[Driftwood]

A lot of my co-workers don't really understand my headphone (dare I say it?) obsession. The other day, one fellow I work with asked me (rather condescendingly, interestingly enough) if I was an audiophile. I gave the subject some thought and replied, "I don't have enough money to be an audiophile."

But it got me thinking. I have a much more critical ear than any of the people that I know, and I definately think of audio as a hobby and I am in search of the best sound out there.

However, these are all attributes shared by everyone here. Are we all audiophiles? Are we audio enthusiasts? Maybe the fact that we spend our time on a forum dedicated to fine headphone listening is enough? I always feel that I am not quite worthy of that title though. I feel that one day I may reach the point at which I may be worthy of that honor, but at this point I guess the fact remains that I don't have enough money to really sample what is out there. Lord knows I spend enough time in high-end audio stores listening to the martin-logans, but still, my options are limited.

I think I had a point at the beginning there, but this is just turning into a poorly focused rant?

But I guess the question is, do you consider yourself an audiophile? What do you think it means to be an audiophile?

Driftwood

 

[carlo]

driftwood,

call me crazy (or maybe my mind just resides in the gutter) but the term audiophile seriously creeps me out. actually, anything ending with "phile" does <shivers>. it seems to imply that we get off on listening to music, and that just isn't... um, wait, never mind.

my prefered term for self classification on the hobby is "music lover." i love music man, i'd like to think we all do. the sad thing about this (and other) hobbies is that people seem to subscribe to camps of exclusiveness, that while all fun and good sometimes puts newcomers off.

i equate it to my wine tasting experiences: i thought these deals were about a bunch of fairly intelligent people drinking wine, asking the occasional question about wine, and generally getting drunk on wine. that's it, maybe we talk about politics or life or whatever, but a good time to be had by all. reality (at least in my experience) is that a bunch of snobby people enter a controlled enviorment and spout off gibberish to see who knows what's in the grape juice. i love wine, but would never call myself a "wine enthusiast" because a) titles are lame b) because sadly i don't know as much on the subject as i'd like and c) in my mind "wine expert"="elitist" (not really, because the sommlier at the occasional expensive restuarant is usually a really nice guy/gal).

we love music, we like gear, we're geeks. hmm... geek. i'll subscribe to that group.

best,
carlo.

 

[Neruda]

I get the impression that most people here--including myself--are enthusiasts and not bonafied audiophiles. But it's certainly obvious that we also have a large number of audiophiles as well. the problem is how to decide which is which. Do you need to have a $10,000 system to be an audiophile, or does it have nothing to do with money? If it has nothing to do with money, is the person with a pair of KSC-35's and a sony PCDP an audiophile? Everything about this hobby is subjective!

 

[Driftwood]

true that.

but dangit, I never thought of audiophile as someone who gets off on audio... but now anytime I think of that I am going to get seriously scared.

Driftwood

 

[carlo]

Quote:

Driftwood:I never thought of audiophile as someone who gets off on audio... but now anytime I think of that I am going to get seriously scared.

the dirty thing is that it's true

i spend my time curled into a fetal position whispering softly to myself when i'm away from music. some think it's creepy, but the guy handing out the medication seems to think i'm an okay guy.

 

[KR...]

I am an audiophile... I just don't have a audiophile system

stupid money....

 

[KR...]

Quote:

Originally posted by Neruda I get the impression that most people here--including myself--are enthusiasts and not bonafied audiophiles. But it's certainly obvious that we also have a large number of audiophiles as well. the problem is how to decide which is which. Do you need to have a $10,000 system to be an audiophile, or does it have nothing to do with money? If it has nothing to do with money, is the person with a pair of KSC-35's and a sony PCDP an audiophile? Everything about this hobby is subjective!

A $10,000 system is a entry level system, you know.

Yet, most of us can't even dream of getting something like that, and that's a bloody starter's kit!

There are only a few people here how have top of the line stuff through out their whole system.

very few...

 

[Audio-Me]

It doesn't take loads of money to be an audiophile. It's all about enthusiasm to constantly try and achieve pure satisfaction with audio. Wether it'd be tweaking your current system, or to the point of upgrading in steps. So really, audio enthusiast and audiophile are pretty much the same thing, it just depends on how you look at it.

carlo made a very good point. When it comes down to it all, I'd be perfectly happy with the ****tiest speaker/headphone as long as it reproduced the music that I love. Being an audio enthusiast/audiophile means, why settle for crappy performing devices when you can get much better (high value stuff)?

As for the wine expert elitist correlation to self proclaimed audiophiles, I leave that grouping to the rich folks who throw money away on diminishing returns.

I will not deny that there are people out there who are in the audio hobby purely from a technological stand point (science freaks). It's not a bad thing, some people just don't indulge in music, rather the process of replication of sound. I call this nerdiness.

