A question for those that consider themselves audiophiles. - Page 2

Please try the DT770 80ohm while you are trying the M50, id bet my bottom dollar you will enjoy them. I would never part with my DT770 250's (i use amps), even compared to my woodies, or the several high end senns ive bought n sold. THey are just FUN to listen to for bass heavy genres, they are also very detailed. Mids are slightly scooped, but you cant have everything in one pair of cans, thats how we all ended up with several and counting. If i were to get a choice of M50 and DT770 there would be no hesitation at all.

Well I am one of the people on here. And our opinions seem to be being read by you. So it's not all bad this hobby is it? Whilst I agree that some of the comments try and take themselves far too seriously there's an awful lot of good advice and experience long term of head gear you can't get anywhere else.
I speak for most headfiers; we are into music. The kit helps us enjoy the music even more. I don't just have some crappy idock playing something in the background whilst I surf the net. I sit down or lie down and experience the music.
Nobody understands anyone else's hobby until they're interested in it. I like what I do for a hobby if you don't get it that's fine.
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As a general comment to the OP, as you get older and move through different phases in life, you will find a lot of similarities in other things that people do. Certain people start off drinking certain alcoholic beverages when they are younger (beer, cocktail, etc.), only to move on to "finer" stuff like wine, whisky, scotch as they delve deeper into this thing they enjoy. A lot of motorhead friends started their love for cars with cheap Japanese vehicles, only to see their tastes changing into finer stuff like BMW, Audi's, AMG Mercedes, Porsches, etc as their career builds and allows for fancier vehicles. Or they may go a different direction and delve into the world of sinking $10k - $20k's worth of modifications into a $5k car, only to make it track worthy for those brief moments on the track. Tons of photographers become "obsessed" with getting the best sensors and the sharpest lenses and filters. The examples go on, and on.

 

I'd argue that the majority of enthusiasts truly enjoy what they do, be it music, driving, photography, etc. It isn't because we are losing focus. Nor is it because it has turned into a race of who's-got-the-best-toys-wins. It's because when we love and enjoy our hobbies so much that we have developed some very high expectations for it. And those expectations in the end are meant to help us appreciate and enjoy what we love even more.

Edited by Traum - 1/5/13 at 3:03pm

I've been following audio since 1974, or before.  Yes, I'm a bit of an antique - but, still not 50, yet.  However, for as much dabble I've done is basically all aspects of audio, I will always consider myself an Enthusiast and not an Audiophile.

 

Audiophile is too sterile of a term, and, to me, can come off a bit snobbish.

I think audiophile is a great term, it just depends on how you use it.

 

Me: "I'm an audiophile." <-- that's me sounding snobbish and up my own ass.

 

Someone else: "Ninjames is an audiophile. Guy is crazy as hell and never stops buying things. I heard he sold a kidney for an amp." <--- this makes me feel good.

Been covered before.

 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/223350/difference-between-an-audiophile-and-an-audio-connoisseur

An amp always improves things, but for this impedance it's not a necessity. The babble isn't detachable but they sound far batter than most things for your bass taste and won't break the bank as much as beats

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Edited by Dgiant - 1/6/13 at 2:21pm

The OP is essentially correct and this has always been an issue with head-fi. People come here looking for an upgrade on basic ear buds and end up spending hundreds of dollars on amps and sources etc. only to realise a few months later its too much hassle and they notice every defect in their MP3 collection or badly recorded source materialis preventing them from enjoying their music and so they sell it all. That is not to say the people who do care a lot about gear don't really listen to their music. I suspect after a time it becomes possible to switch your attention from the gear to the music more easily. And of course there's nothing wrong with those people discussing their gear here, but I think it would be useful to provide more of a caveat to people when they first land here.

 

While we're whinging... what bugs me more is the people who come on here and make ridiculous claims about the new gear they have because they're excited. There should be a rule that you can't comment on gear you have until you've owned it for a month! I first joined head-fi about 10 years ago but have found it next to useless for the past few years because there are so many people making ridiculous claims trying to make themselves sound like 'audiophiles'. The threads about reactions from 'non-audiophiles' to audiophile gear and "you know you're an audiophile when..." I find particularly cringe-worthy.

 

I will say one thing about 'accuracy' though... I found most audio equipment these days is very heavily skewed towards excessive bass and midrange coloration such that music sounds very artificial. I do think head-fi is very useful in this regard at helping people who want a more natural presentation to find options that are not readily available in most stores. 

Edited by redrich2000 - 1/6/13 at 2:18am

If you want some different twists on the definition of an Audiophile, just head to Urban Dictionary.  Crazy stuff. 

Definitely been guilty of that. The month rule would make sense for someone as impulsive as me. Some of the web reviewers are probably only listening to their stuff they are sent for a day or so before they spout of a load of pseudo scientific hogwash about it however.
I will lay off the reviews if they're felt to be too soon.
With all this stuff reviewed it all has to be taken with a pinch of salt anyway. We wanted to buy the stuff. We spent loads of money on the stuff so the stuff had better sound good.
And if it's rubbish where do we end up trying to push it? Through head-fi classifieds of course! Not many people saying many negative things on that forum. There may well be a lot of built in subjectiveness around.

 

Wait.  Are you implying that the classifieds section is full of rubbish?  

 

I wouldn't sell anything bad to my fellow enthusiasts here.  That is what Ebay is for. 

That's worth remembering. I've bought the last few bits of kit from Ebay. I'll give it a month and see if they become crap;)

yeah i agree!