What makes one an Audiophile?

dflee · « **on:** 1 Jul 2009, 11:31 pm »

I have been reading and meandering through this site for a while now and while I have all seperates (numerous manufacturers), and truly enjoy a variety of music, I'm not sure I can refer to myself as an audiophile. It seems like audio stores have a price tag on the system as a measuring tool. What do you in the know have to say (before I quote my system and act like a fool) in general.

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #1 on:** 1 Jul 2009, 11:40 pm »

What makes one an Audiophile?

An obsession with gear and how it sounds that it over shadows ones appreciation for music.

Mag · « **Reply #2 on:** 2 Jul 2009, 12:52 am »

- No work gets done around the house as you can't get your butt out of the sweet spot.

- your losing weight for the above same reason.

- renters vacate the premises as they can't get any sleep as the music is too loud.

- you're afraid to leave the house for fear of being robbed of your stereo gear.

- your stereo cost more than your car.

- your insurance policy doesn't cover the replacement value of your home + stereo gear.

- people think you're nuts when you tell 'em your cd player cost $3000 dollars.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #3 on:** 2 Jul 2009, 04:40 am »

Quote

What makes one an Audiophile?

It's not only about equipment....

An audiophile is a real music lover....
...and someone who enjoys experimenting with high-fidelity equipment and is likely to seek the best possible reproduction of their music.

Tyson · « **Reply #4 on:** 2 Jul 2009, 09:14 am »

Agreed - an audiophile is someone trying to get closer to the heart of the music via high fidelity playback.

*Scotty* · « **Reply #5 on:** 2 Jul 2009, 10:38 am »

dflee,Remember everyone one has to start somewhere. Being an audiophile is a state of mind. Obsession with gear is just one of its more extreme forms. And it is part of the beginning of the journey towards increased enjoyment of recorded music.
Scotty

Carlman · « **Reply #6 on:** 2 Jul 2009, 12:19 pm »

I'd liken an 'audiophile' to being a 'student'. Because all it takes to be an audiophile is actively pursuing better sound from your system... you can be in first grade or a grad student. And upper classmen often help freshmen.. You can skip grades, or go slow... or take a break for a few semesters.. but, you will always be a student because you're never 'done'.

-C

konut · « **Reply #7 on:** 2 Jul 2009, 12:22 pm »

Quote from: Carlman on 2 Jul 2009, 12:19 pm

I'd liken an 'audiophile' to being a 'student'. Because all it takes to be an audiophile is actively pursuing better sound from your system... you can be in first grade or a grad student. And upper classmen often help freshmen.. You can skip grades, or go slow... or take a break for a few semesters.. but, you will always be a student because you're never 'done'.
-C

What if you are told to ride in that short bus?

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #8 on:** 2 Jul 2009, 03:25 pm »

I always thought an Audiphool's mission was to constantly be frustrated with their hardware as they endeavor to approach a live studio performance by forever tweaking components/cables.

This effort requires listening evaluations, brief periods of glee, followed by a sense of inadequacy as their system does not live up to their neighbor's system or a reviewer's system touted by some audiorag.

The next step is to endlessly search Audiogon, Audioexsell, Fleebay, and other sites for gear that can take them to the holy land of full satisfaction and constant orgasmic state. Thereby achieving sainthood and gaining the enviable plateau of looking down on all the other Audiophools still searching for their nirvana.

Pretty simple actually.............................oo ooohh, new postings on Audiogon.....................

BobM · « **Reply #9 on:** 2 Jul 2009, 03:43 pm »

I think anyone interested enough to register and post on any of the Audio related forums qualifies, in one respect, despite the level of their equipment or musical enjoyment. That's an active interest in the industry, as far as I'm concerned, so they qualify.

Now for all of those people incapable, or unconcerned with, or not tuned into the web, I agree with both the music and equipment arguments. But again, despite the level of monetary committment, since some have the funds and some don't. It's the enjoyment factor that counts.

It's a hobby dammit, so don't look too closely. As long as someone is receiving enjoyment from it, then so be it.

Bob

ted_b · « **Reply #10 on:** 2 Jul 2009, 04:08 pm »

I posted this a couple years ago and still believe it:

There has been a lot of discussion, over the years, about audiophiles and music lovers. Audiophiles (and I'm one of them, trying not to be, but it's an addiction) believe that there is a higher standard than "their own ears". They believe that there is a perfection, or set of empiricals, that must be set as a goal, even if their own ears don't agree. It is this reason (perfection) that causes audiophiles to die as audiophiles. It's a goal that can never really be attained. And not because of the obvious, perfection, but because of the reality that there are no real sets of empiricals...except for low distortion and a few simple other necessities. The rest is up to the beholder.

Complicating this goal is the fact that the variables that audiophiles are given to work with are almost limitless. It's like, as a child, on a great family vacation, having your parents take you to your first great restaurant, with all the hoopla of the service and the smells and sights and sounds, and tasting a great dish.......... and trying to replicate it later in life. Too many variables, most of which you'll never hear/smell/see again. But the goal has been set! I sometimes think that all audiophiles became audiophiles cuz they heard a great hifi as a child and are spending the rest of their life trying to replicate that sound. I wish I knew what/where/when mine was. Probably my uncle's place. He had great tastes in music; first place I ever heard real stereo come from anywhere but left and right.

