So I don't get something here....

Jstas

...I have a fairly sizeable collection of CD's. Not nearly as big as some but totalling well over 500 CD's, almost 600 actually. Since I have to travel for long periods from time to time at work, I have made a concerted effort to rip my CD's to MP3 and compress them on to CD's. I can fit about 200 CD's worth of music on less than 40 CD's. It's easier to take those with me or load them on to a computer hard drive than it is to drag 500+ CD's around with me or take a small selection of teh 500. Consequently, I have gigbytes worth of high quality MP3s (320 kbps bit rate rips) and I only have about 1/3rd of the total collection in a compressed format. Still, 20+ gigabytes is nothing to scoff at.

So what I don't understand is that when people at work get things like new Apple iPods they start asking around if anyone has any CD's they can rip. I offer them one better and ask if they would like me to copy some of my CD's chock full of high quality MP3's. For some reason, I never get a yes but rather a pissing contest is started and people start slapping wangs on the table to compare sizes. I mean, is there something wrong with trying to help someone out that people get defensive about it?



Invariably though, the conversation turns to audio gear that they have at home. I get asked what I have and I usually respond with "Nothing much really, just a bunch of brands you probably never heard of." Then I get the "Try me!" statements. So I rattle off a few pieces of gear that aren't that obscure. People nod thier heads like they have heard of it or even know what the company is or does. Then the conversation gets changed back to thier pile of testosterone laden man cave decorations. I guess I just don't get the whole "Mine is better than yours" thing. Then again, I guess that's why Bose is a millionaire and I just head lackey.

dorokusai

John - Email me your address please.

Jstas

BTW, you have a PM. I didn't have your email address here at work.

George Grand

John,

I try to avoid talking to the people I work with. I don't want to say that's your first mistake, but by talking to them you're making a big mistake. Keep 'em guessing. "Is he just a quiet guy, or is he going to dismember us?"

E-mail SOMEBODY your new address.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

danger boy

one of my coworkers is a Sony die hard.. hey nothing wrong with that.. I've owned Sony stereo products in the past.. i don't currently. but hey we all have our own likes and dislikes.


well my point is.. he thinks only Sony electronics are worth owning. He'll never try any other brand. When i try talking to him about what i have or like.. he just kind of scoffs.. and basicallly tries to belittle me for not moving up to the Sony line of gear.

He's a bright guy and everything.. he's just to closed minded to try other brands of gear.

I'm just thankful.. he isn't ga ga over Bose..

dorokusai

I only talk audio with co-workers after I've fully humiliated their gear with my personal rig(s). I have one co-worker that knows his ****, the rest are sheep.

nadams

yeah, Danger Boy, you have it good....

My previous boss won't accept anything over his bose acoustimass cube system that he paid, like, 2 grand for. I can assure you that for musicality, my mon 10s have them beat... but he won't hear any of it. I haven't convinced him of a side by side test yet....

gidrah

I talk to everybody at work about stereo equipment. They pretty much just roll their eyes as if to say "this again".
There's one guy that owns a complete McIntosh and Klipsch system but when I talk to him tuners or preamps he always asks how much power it has and procedes to tell me I should just buy all McIntosh.
There's one guy that bought a 50?wpc HK and just couldn't understand why he couldn't rock the house with it. He wanted it "loud and to be as clear as Bose". I took him to one of the local audio stores that was not BB or CC and he was amazed. He spent about $1400 two days later on a system and couldn't be happier.
There's also one guy with a newer Polk 5.1 system. I'm not sure what he has and neither was he when I asked. I've invited him on many occassions to check out the forum but haven't seen him on here yet (as far as I know).

Jstas

Originally posted by George Grand
John,

I try to avoid talking to the people I work with. I don't want to say that's your first mistake, but by talking to them you're making a big mistake. Keep 'em guessing. "Is he just a quiet guy, or is he going to dismember us?"

E-mail SOMEBODY your new address.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

Yeah, yeah. I know. I have a ton of stuff still left to do with moving in and I am dealing with getting a broadband connection up and running at home. I'll have all kinds of new info soon so just hold your horses.

dcarlson

I don't talk stereos with my co-workers but I do with my friends. None of them are into it like I am and they usually ask me how much I paid for certain items. When I told them how much I paid for one powercord, I never heard the end of it. (You paid that much for a wire!!!) I always laugh.

Some of them think I'm insane but they do enjoy when I play something for them.

nadams

Hell, I'd laugh at you for buying a power cord too :-)

dcarlson

Yeah, I laugh when people laugh.

It's really just an entry level powercord to boot.

gatemplin

They pretty much just roll their eyes as if to say "this again".

I know that look Whenever I try and talk audio with friends or family I notice their eyes quickly glaze over as they search for a way to change the subject. All they hear is blah blah blah.

cfrizz

You guys got it easy. Trust me the reaction is even worse when you're a woman!

Jstas

Yeah, most I know couldn't care less either...that is until they hear the stereo in the truck. They think the disappearing face plate is real snazzy too.

I only really talk to one guy about audio stuff and he hangs around the av123.com forums. He has a home theater built with the Onix gear they push there. Nice stuff. He's the only one who understands it all though so he's good to talk to.

Most of the others either don't care or try to keep up. One guy says that his Bose system in his car is top of the line. I'll admit, it does sound nice but the reason for that is that Bose car systems have pink and white noise generators to help cancel out road noise. It just so happens that the same road noise frequecies that Bose "studied" are in teh same ranges as the resonant frequencies of the drivers used in the car. So yeah, it sounds good 'cause it's band-aided pretty well. After discussing that with him though, he had trouble wrapping his mind around that one. He's one of the guys who gets into pissing contests too.

Usually when I am trying to describe something that I have to someone who is not endowed with the level of knowledge we share here, I try to take it easy and help them understand what I am talking about rather than just blow them away with jargon and specs. When they get to be a dick about it or laugh at me for "buying old junk" or "should have gotten Bose" then I pull out the big guns and go full bore unloading them on them. A few people have learned still others haven't so I don't discuss it with them anymore.

Same thing goes with cars for the most part.

I'm willing to help people understand stuff and I am always willing to share knowledge but sometimes people just make it difficult. At that point it's like "Sorry for trying to help." Oh well, thier loss.