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Thread: The WAF and How To Get (Around) It

  1. #1
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,773
    I'm Martin.

    Default The WAF and How To Get (Around) It

    It's been a perennial problem but in these days of Ikea and laminate flooring wives and their asthetic sensibilities are becoming an increasingly difficult obstacle to climb for the man who is seeking no-compromise audio solutions in the home.

    This is not exaggeration - One poor fellow on another forum was, just yesterday, bemoaning the fact that he gets grief from SWMBO for not closing the blinds properly. Woe betide him should he one day turn up with a battered pair of TDL Reference Monitors and attempt to install them in the lounge.

    Worse still it is ruining value for money hi-fi as no longer will an unfinished metal box blatently screwed together and painted with a tin of hammerite found in the shed be an acceptable accompaniment to domestic bliss. So as well as paying for all the expensive components in the box we are now expected to pay for a fancy box as well.

    Loudspeakers have suffered even more. Not only do we have to fork out for real wood veneer when a bare chipboard finish will sound exactly the same, but the speakers must not look 'intrusive', cannot be too wide or too deep, cannot have big drivers; there must be no cables snaking across the floor taped down with gaffer or covered over with an old car mat you found in the garage. In short they must be both expensive and shit otherwise you will return home one night to find out that wifey has packed her bags and gone to her mother's, without even having the good grace to cook your tea and leave it on a low heat in the oven first.

    Obviously even if we leave aside the romantic implications this has numerous practical considerations, not least of which is the cost of the divorce.

    So what can be done about this sad state of affairs? What tips and tricks do you have to maintain domestic bliss and have a f**k off ugly (but superb-sounding) hi-fi system other than marrying a bird who doesn't give a rat's ass? Your suggestions are welcome.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  2. #2
    Join Date: Dec 2011

    Location: South downs

    Posts: 3,477
    I'm James.

    Default

    Convert to Islam ? Those fella's don't take any nonsense from the Mrs'...

  3. #3
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: United Kingdom

    Posts: 2,302
    I'm Richard.

    Default

    A thought just popped into my head. (Plenty of space for it.) Do gay audiophiles have the same problems? Is it a gender thing, or just a partner thing?
    ABD.

  4. #4
    Join Date: Apr 2011

    Location: Surrey

    Posts: 4,162
    I'm Mike.

    Default

    Work out her favourite albums and get her involved with the process by hearing how wonderful it sounds.

    Minimise the negative and maximise the positive

    Set up how huge, monstrous and ugly something you lust after is and then say you found the smaller, aesthetic and better sounding model at a bargain price

    TAD CD / DAC / Pre, Technics 1210, MCRU PSU, Mike New Bearing & Platter, Stillpoints LP1 weight, Speedy Steve Ebony armboard, Fidelity Research FR64FX arm, Ortofon SPU. Aurorasound VIDA Phono Pre Amp, TAD Power Amp, TAD E1 speakers. Coherent RTZ 3 Grounding box, Coherent grounding cables, Creaktiv racks. Coherent Mains Cables. SR Blue Fuse. Interconnects : Coherent and Yannis 223.5 Connect Litz. Coherent speaker cable. Audio Magic Transcendence Conditioner. Coherent mains socket. Mains Filters : , PS Audio Harvesters, Russ Andrews Purifiers, Tacima, Vertex. Black Ravioli and RDC supports. Electric Beach S1NX platforms for TAD CD and Technics. Ferrite chokes everywhere except the above. Ears, brain

    Mike

  5. #5
    Join Date: Nov 2009

    Location: Devon

    Posts: 1,903
    I'm stu.

    Default

    Can never understand why a woman wants to stifle a blokes hobby.
    Also don't understand why the bloke ends up being so hen pecked that he can only buy a system that matches everything that she has bought.
    301/Puresound 2A3/quite large Grf cab horny ones.Eminence/Coral/Le cleach

  6. #6
    Join Date: Apr 2008

    Location: east yorkshire

    Posts: 527
    I'm steve.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeMusic View Post
    Work out her favourite albums and get her involved with the process by hearing how wonderful it sounds.

    Minimise the negative and maximise the positive

    Set up how huge, monstrous and ugly something you lust after is and then say you found the smaller, aesthetic and better sounding model at a bargain price

    Thats always been my way too, works a treat !!!
    collector and DIY user of old british triode valves

    Open baffles / single ended diy px4 and px25 valve amps

  7. #7
    Join Date: Oct 2011

    Location: Charente, France

    Posts: 3,531
    I'm Nodrog.

    Default

    Live with/marry the right woman - simple.

  8. #8
    Join Date: Sep 2009

    Location: west mids, UK

    Posts: 3,268
    I'm Phil.

    Default

    yes my dear lady does not like my martin logans !!! but as they sound so fantastic and it keeps me happy I am ok so far !!!!
    ou might slip, you might slide, you might
    Stumble and fall by the road side
    But don't you ever let nobody drag your spirit down
    Remember you're walking up to heaven

    Don't let nobody turn you around
    … Walk with the rich, walk with the poor
    Learn from everyone, that's what life is for
    And don't you let nobody drag your spirit down

    Eric Bibb

  9. #9
    Join Date: Apr 2008

    Location: Bristol, UK

    Posts: 441
    I'm Greg.

    Default

    My wife hates the appearance of all my system components and they have to share the lounge with the TV which is planted in between the 1 metre high floor standing speakers.

    Recently our rather ancient TV started to go on the blink and I resolved to replace it with a flat screen version with a larger screen. Now she, unfathomably also hates large screen TV's and would prefer to squint her eyes than have a fully open and resolved picture. Interestingly, when she does listen to music, and it is rarely on my system, she listens at a sound level so low, most of the sound dynamics are undetectable.

    So I left the old faltering TV in place for a few weeks until she was thoroughly fed up with it and then without consultation, went out and bought a much larger size new TV and stand, very much to my own preference. Whilst I was in the final stages of assembling the new TV and stand, she arrived home from work. I was expecting a blast about lack of consultation and why was it so big etc, but no, she came in, observed I had bought a new TV and then said, "At least it makes the speakers look smaller".

    Result! Not had a negative comment about the speakers or the TV since

  10. #10
    Join Date: Jan 2011

    Location: Kent

    Posts: 1,357
    I'm Clark.

    Default

    It will always be a potential problem if your hifi has to share a room.

    I'm lucky, have my own room and a wife who is ok with my hobby and don't have any problems. Not too bad considering all of my speakers would be at the pinnacle of unacceptabilty for most wives.

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