Is it wrong for me to ignore my husbands dislike of my ambient audio?

AITA for not picking up on my husband's displeasure with my "ambient" audio? Opinions are divided on whether I should have read his mind or if he should have communicated directly.

Damjan

Published in Interesting
23 Dec 2025

Is it wrong for me to ignore my husbands dislike of my ambient audio?

In the latest Reddit thread, a woman shares a relatable yet frustrating experience with her husband about their differing preferences for ambient sound. While she finds solace in the gentle background noise of typing, her husband clearly does not.

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This seemingly minor disagreement spirals into a larger conversation about communication and expectations in relationships, leaving many to wonder: who is in the wrong? The original poster explains that while she was engrossed in her reading, her husband entered the room and eventually expressed his annoyance with the audio through non-verbal cues—glances at the speaker.

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When he finally voiced his discomfort, she turned off the sound, but not without feeling the weight of his frustration aimed at her inability to "get the hint." This situation raises an interesting question about the importance of clear communication in relationships and the challenges couples face when their preferences clash. As comments begin to roll in, opinions are divided, with many users highlighting the necessity of direct communication rather than passive cues.

The thread opens the floor for a lively discussion of relationship dynamics, the expectations we place on our partners, and the age-old struggle to balance personal comfort with mutual respect. What do you think?

Should we always articulate our feelings, or is it reasonable to expect our partners to pick up on subtle hints?

Original Post

I (32F) was reading in one room of our house when my husband (33M) came in from another room to chat about something. I was playing one of those “ambient” soundtracks on YouTube.

This particular one sounds like typing. I get it’s not for everyone, but I find it relaxing.

My husband asked what the audio was, and I told him. He seemed to think it was strange, but we moved on and kept chatting.

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I didn’t notice anything amiss, but a few minutes later, he eventually gets a really concerned look on his face. I asked him what was wrong, and he said that the audio was extremely annoying, and asked me to turn it off, which I did.

Now, he’s mad at me because he says he glanced repeatedly at the speaker, expecting me to “get the hint” that the audio was bothering him. I really didn’t notice.

AITA?

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