Did you/Do you Suffer for your Hobby ?

[Sandy G]

Boy, I have...My family has disapproved of my TV/radio collecting hobby all my life...I have one room in my house I affectionately call "Ship's Radio Room" where I have my beloved Boatanchors...My family has ALWAYS grumbled & had snotty, catty remarks about them...My mother, the 1st thing she asked Lauriann after we announced we were getting hitched was, "WHEN are you gonna have him get rid of those awful radios ?!?" You know, they oughta all take a hike...I don't ask for any money from anyone to pay for them, I don't lay out drunk, chase women...Never did, as a matter of fact..And if they bothered to look past the ends of their noses, they'd realise I get a lot of pleasure & enjoyment from them, along w/having an impressive collection, if I do say so myself...Hope I don't come across as being too much of a crybaby, but I wonder if anyone else "meets w/resistance" like I have...-Sandy

[Arkay]

Sorry to hear about your situation. Too bad, really, especially since you have something really special with that collection.

My situation is a little different. My wife appreciates music and doesn't mind if I keep my hobby within certain confines --not unreasonable, because we live in an apartment, where space has its limits. She really doesn't understand stacks of gear ("Why can't you just get one nice little system?) but she wouldn't care how much gear I got, as long as we had a basement or other space like that where I could keep it all. As for using gear, she really doesn't like lots of knobs or buttons: for her, it must be simple to use ("on, off, play, stop" would be about right) and not require any understanding of how gear really works.

That's okay, I can understand that... but it also means that I always have to make sure that if my system has "complex" controls, I have set something up in parallel that is easy for her to use. I can't count how many times I've turned on the HT system to find the settings all scrambled and set weirdly, because she wanted to change something, and when her first attempt failed, she started randomly pushing buttons! That could be disastrous with some controls on some systems :nono:, so I have to make sure she can watch and hear what she wants to, without having to touch my "better" gear.

She actually likes a lot of the music I have on vinyl --I've made sure sometimes to pick up albums from some of her favorite artists, too, just so she would appreciate the vinyl-- but given the multiple steps (including cleaning machine) and delicate nature of the gear involved, actually spinning LPs remains "my territory". We may sometimes listen together, but I do the mechanical part. Although she can hear the differences between LPs and CDs, it doesn't seem very important to her. Sometimes I come home and find she is playing a CD on her laptop, instead of through the stereo's CD player, and the difference in sound quality doesn't seem to really bother her, even though she can hear the difference. But she does like music, which helps.

That said, when I try to discuss audio with others, I often see glazed looks and "Uh-oh, another weirdo!" expressions on peoples' faces. Most people just don't 'get it'.

Recently, I was speaking with a lady and somehow mentioned that I'd just got a new turntable. She seemed very interested, and started asking me about helping her get one to give her father, who used to play LPs until his gear broke down (and had since been discarded :sigh: ). She talked about growing up with LP music being such a part of her life at home, and how she missed it. But when I mentioned the word "cartridge", she asked, "what's that?" Later in the conversation, she mentioned buying a CD because she heard it playing in the background in a shop she went into, and liked the sound of it. She then went on to explain that it sounded really, really good, probably because they were playing it on an iPod system! In her mind, iPod sound automatically meant really great hi-fi sound! So you see, even when I find that rare exceptional someone who SEEMS interested in audio, I still can't even really have a conversation with them.

The exceptions, of course, are the people I meet in the vintage audio stores, record stores, and around the audio wholesale market. They are AK-type people who can talk for hours about the ins and outs of various gear, tweaks, etc... I almost think it is like a cult: either you are on the inside, or you aren't, and never the twain shall meet.

Do I SUFFER for this hobby? Not as much as it seems you do. My wife sometimes grumbles about too much gear (but I'm paring back on the quantity now, which helps), and sometimes I regret not having more friends (the types who would be friends with or without audio) who were into this stuff, but SUFFER? Not usually. :no:

[Snade]

I've got 3 audio systems, 3 old radios and two older TVs in the finished basement / family room and this is the limit. In particular old TVs and radios look like junk to the wife and friends. Also, the stacking of speakers looks like junk, and I would expect to take some flack if I start doing that.

So I'm trying to implement the add one, sell one solution. The goal is to keep the room looking like a family room of a guy with a hobby of old stereo gear and not a room that looks like a warehouse of junk to the non-believers.

Cheers, Snade

[mhardy6647]

not so far.

