It makes no difference to me Mark.... as you say, a good tune IS a good tune.... irrespective....
That said, the "social" side with "like minded people" does have it's many advantages but so does listening at home.... for one, you can put on what you want on rather than waiting and hoping it gets played when out....
On thinking how "special" this music is to "us" gets me thinking.... I also find that when your on distant shores soaking up the sun and having "soul" pumped into your ears via an mp3 player, or whatever, that it gives you a warm heart feeling of being "special" as you're hearing "special tunes", whilst supping on long cold beers and watching the girls walk by of course , that no other person around has got a clue about and wouldn't comprehend....
Unless of course by some strange quirk of fate another person's on the same beach at the same time doing the same thing and feeling the same way ....