Where do you listen?

[Jac Hawk]

We all lead very busy lives nowadays and on a recent business trip down to the south coast it dawned on me that the majority of listening i do is in the car, i have a Ford Mondeo titanium X with the higher quality sound system but apart from actually buying the car i've spent nothing on the car stereo, in contrast to that i get to listen to the stereo in the house in the evenings and at weekends but not for the same lengths of time as when i'm in the car and usually i'm doing something else so it's on in the background, but in contrast i shudder to think how much i've spent on kit over the years.

When i totted it up i actually sit and listen to music in the house for about 3 or at a push 4 hours a week and what i mean by sit and listen is no computer, phone , paperwork etc. that i'm doing while the stereo's on in the background, I'M APPALLED WITH MYSELF!!!:doh::eek::eek:

[Jazid]

Is this self-employed anonymous here? We're mostly the same, its the pleasure of listening in the slight time given that makes the memory so sweet.
Don't worry, at least you can :)

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[Michael loves music]

I listen to dab radio in my brand new VW Golf sounds fantastic love Radio 2 listen to home hifi mostly in bed switch off at midnight

[MasterTape]

At the moment I have plenty of time to listen with undivided attention in front of my stereo. But this is from studying and managing my own time, being single etc.

I really like my bubble undisturbed when enjoying good music and I think it's likely the inevitable transition into family life will mean a break from stereo listening and a move to a good portable setup.

[Zoidburg]

Most of my listening is probably done via my phone at work, I guess I get a couple of hours a day in, I have the tidal app & bbc iplayer app for 6 music so that along with a semi decent pair of in-ear phones works well enough for me.

"Proper" listening on the main rig at home is maybe a couple of hours each weekend depending on what we are doing and the odd hour or 2 of an evening (usually a Friday night "unwinding" from the week).

[Pharos]

Your position is the same as mine Andreas, I am much older and I have not done the 'family thing', being a reject, and so Hi-Fi and music have increasingly taken up my life and become embedded in the home.

When I have first dates, often they coming to my house for a meal, I swear that I can hear their 'software' saying, we could get rid of those speakers, those samplers and synths, and fill the house with screaming children and toys.

It would take a very high quality woman to motivate me to marry and have a family with, because it would not just be an arbitrary and normal part of life, but a very deliberate decision based on;

The partner has to be of sufficient quality and type for me to want to form a recombinant with better survival advantages.

The devotion to upbringing would be extreme to promote the child's advantages.

My musical interest and aspirations would not be sacrificed just for the child, but would be a part of its educational facilitation.

My partner obviously would have to be similarly positioned philosophically, and we both would be workers at life and child rearing.

My experience suggests that this is an odd way to look at things, and that most women do not or will not consider it as an approach, they just wanting a provider to supply their nesting decisions.

[Pigmy Pony]

We all lead very busy lives nowadays and on a recent business trip down to the south coast it dawned on me that the majority of listening i do is in the car, i have a Ford Mondeo titanium X with the higher quality sound system but apart from actually buying the car i've spent nothing on the car stereo, in contrast to that i get to listen to the stereo in the house in the evenings and at weekends but not for the same lengths of time as when i'm in the car and usually i'm doing something else so it's on in the background, but in contrast i shudder to think how much i've spent on kit over the years.

When i totted it up i actually sit and listen to music in the house for about 3 or at a push 4 hours a week and what i mean by sit and listen is no computer, phone , paperwork etc. that i'm doing while the stereo's on in the background, I'M APPALLED WITH MYSELF!!!:doh::eek::eek:

Don't be so hard on yourself Mike.

Almost everyone who isn't retired will be finding it a struggle to get some decent listening hours in.

When we're younger we expect that things will get easier when we're older. The reality is that we often have less time to do what we like. Now my kids are grown up, I seem to spend increasing amounts of time doing jobs at their houses.

Also, despite what may be said about pay rising faster than inflation, I find myself working longer hours than ever just to maintain a certain standard of living. My weekends, once so fiercely protected, have now been cut in half through having to work most Saturdays.

Still, this time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires!

By the way Mike, are you the Mondeo man who bombs around Buckshaw Village, playing Kylie cranked up to eleven?

[YNWaN]

I listen a lot in the car - FM and DAB (almost exclusively Radio 4 and 6 Music). I also listen to a lot of drama through my Bluetooth speakers in my bedroom and kitchen - 6 Music also. All, what I consider better than background listening, I listen to through my main system which has its own room etc.

[Joe]

I mostly listen at home, either in the sitting room where the main system resides, or in the room at the very top of the house where the second system is. (The latter is bloody cold in the winter though).

We are thinking, off and on, about downsizing, at which point choice of listening room might become an issue.