[gearhound]

I know my limits.............
Certain rooms I can fill with gear......certain rooms I can't.
It's all a balancing act to keep me AND the family happy?

Steve

[Randy Bassham]

My Wife can can get on my case incessantly about how many I have in the living room and bedrooms of the house and sometimes how many I have in general, but if someone else makes a less than complimentary remark about my hobby she has been known to tell them where to get off. Sometimes if I'm particularly upset about some aspect of the hobby and I say "Maybe I should just get rid of them all" she'll say "You'll regret it"...

[Fisherdude]

You can't imagine...well, you probably can...the "eyerolls" I get when I talk to friends and acquaintances about my "collection". Which is huge. My wife is pretty cool with all of it, although she would certainly like me to start thinning the herd, which I've been promising to do.

Sandy, I think the main reason your family doesn't get it is that only another "collector" can understand. It doesn't mean it has to be collecting the same thing. It can be stamps or coins, or matchbox cars, or salt & pepper shakers. When a friend looks at me like I'm nuts, I just ask: "Do you collect anything?". If the answer is "no", I simply say: "Then you couldn't possibly understand".

Since my wife has an entire room devoted to her Barbie collection, plus a section of the basement that I set up for her especially for her doll workshop, she "gets it".

[similost]

I would be doing better if I could get out with some of the old, then maybe some of the new might not cause as many issues... I do have a lot I need to part with..

Yeah the WAF isn't happening in the living room, but the great sound seems to help overcome a little bit of that, but if I could get my big box sound, into little bitty cubes, life would be grand.. but I'm sure that is pretty much the same for most every guy here..

[OvenMaster]

For audio, I only got a bit of "What are you buying now?" a few months ago when I had a spate of fix-it parts-buying all at once.
It's the purchases that involve my computer shrine that get some of my family "interested", let's call it that.
Tom

[Sandy G]

I just get tired of the snide, catty-ass remarks, the "Why do you want ANOTHER one ?!? They ALL do the same thing.." If just ONE time, I ever heard, "Wow ! What a neat set ! What is it, how old is it ?" I think I'd fall over in a dead faint...I think when they feign interest, "Oh what a cute radio !" but its with a a "turd-in-a-punchbowl" look on their face, that makes me madder than anything...

[meggy]

How do you answer: "Do we really need more records"? You can explain that everyone is unique, has a unique sound, is an art form, and new or old they're a piece of history, etc. But if something inside you doesn't need music, then you'll just never get it.

[Isotonic]

My last wife didn't appreciate me being a musician, and she hated every penny I spent on gear, home or otherwise. She had no appreciation of music though she knew about my passion for it when we married. We even talked about how it was a part of me, like my nose, and gave me a great deal of joy. She seemed to think that when we got married, that gave her permission to try to change me into someone that only existed to suit her needs.

I divorced her. The I found a woman who meant what she said when she said, "If it makes you happy, and it is a big part of who you are, than why would I want to take that from you?"

[Scorpion8]

Right on track Sandy. My wife never sees the need for "just one more" or any value in saving a respectable piece of vintage electronics from the landfill. We discuss it, and it always remains pleasant, but she doesn't see it the way I do. That's why it's a hobby. She does value the great music I bring home, and she enjoys listening to the music but the gear is another issue. And that's why there's more stuff in my cubicle at work than in the garage at home....

[Sandy G]

Oh, Lauriann's fine w/it, its the rest of my family...My dad, sister, & mom...Of course, if I were to eat nickels & crap dimes, my dad wouldn't be satified..

[Brett a]

The I found a woman who meant what she said when she said, "If it makes you happy, and it is a big part of who you are, than why would I want to take that from you?"
My wife has this stance also. She wants me to be as happy as she is, and will support me in the things that make me happy: audio and bicycles.

She long ago "gave" me the living room to do what I needed to get good sound etc. (It's still a room we can have company in.)

As far as money, we have no consumer debit and both have our 'allowances" to burn through each month, I keep within the parameters of good financial health.

But suffer? Yes! Any time I begin to feel that the gear I have is not good enough, or I need more gear, I am definitely suffering. When I was shopping for a new integrated amp last fall, after a month and six in-home demo units, I was worn out!

I aspire to have a period of time -a year or two or seven- when I am content. I've done it before, and now that I've dropped another $4k, I hope I'll be good for a while.

But now I'm fired up about vinyl again. Don't get me wrong, it's fun and stimulating, but when it starts to distract me from other parts of my life, it's suffering.