So...the variables...for us... room, hearing ability (changes every year), cables, sources, software, impedance mismatches, tubes, amps, preamps, speaker size, speaker design, crossover design, active/passive, speaker placement, integration w/ or w/out subs, age of components, vibration isolation, ac conditioning, tweeks, listening position, etc. etc.....and the worst of all....the combination thereof.

Music lovers, on the other hand...they have it all. They trust their ears, some of them actually know what real instruments sound like (

), and they are happy with good sound.....gremlins and all. They spend their money on music. I'm that person.....sometimes.

JackD201 · « **Reply #11 on:** 2 Jul 2009, 04:41 pm »

I'd like to believe that all audiophiles are music lovers first and foremost. We all seek out music in whatever form be it a live event, a DVD or even muzak for whatever else we happen to be doing. I think a music lover crosses the bridge and becomes an audiophile when he commits himself to enrich the experience of listening to recorded music.

This crossing over can be one of frustration but for the lucky ones who find what it is they're looking for, they can come full circle and just be plain ol' music lovers again with no more itches.

May we all be so lucky

orientalexpress · « **Reply #12 on:** 2 Jul 2009, 07:56 pm »

One thing i notice an Audiophile they're will buy any well recorded vinyl or CD regardless what kind of music is recorded in.I was never into classical or country.now i start buying them base on great review.

lapsan

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #13 on:** 2 Jul 2009, 09:59 pm »

Quote from: orientalexpress on 2 Jul 2009, 07:56 pm

One thing i notice an Audiophile they're will buy any well recorded vinyl or CD regardless what kind of music is recorded in.I was never into classical or country.now i start buying them base on great review.

That is so true. Guilty as charged! I can't believe how much money I've wasted on well recorded over priced crap.

richidoo · « **Reply #14 on:** 3 Jul 2009, 03:50 pm »

An audiophile is one who acknowledges that the texture and tone and prat of music are as important to enjoying music as the melody, lyrics and beat.

Everyone who cares about music is an audiophile, but they might not know it yet. One listen to their "favorite song" will turn on the light.

Danny Richie · « **Reply #15 on:** 3 Jul 2009, 04:00 pm »

I found this a few years ago somewhere and copied and pasted it to a file.

1. A person who exhibits extreme obsessive/compulsive behavior that
happens to be directed at achieving perfect music reproduction, even at the risk of
compromising their personal relationships and financial security.

2. A delusional person who believes he or she can find the "holy grail" of perfect music
reproduction, a condition often manifest by unrelenting searches for new audio equipment
and frequent pronouncements of the type: "If only I had a [INSERT NAME OF AN
OBSCURE OR EXPENSIVE PIECE OF MUSIC REPRODUCTION GEAR HERE]."

3. Any of a class of people who dedicate far more time and money developing a music
reproduction system to capture the essence of a "live" concert, than they spend actually
going to live concerts.

4. Any person who is willing to spend more money to purchase a single "upgrade" AC
power cord for an electronic device than is earned in an entire year by 70% of the other
people in the world.

5. A malcontent who devotes inordinate time visiting audio equipment dealers,
auditioning new audio gear, reading audio magazines, trying seemingly irrational
"tweaks" like demagnetizing CDs, continually adjusting their speaker placement and
changing cables, and scanning audio-related Internet chat rooms looking for other ways
to achieve better music reproduction.

6. A person whose life is characterized by extended periods of dissatisfaction and
apprehension punctuated by occasional periods of euphoria and contentment induced
by sublime music reproduction.

7. You and I. : )

mcullinan · « **Reply #16 on:** 3 Jul 2009, 04:16 pm »

One thing I know too well is size doesnt count, its the motion of the ocean!
Mike aa

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #17 on:** 3 Jul 2009, 05:03 pm »

Unfortunately, too many people judge the quality of a system by its price tag. The truth is, you can spend a ton of money on a crappy sounding rig. I think you're an audiophile if, 1. you love music AND, 2. you try to get the best sound within your price range, regardless of how much or how little you have to spend.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #18 on:** 3 Jul 2009, 07:16 pm »

Quote from: Ericus Rex on 3 Jul 2009, 05:03 pm

Unfortunately, too many people judge the quality of a system by its price tag. The truth is, you can spend a ton of money on a crappy sounding rig. I think you're an audiophile if, 1. you love music AND, 2. you try to get the best sound within your price range, regardless of how much or how little you have to spend.

BINGO.....

It's a state of mind, not the financial state of your equipment.
Some may have the greatest intension, but lack the financial means to reach a "class" that most would consider "audiophiledom".
For me, it's all about the intension and the appreciation.

I might add that anybody who signs up as a member to an audio forum has taken the first step to being an audiophile. To me, that's an admission of "wanting something better than you've got". That's the "intension" part of the equation.

Bob

JLM · « **Reply #19 on:** 4 Jul 2009, 12:01 am »

Price tags don't reflect being an audiophile. Too many rich "playboys" can and do spend huge sums who don't understand or appreciate what they even want.

Constant equipment swapping doesn't make one an audiophile. Too many people are constantly scratching the itch for new toys.

IMO an anyone who has an interest in high fidelity reproduction of the music he/she loves is an audiophile. It doesn't take a degree in electrical engineering, deep pockets, years of experience listening to state of the art equipment, or have a psychotic obsession. I'd like to think the "club" could be inclusive of more (well adjusted) folks.