Blog: Fanboyism and Brand Loyalty - Page 3

My attention span is too short to become a fan boy. At the moment I have a weakness for vintage and Sony headphones as well.

Happy hunting...

Originally Posted by Prog Rock Man 

I have a weakness for vintage and Sony headphones

SONY can easily make you a fanboy, coz many of their top-end headphones are just unmatched...and yes, being a fanboy is part of the human nature IMHO. Personally, I've been burned a dozen times by computer audio companies selling datasheets and crappy/buggy audio drivers...w/ the promises of fully working software "anytime soon", needless to say these companies are selling lies(who doesn't these days?). So when I find companies that don't play the commercial bs game and actually deliver(SONY, Firestone in my case), then yes I become biased coz I know that these companies won't try to cheat me out of my money. I so much wanna buy a MDR-CD900ST...due to fanboyism? most likely, hah! and because Japanese cd3k owners always speak highly of it, between fanboys we understand each others I guess

Their bs act is not as big as say the Proline750: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http://www.smci.jp/MDR-CD900ST/&rurl=translate.google.com

but it couldn't possibly sound any worse hehe...some even compare it to the O2: http://www.headfonia.com/?p=1522&page=3

will my placebo fanboyism make me love it no matter what? hard to say.

Ha, I am a fanboy of Firestone as well and happily recommend the Fubar USB DAC and The Supplier. Both are built to last. I have the Sony DR 4C and soon to arrive the DR 5A, both of which are built to last as well. But I only recommend as appropriate.

The fanboyism I really object to are the one headphone replies to requests for recommendations, which at the moment is the ATH M50s and those who go on and on and on, such as a certain B&W P5 poster.

MDR CD900, if I am correct the V7 with a different name or am I confused with the old V900 or MDR 7509?

DR 5A, is it worth it? I have the DR 6A which is pretty good for an oldie and has pretty good bass. I am still 50/50 on the DR 5A. 

I am holding of audio gear and music to make sure I have enough funds for university. If I had the funds already the Philips N6330 and Philips SBC HP1000 would be in my possesion. Money... 

Deep Funk, I had a look at your kit list, you are a fanboy of headphones.

I like my headphones a lot. Once I have thick walls, room and the funds the time will come for killer speakers. At the moment some of the headphones are useless though, HP830.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik 

 

 

It seems like people now define themselves by what they buy.  Your personal collection of brands defines yourself.  This must be the next step beyond being defined by where you're from, family, education, and occupation.

Fashion is the next step... For the majority I am sure gear make take place ahead of fashion for the general nerd :)

But really just about all commercials message is about this product make you successful... Even coca cola is somehow defining you as successful and cool. Not to say all those sexistic beer commercials. We are all brainwashed with it I suppose.

I know what you mean about the current tendency to create new terms and I find it annoying as well (I think it has to do with the low attention span of Americans these days). That said, I don't think fanboy fits that mold really. Even if it is lobbed around too much, it seems to describe a very real phenomena and isn't really vague at all. As for being pejorative, well of course it is but I see nothing wrong with that, ha.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olias of Sunhillow 

Quote:

 

 

Anyway, my main objection to the above-posted entry is its use of the word "fanboy," and the legitimizing effect that this and other "serious" pieces may have toward that term. It's a meaningless word -- lobbed as it is from both sides of each debate, it's basic usage is something like "you're an idiot because you don't agree with me."  I personally can't stand it, and as a professional writer I cannot justify validating a recently created term that is simultaneously so pejorative and so vague in application.
 

Awesome. I think this goes some way to explain the endowment effect (what I own must be better). But I think primarily it comes about because there are always two possibilities in this world- we are either right or wrong. And so when we hear that the drink we preferred was Pepsi and not the Coke we are fans of, we put more weightage on 'wrong' (I must have tasted it wrong). When it is Coke we put more weightage on 'right' (of course I got it right).

We all probably have different affinities to each (choosing right or wrong)- and this also depends on the situation. I wonder if it's also linked to this effect : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

For me, branding has a different reason. I have replaced all my headphones in my collection with Sony headphones and my goal is to keep it that way. It's my way of limiting the headphones that could tempt me and basically keep it simple (and easy on my wallet).

I'm not looking for the Holy Grail of headphones, so it doesn't really bother me if I'm missing out on some other brands. I enjoy my current collection. And like a previous poster mentioned, Sony has plenty of headphones to look forward to owning one day.

That is smart in a way, my new used Yamaha HP1 might cure me of torturing my wallet with future headphone upgraditis although I doubt it. 

I do think there is too much emotion on internet forums, not limited to getting upset in arguments but especially because of the putdowns, insults, vague allegations (shill, especially) and drama that happens when arguments break out. I think the rise of trolling, 'fail' putdown and their ilk do reflect a shift towards personal emotional release. I'm much more about community building myself, making a place where we can use logic and reason to talk about the topic at hand. Politeness does not mean political correctness or censorship, but rather a civil exchange of opinion. Keep the emotions and drama out of it. What matters is the subject matter, not the people. When that happens, I believe people become more open minded and the mental blocks about brands and labels tend to drop.

So I think the problem is not preference for a particular brand, especially if well-founded, but rather mental blocks and attacks against other brands and their followers. But then again, I've been far enough in life to know that 'nice guy' or 'community' ideas often don't work out. I've met many guys who enjoy, or at least expect that people will fight and aggravate their own egos, regardless of whether their social status is nerd or jock. Which also brings up the interesting question of gender; I think the study in the OP did not say. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by warp08 

Interesting thread...

 

1. Placed a pre-order for an iPad before I ever touched one
2. Placed a pre-order for an iPhone 4 before I ever touched one
3. Placed a pre-order for the JH-3A one day before Can Jam 2010, which allowed me to briefly audit the prototype there

 

All of these actions precipitated by my extremely high personal satisfaction with both Apple and JHA products I have previously purchased in the past after careful research and deliberation.  I have not considered any competing products (in the case of the iPad and the JH-3A there were none).

 

Am I now considered an Apple and JHA fanboy?  Really, I'm curious.

No but you surely are a TWAg Fanboi.