Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater HELP!!!!!...The wife just threw a curveball !!!!!!

OK......I have been lurking here for months reading all about the different speakers and setups....building spreadsheets comparing costs....posting about room-size and speaker setups. Now, I have been laying the seeds for my purchase ever since then. I was originally looking at a M60, QS8, VP150 setup, but have since trimmed things down to a M22, QS4, and VP150 setup. However much I wanted the M60s, I can't make that expensive jump w/ only a 10'by 18' listening space. They may sound a bit more full (according to the resident experts), but my room constraints I believe are going to be overwhelmed by the setup.....not to mention the wallet.

So, over the last couple days, I have been selling the savings and the quality of music and clarity we are still going to get for under $1K. I thought I had the sale complete.....to the point that I was going to give a call to Axiom tonight to put this to rest.

Now....15 minutes before closing time, the wife dropped this on me...."Why can't we just take the whole setup from up here and move it down into the basement (new HT under construction)?"....GASP!!!!! In her defense, we do have our first baby on the way (just found out today...it's a girl), so we have the impending expenses, etc. But, she is proposing that I bring down my 15 year old Yamaha main speakers and the pawn shop Infinity center channel.....which brings me to my present position.

HELP!!!.... Please give me the magic formula for convincing the wife that the absolute quantum leap in audio quality is worth the sacrifice. She has heard the high end speakers at Hifi Buys and can definitely appreciate the difference. Unfortunately, enough time has passed to make her forget the massive difference between that sound quality and the sub-par quality that we have in our present setup.

"Oh....the horror!"

The power of the 30day in home trial can definately be used to your advantage in this situation. Tell her if she doesnt like them that you can always return them. Just start with the M22's, and work from there with her.

Problem is this....I already used the 5% off for waiving the return policy card. So, she already knows that it's a done deal if we place the order.

Maybe I need to just thump my fists on my chest and tell her that I'm going to do it, no matter what!!!!.....

...or just drop to my knees and beg.

There you go! The first option that is.

Well you could always Ebay your current system and apply the difference to your new system that you want. Then make your wife audition the new system with you. After a few movies she may change her mind and want to keep the new system.

My situation was a little more scary - I had just received my m60's, VP150, QS8's and EP350. my wife saw how big the boxes were and freaked. I had to convince her that this was my last upgrade for the next 10 years. After a little begging I also threw in that I would take her on a club med vaction - deal sealed and I got what I wanted but it cost me double!

Good luck!

I would tell her that this is the time to buy. Once the Kids arrive the money flow stops for a number of years and you could find yourself without HT equipment due to the age of it. I happened to impress my wife with the sound quality of the VP 100 and QS4's that she let me buy the M22's and exhange the surrounds to the QS8's (the 4's had a different tweeter at the time). I new I was lucky to have married her.

Well I think the only thing for you to do is take your current speakers downstairs...... be careful ....oops you dropped them. Damaged beyond repair, how sad

Congrats on the new baby!

Our advice here can only go so far, since you alone are privy to all the negotiating stances (such as, how much "relationship equity" and "personal spending equity" you have in the emotional-wife-tolerance bank).

My wife really gets into the improvement in music, but she could care less about the center and surrounds, and actively dislikes subs, so I can relate to your home-marketing dilemma here.

What I'd push is that children mark a MAJOR transition for everyone. In your case, you'll be in the cave LOTS more, and on a quasi-permanent basis, at least for years to come. That's where this drive to "improve the cave" is coming from. A HT upgrade will be your end of the deal, so to speak -- clearly, the child is a benefit from heaven better than anything else. But on the more mundane side, you'll be giving up many outside activities, esp ease of access to activities, that make you feel like a whole person. In exchange for giving that up, you want (and feel you deserve) something, and the HT is your vote.

Do that, AND suggest she find something for herself (or better yet, help her find it and actively support spending on it), and you may have a shot. Worked for me -- TWICE, on #1 4 years ago, whose arrival ushered in the first 5.1 purchase, and #2 this year, who heralded my transition to Axiom.

Birdman

I think I would be much more relaxed and helpful with the newborn if I had a private sanctuary with high end audio equipment in to go to to unwind!! My 2c.