[montesquieu]

Average 2-3 hours (often more) of listening to the main system every night. Study system is more for background listening. In the car, only R4 or R3.

I don’t have a TV so hifi is my main source of relaxation and amusement.

[Barry]

Being retired, I'm fortunate enough to be able to listen to my gear (either the radio or music) for 6 to 8 hours a day, when I am at home.

[struth]

Only listen to my flashman CDs In car. Keep me amused.

In house I mostly use my headphone kit tbh as it's convenient and good

[nonuffin]

I am very lucky in that I have my own listening room.

The wife enjoys music but her and my musical tastes are poles apart and she prefers watching TV anyway, so after our evening meal she has total command of the TV and remote in the living room while I go into my little room and indulge my musical pleasures. I have the system on one side of the room while at the other side of the room I have my computer so I listen facing the wrong way when I am browsing the net.

I usually have around 4 hours of music playing, but some evenings none at all, so instead I watch a DVD or a documentary on Youtube just for a change. Our bedroom backs onto my listening room so when the wife wants to go to bed early she has the bedroom TV on and we either compete with the volume controls, or I switch the system off and let her watch her programme.

[anthonyTD]

Although I have a room dedicated to my main system, I spend most of my time listening to music in my workshop. :doh:
Its all good, where ever you listen, its the music that counts, and the reason I/we got into Audio HI-FI in the first place! :)
A...

[mightymonoped]

Anywhere I can is the short answer.

As far as the normal routine is concerned, the flat consists of two main living areas, one a combined Kitchen and Music room (with a very small tv), the other a Lounge/TV Room (which doubles as a guest bedroom).

I tend to spend at least an hour a night in the Music room, either cooking while listening or just plonked on the couch enjoying whatever takes my fancy. Weekends at home will see me in there for a few hours more.

The TV Room has a decent (old) Q Acoustics soundbar and an AV Amp but I tend not to use the subwoofer in the flat. Also got a Vita R4 (Ruark) for parties etc.

Fridays are generally Music Night. I'll cook something nice and we open a bottle and enjoy our own little music festival at home (The flat is part of a converted Malt Store called Free Rodwell House, so naturally we call our Friday night "Rodstock") :lol:

My journey to work each day is around 30 mins each way, I generally use a little FLAC player in the car (or listen to 6Music for keeping up to date).

[jandl100]

Retired. Dedicated listening room (my den, aka the living room, really.)

No TV (the wife has one in her den room), so music gets played most of the time.
I'd guess 5 or 6 hours a day dedicated listening time - about 1 of those hours on my Fostex TH600 'phones before swmbo gets up in the morning.

Also in the car maybe an hour a day, radio 3/4/ClassicFM.

[bobvfr]

I listen to music mostly on my motorcycle. I use either of my phones to play .flac format music via a stereo Bluetooth headset mounted in my crash helmet that can also do phone stuff.

I probably wear my crash helmet several hours a day and the music is almost always on unless I turn it down whilst I deal with one of our drivers (I am a supervisor to about 5000 of them).

When I get home I listen to several hours of "Proper" music and I do appreciate the difference without the background road traffic noise.

[rigger67]

The partner has to be of sufficient quality and type for me to want to form a recombinant with better survival advantages.



I bet they love it when you talk dirty like that :eyebrows:

[Yomanze]

Most of my listening is through the HiFi in the living room, but I do have a kitchen radio always playing BBC 6 Music, and at work it's a Sonos set up that anyone can stream to, usually set on 6 Music. ;)

[Zoidburg]

I listen to music mostly on my motorcycle. I use either of my phones to play .flac format music via a stereo Bluetooth headset mounted in my crash helmet that can also do phone stuff.

I probably wear my crash helmet several hours a day and the music is almost always on unless I turn it down whilst I deal with one of our drivers (I am a supervisor to about 5000 of them).

When I get home I listen to several hours of "Proper" music and I do appreciate the difference without the background road traffic noise.

I listen to music on my bike as well, Although I tend to only do it on journeys where I know I have a lot of motorway work to do as it breaks up the boredom. The rest of the time id rather listen to my fruity exhaust!

[alphaGT]

I listen to music on my bike as well, Although I tend to only do it on journeys where I know I have a lot of motorway work to do as it breaks up the boredom. The rest of the time id rather listen to my fruity exhaust!

My bike is far too loud to listen to music, I much prefer to listen to the engine, but that’s just me I guess. And I don’t depend on it for daily use either, in the car, I always listen to the radio.

Russell

[Zoidburg]

My bike is far too loud to listen to music, I much prefer to listen to the engine, but that’s just me I guess. And I don’t depend on it for daily use either, in the car, I always listen to the radio.

