"You're the only one who cares about any of this stuff," says—who else?—Dave. (1 Viewer)

[Evan S]

"Why in the world would you spend so much money on Paradigm speakers when you can just get Sony speakers at Best Buy for less?

Jealousy controls a lot of peoples lives. My friends know I am into this HT/Audio sort of thing and they respect that. Most of them think it's cool and realize I have a first rate system. That's why they are my friends. Different strokes for different folks.

When people ask you why you just didn't go to Best Buy, it's not because they really think that Best Buy is the be all end all of audio/video, but they want to reaffirm their own purchases. If everybody does what they do, then they must know what they are doing, but if someone doesn't, it makes them question their own methodology.

 

[Grant B]

Most people realize I will spew on HT stuff but most of them come to me whenever they buy anything electronic and call me up to help them hook it up; so it's a fair trade. Then they go home and wonder how to my their system sound like mine.

Jack
Great neighborhood, I stay with a friend on Sweetzer whenever I am down in LA. It's the only place to walk in So Cal.
(In my Best Homer voice)
HHHHMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmm Pinks!!!!!!!!!

 

[MarkHastings]

When people ask you why you just didn't go to Best Buy, it's not because they really think that Best Buy is the be all end all of audio/video

Exactly, most of them are usually fine with buying tv's and stereos from Wal-Mart and Target so a place like Circuit City or Best Buy must seem like a high-end 'specialty' store.

 

[Diallo B]

I have come to the conclusion that most people really don't care about this stuff. I think I realized that when I was in college and put my first systems in my car and dorm room. All they were concerned about was how loud the systems could get. They knew nothing of quality and did not care about much about the technical aspects that we care about when purchasing our equipment.

I think your friend is simply jealous of you. I would ignore his comments considering that your conversation regarding your zip code and choice of HT equipment seem to just help him attempt to feel good about himself. I have given up trying to explain stuff to folks who think that a $150 Rat Shack receiver coupled with a $200 pair of 15" KLH's and a generic center-surrounds package approaches what I have taken much research, time and effort to put together.

Jealous folks always try to make what you have placed a great amount of interest in seem terrible so that they can feel good about you feeling bad. I try my best to avoid spending time with these folks. I used to be one of them. I learned the hard way. If I don't have anything good to say then I don't say anything at all.

djb

 

[JasenP]

Jack

I've had conversations almost verbatim with some friends who don't understand my hobbies or interests. I was once asked "Why don't you collect coins or beanie babies, ya' know, something normal?"

As a guest, one should never insult a persons home, pet, or hobby. Hey, that would make a pretty good plaque.

 

[Chris Beveridge]

I was once asked "Why don't you collect coins or beanie babies, ya' know, something normal?"

I was asked this by one casual friend at one point and asked if he'd like to join my collection of dead bodies in the basement?

For the rest of this thread though, I'm in the camp of people wondering why Jack brings this up with his friend. It's obvious he has no interest and whether intentional or not, he derides it. It's like me talking about anime to my father. "That cartoon shit again? Get out of here".

 

[Doug_H]

Ya know Dave isn't that far off in what he is saying. I try not to think about it but it is true, we are in a very small minority.

The audio boom has been much bigger for the theater in the box crowd than the elite mega $$$ theater crowd. Thankfully that pushes innovation all the same and we see better and better stuff all the time.

The video revolution seems to be going even better but most people don't really care. They just want a decent picture on the TV. People have been smart enough to understand that HD is the future however but that doesn't mean they care.

I live in Austin, a tech town on the cutting edge in many ways... how many people do I know that give a rats patootie about HT? 1 that I don't know through this forum and I got him into it. Joe six pack rules the HT world with ignorant bliss. I have talked to so many people who have the theater in a box, not because they wanted surround but because the speakers came with it. They hooked them all up in the front of the room or did some other unthinkable placement mistake.

Things are getting better but the fact is most people think this stuff is really cool and the interest ends there.

 

[Angelo.M]

Jack:

I assume this is the same friend you've written about before. If so, my response is as it has been in the past: you ought to just agree to disagree, and move on.

I'm certain there are good reasons that you are friends, but perhaps you need to remind yourself of them and stop expecting this guy to share all of your interests.

 

[BrettB]

"Dave, you know that Internet site I've told you about, the one where I play an official role?"