These, though are what a good friend of mine would call "rich people's problems". Suffering over stereo equipment? Come on! I'm counting my blessings, which are many.

[Holst]

I did when I was young, but I've established that I am a grown up, it's my home, it's my life. My wife teases me from time to time, but will also cruse yard sales and look for gear too.

btw my family hates our horses, cats and dog too.

[Goodwill_HiFi]

..Of course, if I were to eat nickels & crap dimes, my dad wouldn't be satified..

But it would be a neat trick..... just think given enough time, you could save up for more gear :D

[soundmotor]

Considering I've made my living from it, I'd say yes.

:arrow:

[Tom Blasing]

To this day I have no retirement fund.....

[HomerJSimpson]

I have suffered, but at my own fault....

Like spending $$ on deals, out of the checking acct.

Spending too much time on the hobby etc.

I have learned my limits. And I have sold enough gear to put $$ back...And even made a few bucks...:thmbsp:

I must say my wife is very tolerant of my hobby/addiction...:D

[merrylander]

The only suffering I get from it was an aching back when I was silly enough to take in monster receivers and a lot of cut fingers from sharp metal edges. I would wear leather gloves but it hard enough handling small parts as it is.

[vinyldavid]

YES.

My mother thinks that an all in one is good enough for anyone.

[archie2]

Sounds like the problem is deeper than just your collection, sad to say.

[jcmjrt]

Oh, Lauriann's fine w/it, its the rest of my family...My dad, sister, & mom...Of course, if I were to eat nickels & crap dimes, my dad wouldn't be satified..

You chose Lauriann and she chose you. The rest of it is just accident of birth.

[tentoze]

Not a bit. Not ever that I recall.

[Jack Lord]

Sure. Nothing serious or with any potential to end the marriage, but certainly the time honored "Why do you need another one?"

[no1maestro]

I suppose I should consider myself one of the luckiest but there are times that try other's souls. My wife and I started our life together with a couple of guitar amps, a small "stereo" system and a radio. Within the first six months I was putting together an Eico ST-70 from a kit on the kitchen table, using her cupcake pans for the resistors and capicitors. That was the beginning of the end.

To make a very long story short, I have many systems going around the house and lots of gear ready to work on and some in storage. She even called me a couple of months ago from the thrift and asked me if I wanted an Adcom amplifier. That's not too bad after 43 years. She still asks whether I really need another receiver and I answer "I never had this model before". She just kind of shrugs her shoulders and we bring it home.

I could have done worse picking her as my partner!!!!!

[similost]

After thinking about this a while, I really do have to thank my wife for keeping my sanity with this. I could get crazy easily I suppose. I do tend to be a pack-rat of sorts, and a little obsessive compulsive with any hobby I get into.. then after a while I suffer from ADD and move on... I've got other things around the house that prove that all too well, but a lot of it is about to hit a yard sale in the next month or so... I can say though, music and stereo has been the only real hobby that has been in my life since I was a kid.. that and motorcycles..

Yes, I do tick her off at times, and at times her giving me that look and turning her back to me when I grab something else doesn't make me happy, but in the long run, I know it's really for our own good.. I hate to think of how much I have spent on all this gear, and so far, the only rooms in this house without gear are the 3 bathrooms, and the kitchen...

If she wasn't the voice of reason, I'm sure those rooms would have stuff sitting in them too.. would be hard squeezing into the shower with a VOTT sitting in the john I would imagine..

BTW.. what is a retirement fund? I plan to go well before I can think of retiring..

[birddog]

Well, I have to say I suffer for sure.

But then, if you knew the peach I plucked for a wife, you would know that no matter what it is that I do or don't do around here, suffering is in order at all times.

I have given up some time ago trying to figure out how to appease her, and just do what ever the hell I feel like doing with the stereo gear. And everything else as well. If I even thought for one moment that I could do something that would make her happy, or even make one little positive comment about something in our lives, I'd throw it all in the trash.