RussellWhat bike do you have then? I'm guessing a v twin?

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[alphaGT]

What bike do you have then? I'm guessing a v twin?

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Yes, a 23 year old Harley Road King. The most comfortable bike I’ve ever owned, great for long rides. But the previous owner installed a high performance cam, and some tuned headers on the exhaust. When I first got it I thought, “This is too loud!”, so these headers had an internal piece you could rotate to control back pressure, and volume. I attempted to adjust it, but found the internal baffle had rusted out! So, it’s basically straight pipes. It does make the most pleasing sounds at speed. Music to my ears! My girl digs it too so there’s that.

Russell

[MikeMusic]

Used to listen most in the car when I was doing heavy mileages.

Now retired I listen as much as possible to the main system but probably spend more time with the system in the kitchen diner.
Pioneer CD, SMSL Q5 Amp, TDL speakers

[Parcelmonkey]

I can spend up to 3 hours each way in the car daily so listen to MP3's on a USB stick. It sounds good enough.

I am also lucky to have a very understanding wife who allows me my man cave and music as loud as is necessary.

Fortunately, she's happy watching TV so we get together sometimes and are apart others. As she works shifts, I also get at times to spend up to 14 hours a day at a weekend indulging if I'm not contracted for work.

As we have no kids, it's my time and if I want to waste it away I can. Although I'm sure there are lots of other things I really should be doing. Avoiding the ringing sensations in my ears should be one of them... :doh:

We are currently looking for another house and my wife does get a little annoyed when I base all buying decisions on music room first! :)

[Macca]

I
We are currently looking for another house and my wife does get a little annoyed when I base all buying decisions on music room first! :)

And you are absolutely correct to do so. Moving is the perfect opportunity to get the listening room right. I mean, seriously, what other considerations are even as remotely as important? No matter what the kitchen is like, the oven will still work perfectly.

The flip side is when you go to someone's house and they have the perfect room but don't have a hi-fi system. The sheer waste of it kills me.

[paulf-2007]

I can spend up to 3 hours each way in the car daily so listen to MP3's on a USB stick. It sounds good enough.

I am also lucky to have a very understanding wife who allows me my man cave and music as loud as is necessary.

Fortunately, she's happy watching TV so we get together sometimes and are apart others. As she works shifts, I also get at times to spend up to 14 hours a day at a weekend indulging if I'm not contracted for work.

As we have no kids, it's my time and if I want to waste it away I can. Although I'm sure there are lots of other things I really should be doing. Avoiding the ringing sensations in my ears should be one of them... :doh:

We are currently looking for another house and my wife does get a little annoyed when I base all buying decisions on music room first! :)have to get your priorities right Adrian

[Pete The Cat]

Serious listening is about 4 hours per week in "my" room.

Research (internet stations, Spotify, Radio 6) while I'm working and doing stuff in the study, car or garden is about 10 hours per week.

It's nowhere near enough now I think about it :(

Pete

[Pigmy Pony]

When I go to someone's house to do some work, when I see their lounge the first thing I think is, if I lived here, where would the stereo go? If they have what looks like the perfect space but have no more than a crappy little flatscreen in the corner, I think, "what's wrong with you people?" :punch:

About 60% of all my listening is to my Makita job site radio while working. Not very high end, but a quite agreeable sound.

[Pharos]

My first consideration when moving is the suitability of the main room acoustically, and its insulation from neighbours.
Currently end of terrace, ambient noise level between 25 and 30 dBs.

[walpurgis]

Luckily, I'm end of terrace too (well it's only a three house terrace) and daytime noise is high, but night ambient noise is low. I have had over 110db pumping out of my speakers in my tiny 10' by 11' listening room. An interesting experience. Needless to say it wasn't that high for long.

[Sherwood]

I have been fortunate over the last two decades in working overseas and in living in large houses or apartments with very good sound insulation or with no close neighbours.

On return to the UK I bought a large detached house but the lounge is not ideal for hifi listening (about 4m by 7m).

I have converted a double bedroom to a music room but have had to give a to of attention to room treatment. Why do so few new houses have squarish lounges (ideally 5m by 6m) rather than long rectangular rooms?

[Macca]

Surely you don't want a room that is approaching a square? Golden ratio is a rectangle -or whatever a 3 dimensional rectangle is called. 7m by 4m should be pretty good.

Ceilings are too low in new builds though and the plasterboard partitions can play havoc with the bass.

[struth]

squares and rectangles are at least predictable and are easier to deal with, treatment wise. if chimney breast wasnt there, my room would be a near square, but is a slight rectangle. unfortunately dut to design i have to use the shorter side to point speakers. still, as long as i dont have too much bass, it works fairly well

[Pharos]

1 : 1.6 : 2.3?