years together went on. We've now been married 34 years. She was willing to listen to me and learn as I pointed out the differences of good speakers over average. Her ears became "educated" as mine did. We've always shopped for speakers together and always agreed on the ones we would buy. If she ever had a reason to like one type over another, she always had a valid point for her differences and was able to explain it to me. She was usually correct, too.

We started out in the mid 1970's with one of those all-in-one, table-top stereos. It was make by someone like Akai and had a turntable, tuner, 8-track player, stereo amp and 2 outboard speakers that plugged into it. The first thing we did was shop for a better pair of speakers. We bought a pair of Empire Grenadiers, with marble tops. They were okay-sounding, but not great. Next, we bought a Pioneer SX-838 receiver that we still own. Huge improvement! Next was a Pioneer PL-55 Turntable that we still use! Then some ADS L-810 speakers. Enormous improvement! The Polk SDA-2's and finally Klipsch Reference Series. My wife was with me every step of the way. Oh, her eyes will glaze over if I get into too much technical detail, but the woman KNOWS excellent sound when she hears it! I'm really a lucky guy!