Your partner's view on HiFi?
Maybe this has been asked before, even if it has, there are a few new bodies round here of late so no harm asking again 
Have you managed to get your partner as obsessed as you? Or are they like my wife: doesn't really understand the fascination but she tolerates it as being at least one step up from my blowing all my wages on beer/illegal substances. I think she kind of understands, in so far as she understands what appeals to me about HQ sound reproduction, but I don't think she can grasp why it matters and how it affects my enjoyment of a piece of music. To her, music is something to put on in the background while you're doing something else. To me, it's the primary source of my attention, to be listened to intently and enjoyed (so long as it's the 'right' kind of music). And I think that's the fundamental crux of our difference.
Yeah. My t'other half appreciates my system, enough to chip in how good it was during a recent party discussion with 2 fellow audiophiles.
That said I haven't upgraded anything for about 18 months now - I'm not spending all the time and possibly wouldn't want to go much 'higher-end' due to diminishing returns on the investment.
Good topic. In my case, my wife tollerates it since at least it keeps me home. She never listens to music ever and refused to even listen when new equipment is purchased. In the beginning there was some friction as she did not understand why I would swap out pieces of my system. Once she understood that this was not simply about function like say a computer purchase, but it was a hobby and the hobby involves the changing of gear in the pursuit of small improvements then we got along better.
I do have a theory about why most women are not involved in this hobby. Music enjoyment happens in the brain. We do not fully understand why. Clearly men and women have different brain chemistry. I think that men typically connect with music differently than women and this is the reason men are much more likely to be hifi enthusiasts.
Im mostly in MajorFubar's camp. My OH is sure I am quite mad. However, it is my money and I can spend it as I like, even if she can't understand why I bother (a bit like much of my photography). As far as she is concerned, music is for the background and not to be played at greater than conversation levels. She enjoys it, but doesn't 'appreciate' it. So there are two main bones of contention:
1) Volume: every time she walks in on me (having been out) and I am playing music it has to be turned down. On some occasions understandably; on others merely on principle. This even applies to Classic FM on the car stereo!
2) User-friendliness: CD-players that take longer than normal to load - not good! Amplifiers and black boxes that control the sound from V+ box, BDP, CD or whatever without being blindingly obvious about which knob to turn/push - not good! You can see her point. I hope the new setup passes the test.
I kept my Marantz KI Sig CDP and amp and a pair of Castle speakers for use in the front room once she re-establishes her sewing room there. Not interested: the £30 portable 'boom box' will do.
No, she doesn't understand. She has acknowledged changes in sound quality and even that some boxes look better, but she can't understand why I bother. At least it's cheaper and less messy than me tinkering with a succession of motor vehicles!
Maybe this has been asked before, even if it has, there are a few new bodies round here of late so no harm asking again 
Have you managed to get your partner as obsessed as you? Or are they like my wife: doesn't really understand the fascination but she tolerates it as being at least one step up from my blowing all my wages on beer/illegal substances. I think she kind of understands, in so far as she understands what appeals to me about HQ sound reproduction, but I don't think she can grasp why it matters and how it affects my enjoyment of a piece of music. To her, music is something to put on in the background while you're doing something else. To me, it's the primary source of my attention, to be listened to intently and enjoyed (so long as it's the 'right' kind of music). And I think that's the fundamental crux of our difference.
No s**te batman,they breath different air too. As to my partners view on hifi , if it hasnt got a Prada or Louis Vuitton badge it dosnt compute. Suits me just fine 
.
Mrs JD wants a Bose SoundDock.
Have you got a shed ?
The misses showed an interest when I went down the home cinema route, she had an appreciation for good sound but that was with movies. Music....she doesn't care what it is played on as long as she can hear it 
Now the home cinema has gone and the headphones have become the listening device of necessity, she thinks I'm bonkers
Divorced
Don't think it was cause and effect
gbhsi1
You won't be able to afford a £2000 amplifier if you are single again.
But it won't matter how far out into the room those damned speakers are
Well.. I guess I am the fortunate. Mrs WT is active in auditioning but not for lengthy ones. Some times I trust her choices at times my choices gets clouded with the value concept.
She does not get the reasoning behind box swapping. She helps in setting up the heavy gear.. She even goes with me to pick up stuff (It happened only thrice and I have 5 more chances she would accompany me in this year, if I want. She sees it as a long drive)..
.. But I guess recent surge in the equipment purchase is pushing her to the limits. I hope not.
It is ironic considering that women have better hearing than men but pay less attention (and less cash) to their music systems. My girlfriend couldn't be bothered at first, she thought "well atleast he isn't spending money on EDITED". That was when I had an ss amp. When I got my Cayin things changed. She loved the glow in my room, it was an instant conversion when I played Nina Simone's "Feeling Good". She wanted to know more about why it sounds natural and why it seems like someone is singing in the room. One recording engineer once said to me that music should sound so good that you can't concentrate on something else, that should be the aim of any hifi system. Indeed, atleast according to my girlfriend thats how it sounds. I think if someone fails to take notice of a system its probably because they don't feel captivated enough by it.
gbhsi1
You won't be able to afford a £2000 amplifier if you are single again.
But it won't matter how far out into the room those damned speakers are
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Never tried to convert her. She loves music but couldn't give a hoot about whether it's played on 30k system or a £200 midi.
Leema Pulse MKII-S; Naim CD5i MKII; Denon TU-260L MKII; MA RS6 speakers; Pro-ject Xpression 1; loads of different cables...
Formerly known as plastic penguin