Tomorrow is trash day, and I don't have the slightest doubt that it will all be here till the day she finally kills me....:yes:

Should have heard what she thought of the new poster I got, especially when she saw that yes, I was actually going to HANG IT! :D

It was hung with much pride and admiration this afternoon, right on the wall over my beloved audio gear! :finger:

[Harvey/ Ga]

Boy, I have...My family has disapproved of my TV/radio collecting hobby all my life...I have one room in my house I affectionately call "Ship's Radio Room" where I have my beloved Boatanchors...My family has ALWAYS grumbled & had snotty, catty remarks about them...My mother, the 1st thing she asked Lauriann after we announced we were getting hitched was, "WHEN are you gonna have him get rid of those awful radios ?!?" You know, they oughta all take a hike...I don't ask for any money from anyone to pay for them, I don't lay out drunk, chase women...Never did, as a matter of fact..And if they bothered to look past the ends of their noses, they'd realise I get a lot of pleasure & enjoyment from them, along w/having an impressive collection, if I do say so myself...Hope I don't come across as being too much of a crybaby, but I wonder if anyone else "meets w/resistance" like I have...-Sandy

Hi Sandy...
We all suffer from our hobbies to an extent. I should give up a few..and I did sell my 17 ft sail boat when it became too much for me to launch alone. I still have the Seagull outboards ( soon to go on E-bay). I rediscovered my audio roots after that, and now have enough for 3 modest systems :yes:

Then there's my photography, target shooting and model airplanes..:sigh:
But, like you, I've never visited a bar for social life or chased wimmin (one caught me, and she was enough!)

Hang in there...maybe they'll realize what gems they have before the Grim Reaper gets us :D

[Harvey/ Ga]

Also, the stacking of speakers looks like junk, and I would expect to take some flack if I start doing that.

Cheers, Snade

Hmmm...I wonder how it would look if you made a nice frame, like the front of the speaker to cover the front of the stacked speakers, making one tall speaker out of the stack. Maybe that would help the WAF ??

[Harvey/ Ga]

To this day I have no retirement fund.....

Hopefully, you're a YOUNG man :D

[Sandy G]

I have, what I would consider, a pretty decent collection. I'm quite proud of it. a few of the sets I have are rare and/or historically signifigant. One is a 1935 RCA AR-60 communications receiver. It sold for $495 in '35, when a new Ford went for $650. There were approx 2-300 of these made, there are like a dozen known survivors. Amelia Earhart's last transmission was heard on an AR-60. Another interesting set is my Rohde & Schwarz EK-07 from the mid '60s. It cost the German gov't $6K in the '60s, they were made from 1958-73, about 1000 in total. There are maybe 3-4 dozen in the States. They were designed to be able to pick up Soviet fleapower transmissions that were deliberately positioned adjacent to Western blowtorch stations like the BBC, Deutsche Welle, VOA. This radio weighs 150 lbs, is about half tubes & half solid state. The next one is a Hallicrafters SX-73, their TOTL set from 1951. It was almost $1K, not many were sold. I've seen a half dozen or so over the past several years on You-Know-Where. Another one of my "stars" is my R-389, a Collins set from 1955. It picks up from 15KC to 1500KC, almost the top of the AM band. It has something like 32 tubes, weighs 75 lbs-they don't call 'em "Boatanchors" for nothin'- & cost Uncle Sugar $3500 in '55. There were only maybe 750 of 'em made, you'll see one on Da Bay once or twice a year. They were designed to be The Last Word in reception for their range given the technology of 1949. A fellow had one in Denver, was able to pick up a carrier wave of an AM station in France. Transatlantic reception of AM/MW signals is not uncommon on the coast of North America, but 2/3 of the way across the continent is somewhat of an achievement. To put in what you Audiophools will understand, this is like having a G-33K, an SX-1980, & a Mac 2KW system...Not too shabby. And that's my 1st string. The 2nd team is pretty good, too. But to my family, these things are "junk" & oughta be hauled to the street...Even a casual observer would prolly grasp that these things are SERIOUS machinery, not the sort of thing you can pick up at the local Best Buy. In fact, I look at my stuff, & look at modern electronics that "civilians"-not US, of course, buy-& I just kinda smile & shake my head...

[RaymondLeggs]

Hopefully, you're a YOUNG man :D

LMAO! :D

[kermit z]

Suffer, na. I'm single and live alone :D But my family and friends are really tired of hearing how I "resurrected" an old piece of gear. My mom will indulge me. Until she asked how many things do you have......Uh 4 receivers, 4 turntables, 7 sets of speakers, but only 2 cassette decks;)

[DENNYDOG]

Hey, I would LOVE to see all your guys collections and Sandy yours sounds pretty impressive to me.

Just remember not to let anything or anyone get you down if it makes you happy.