Then there are the snobby types who take pride in knowing all the "audiophile" terms and scientific background they read out of a magazine and look down on audio lovers who do not know or understand this useless knowledge (consumers have no need for it). If I fully knew about how audio equipment works, I'd be cheating my own taste and perspective of what sound characteristics I like, this would also diminish my love for music. I'm not however attacking those who do know equipment left right front back in and out. I'm just disgusted at the snobby "types".

There are "real" audio enthusiasts/audiophiles however who have been fortunate enough to be able to afford very expensive equipment. *cough, Tuberoller, *cough.

I like music, I like gear, I'm definately a geek.

:high fives carlos:

 

[gloco]

Quote:

Originally posted by KR... A $10,000 system is a entry level system, you know.

Huh? In comparison to who? Fabio?

 

[carlo]

Quote:

KR: A $10,000 system is a entry level system, you know. Yet, most of us can't even dream of getting something like that, and that's a bloody starter's kit!

respectfully, i don't think most people with high priced spreads think that. a starter's kit could be a pair of sr60s and a $20 portable.

this is just more classification, but the idea of an "audiophile" system may be getting confused with a high resolution one. sadly, outside of diy it's pretty hard (impossible?) to get a fairly revealing/transparent system on a lower budget. and no, i don't think it's possible untill well into the 6 figure range.

i've heard quite a few sub $10k systems (including my own) that i'd call musical and that let me hear into a recording. i've heard a handfull of $25k+ systems whose presentation had me losing interest. one $60k plus one that tried to make digital sound like analog (and quite honestly didn't succeed... nice bass though), but the owner loved it (and i mean loooooved it). a few others that had me startled at what i was missing in my own setup. so whatever, it's all taste right?

once again, i think this is where "audiophile" becomes a dangerous term... we're talking about systems and the way they reproduce music, not price tags. people hear sounds (and music) in different ways, some dig soundstaging, some frequency response/linearity, some leave drool marks on plot curves. "accuracy" vs "musicality". digital vs analog. blah blah blah.

listening for the joy of music and listening for the details in music can and do coexist. the reason some stuff is so expensive is that those who listen a particular way are willing to pay the price tag. that doesn't make a sub $1k system any less enjoyable for someone... but it won't necessarily be as enjoyable for others.

best,
carlo.

 

[KR...]

I recent poll among Stereophile readers said that the lowest price systems that they had was $10,000, I belive most were from $10,000 to $30,000. Then of course there were those with $100,000 systems.

It's not much, once you start adding it up.

But, I am not rich, so I will stick with headphones. They are so much cheaper, huh?

 

[KR...]

All that said, I am pretty happy with my "so not audiophile system", well it's mostly audiophile, expect the source

The music is still the most important thing, far and away, it's so important to me that I brought all those things in my profile.

 

[gaineso]

I've got probably around $6K in my main system, and that includes the 35" Sony TV.

It's not "Class A". So Frellin' what. It makes beautiful music. It's involving, fulfilling and brings a lot of joy when I settle down in the fairly wide sweet spot and close my eyes and let the MUSIC wash over and through me.

Would a $50K upgrade sound better? Of course. Would it bring more enjoyment? Maybe, but damned sure not $50K worth. Diminishing returns would be in just about a vertical line at that point.

So. Audiophile, audio enthusiast, music lover, techno geek. I don't really care.

Call me anything 'cept late for lunch.

 

[jopi]

Quote:

Originally posted by Driftwood What do you think it means to be an audiophile? Driftwood

Personally, I don't give a damn whether I'm an audiophile or not.

 

[ai0tron]

"Then there are the snobby types who take pride in knowing all the "audiophile" terms and scientific background they read out of a magazine and look down on audio lovers who do not know or understand this useless knowledge (consumers have no need for it)." - audio&me

This I feel is entirely wrong. Unless by consumer you mean, 13 year old teeny boppers listening to Britney spears and Hanson while they wack off to the latest issue of spice girls magazine.

If consumers WERE in fact fully educated on how audio systems work, if that was common knowledge, I think you would see a serious reduction in snake oil products and a general increase in the level of systems that the typical person owns.

What you basically are saying is that consumers should be ignorant. Which is BS, thats why I and others like headrooms site, because they try to educate the consumer. Instead of throwing a "for sale" banner on a neatly stacked pile of **** and hoping the ignorant consumers will come running and buy it all up.

Anyhow, I think being an audiophile means most of what you said, but I think it also means taking in interest in how the machines work, otherwise your entire system is a construct of others opinions, and your own UNKNOWING listening impressions, which is a viable way of approaching it, but when you suppliment that with technical know how you can create a really slick system for less money, or at least in less time. What I mean by unknowing is that even if you hear something that is the best you ever heard, that doesn't mean there isn't something twice as good out there.


And when I get my turntable I am going to officially start calling myself an audiophile.