"Oh, give me a break," he responded. "They're just a bunch of Internet geeks."

Well, if after insulting Atilla and the HTF, you are still on good terms with Dave then my guess is you must be getting something out of this relationship. Otherwise he'd be toast.

 

[MarkHastings]

Let's come up with some fun comebacks to these people...

Question: "Why did you spend $500 on a sub woofer?"
Response: "They were out of the $800 model"
(That response works best when you say it in a very disappointed voice)

Question: "Why do you buy SO many DVD's?"
Response: "Because, stealing them is too hard"

Question: "Why do you need a 50" TV?"
Response: "I don't NEED a 50" tv...I actually needed the 72" tv, but settled for 50."

Question: "Why do you need such a loud system?"
Response: "To drown out your moronic comments"

 

[Dennis]

quote:At least it all ended on a light note.

Dave even went on to complain about my cat's presence.

If he said that to me he would've needed an operation to extract my 12" steel toe out of his ass.

 

[Rob Gardiner]

Jack,

It sounds like this guy like to criticize your cat and your home theater in order to get a rise out of you. Maybe the wise course of action would be to "please don't feed the trolls" i.e. don't bring up the HT with him. Or if he makes a wiseguy comment, offer to screen the movie on the 19" bedroom TV instead and you will find out real quick how much the home theater experience means to him.

I know how frustrating it can be to have close friends who are clueless about things that are so important to us. My roommate, bless his pointy little head, absolutely hates the Internet and everything about it . . . until he needs me to look something up for him on it. (which is ALL the time).

 

[Kevin Goodwin]

Get your tape recorder out & get him to say his comments again, so you can play them back in a year or two when he's asking you which HDTV he should buy...

 

[Danny R]

He's a photographer, and we met back in the 1980s when we were doing work for an area music publication.

The obvious response then is to ask him what type of camera he uses for his work. Its probably something professional. Then pull out an old Polaroid Instamatic and ask him why he couldn't use that for his job. If he protests, chide him with the fact that they both take pictures, so what's the difference?

If he doesn't see the problem after than, then he's an idiot.

 

[Zen Butler]

Jack, Another fun A.M. read. Despite your frustrations, Dave is quickly becoming one of my favorite non-fictional characters. The turbulance reeks of 8:30P time-slot sitcom.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

I've had friends or acquaintances that were into golf, and I feel about that about the same way Dave does about HT.

I would not, however, say anything negative about these people's obsession with an activity I find to be about as interesting as watching paint dry.

Of course there are probably far more Golf enthusiasts than HT enthusiasts, they even have their own cable channel, which has yet to happen for HT although HDNet does come close at times (Thank you Mark Cuban!!!!)

 

[Scott Strang]

The obvious response then is to ask him what type of camera he uses for his work. Its probably something professional. Then pull out an old Polaroid Instamatic and ask him why he couldn't use that for his job. If he protests, chide him with the fact that they both take pictures, so what's the difference

I've got something better than that. A late 70's Hanemex 110 camera. Still have it.

 

[MarkHastings]

If he protests, chide him with the fact that they both take pictures, so what's the difference

Can you just see Ansel Adams walking around with a disposable camera?

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

Question: "Why do you need such a loud system?"
Response: "To drown out your moronic comments"

One time I was with a friend who was telling another friend that I was insane for investing so much time and energy into my system, so I asked him, "Remember when I got the new power amp and it wasn't clearly marked as to which way the volume limiter knob worked and we accidentally played music at full blast?" and he got this huge smile on his face and told our other friend, "Never mind."

 

[Jack Briggs]

This morning I found myself seething with anger about Friday evening's debacle. Even thought of sending Cohen an e-mail telling him to shove it and never come to my place again. I was mad.

So, I'm at the office and who calls but The Loudmouthed One. "What's happenin' tonight?" he asks, completely without a thought to the strained goings-on of three evenings ago. I stammer, trying to keep my tone even. Then Dave starts making jokes about goings-on in Washington D.C., about which I cannot elaborate further while remaining true to HTF's posting guidelines.

It pisses me off that I let him do it, but Cohen ends up disarming my anger with a few well-placed, well-timed one-liners about political personages and political entities I utterly loathe (he shares my inclinations). I end up laughing, as much as want to resist it.

Result? The ingrate may be dropping by tonight.