I've just recently told my family about the recent trip I made down to Jaymanaa's place to meet all the great AK folk that I have met online. They all seem cool with it as long as I am happy. I think they know I am a pretty good judge of people and don't worry about what I do too much.

How can you put down someone for meeting some really nice people in a hobby that you enjoy? or having a collection of something you are proud of that makes you happy? Enjoy the music guys and gals. :music:

[RaymondLeggs]

My Mom always says. "you don't need all this stuff" "one stereo is enough for anybody" "you don't need anymore speakers. :rolleyes:

I dont have no where near as much junk as I used to. I smashed a pair of cheap soundesign speakers after I blew them out with some loud rap music.

I junked an emerson stero after the volume knob would not operate in the down position and it was stuck on full blast! :yikes:

I like the smell of burning voice coils in the morning. :eek:

[Sandy G]

You're a Sick Individual, Raymond...SICK !! I love it...(grin)

[Savjac]

Lets see, my ex hated my audio and guitar stuff. To try to save the marriage I sold off about 5 guitars and a couple unique amps. Well that did not help and my really only passion in life is my daughter and music, so one my girl was old enough I asked for a divorce. Well that promptly took care of the audio equipment, a hammer and maggies do not go well together and the rest was sold for the family pot. Then she proceeded to start breaking records, until at 700 or so my daughter grabbed her and threatened to kick her ass if she broke one more.
I waited awhile and remarried and my present wife loves music, loves me playing but does not understand the collecting. I told her it is like shoes, one never knows how well they will treat your feet until you walk in em for awhile. She understands and gives me very little grief. She is great. We listen allot together, although she dances and I am a stiffie.
We play rock band together, yes we are in our 50's but it is a blast. She plays some keyboards while I play some guitar in real life..so things are good.
But she does not like the big expenses and the multiple stuff in the back room, but that seems normal enough.

Life is good !!!!!!

[Sandy G]

That's the thing-a lot of women I know have enuff clothes, shoes, & handbags to start their own stores-My sister is big on those-What's the name of those bucks-up handbags-Pravda? or something- but let US "indulge" ourselves on stuff WE like-that's a BIG No-No...

[roadie1]

I've yet to hear/own a piece of Mc gear yet so you could say I'm suffering from mental anguish. Doe's that count?:nutz:..........R1

[Sandy G]

I've yet to hear/own a piece of Mc gear yet so you could say I'm suffering from mental anguish. Doe's that count?:nutz:..........R1

Yeah, sort of, anyway...(grin)

[John in MA]

I don't know about suffering, but my interest in audio has lead me to make some very questionable choices when viewed in the real world. Like buying a set of cheap-used-car-price speakers right before Christmas, or dragging home a huge collection of mostly junk gear in order to find some gem.

No plans to change, though. :D

[chillwolf]

No problems here. All my relatives live in other states! And my wife is cool with my hobbies, as she collects porcelain dolls and music boxes.
Sandy, as long as your hobbies bring you enjoyment, why worry what anyone else thinks about it? I think sometimes people are jealous when they see someone is enjoying themselves by being involved in something that makes them happy. :sigh:
Just my .02.

[crackerkorean]

No suffering here. I learned long ago (and I am not that old) that I could give two flips what my family thinks of what my wife and I do.

I was told a couple of years ago my wife and I were thinking about not having kids. I was told by my cousin (2 years older than me and has 4 himself) that something is wrong with me.

My grandmother said that she did not approve of my religious views and that we should change.

I have also gotten disapproving looks when I tell my father about what I just purchased and how great it was. Price always comes up and I have no problem telling him.(I never say anything about his HAM radios and the money he spends on it) And I dont even want to think about telling anybody else in my family.

And there are many more examples, but its funny how they do/have done things that I don't think is wise (for the lack of a better term)

Getting a college education (I am the first to actually make some headway on a degree and I aint stopping until im done)

Drive a car that is reasonable and not excessive (have the ones that drive SUVs and dont need to and big trucks blah blah blah)

Appreciate cultural things in life (art, music, world culture and the like)

Always keep and open mind (many have blinders about many things)

But I never tell them how they should do things. Its not worth my time and I really don't care a whole lot what they do or think. I know that I am happier the way I am and not they way they want me to be.

As long as I am (and my wife - luckily she has the bug too and loves to listen just not as much of a gear head) happy I dont worry about what my family thinks. It seems to me that sometimes they are jealous that you are really happy and find something that brings you immense joy. Since they cant have it they dont want anybody to have it. Just my .02