An Audiophile is Anyone Who Loves Audio Regardless of Monetary Status. Agree?

@han_n thats not the true definition of being an audiophile. Thats your interpretation not shared by everyone.
Audio is sound philia from greek love of?
Some go to the extreme some are in the middle some less but doesnt make them lesser lover of audio

@han_n

agreed... audiophiles are on a quest to optimize their system, based on the budget given. To optimize my very small budget, I chose speaker stands to put my KEF LS50 Wireless on, instead of investing an additional $300-$500 on my SVS interconnects(spent $75). This choice was based on my learnings about listening position, speaker placement, and law of diminishing returns on cables/components. Also understanding the limitations of my listening room allowed me to understand where I can best spend my money.

I have to completely disagree with the member who used the “sports car aficionado” comparison. Definitions of aficionado and enthusiast are basically the same. An audiophile is an enthusiast, not a trained expert. And a sports car aficionado is just an enthusiast or lover of cars, which is my other wallet crippling hobby. 

There is nothing in either definition, that prevents any person from having passion and interest about a subject, and this includes audio gear. I might not own a $100K system, but I certainly might attend an audio show for $25 to listen to and talk about what is being showcased.

Again, it is the quest, not the end result, that makes you an audiophile.

@n80 

yeah, you really need to work on your analogies, because you are mixing professional careers with enthusiasts. I would never call myself a race car driver, just because I own a Porsche and have put a few laps on a track. But yes, I would certainly call myself a sports car aficionado.

Maybe Google the definitions of these words (pilot, doctor, yachtsman, etc)  before you make comparisons, because an audiophile is definitely not a professional, nor requires any training to become one.

Audiophile: “An audiophile is a person who is enthusiastic about high-fidelity sound reproduction.”

If you have a different and widely accepted definition that you can point us to online, that would be great to share.

Problem is what is the definition of "high-fidelity" sound?

I know my definition has changed dramatically since I started this hobby 42 years ago.

The other assertion that isnt a given is that the wealthy are less scrupulous with their dollars than the poor or middle class.

Most of the wealthy that I know dont have time to listen to their systems because they are working. But, perhaps unlike vinny and brett, I actually have some wealthy friends.

I play a doctor on TV, therefore, I am a doctor.

I am passionate about space travel, therefore I am an astronaut.

I have never been on a boat but I love luxury yachts, therefore I am a luxury yachtsman.

I read Air and Space Magazine, therefore I am a pilot.

I watch pro football every Sunday, therefore I am a pro football player

.
Doctors, astronauts, pilots, and football players go through rigorous training (and weeding) to get to these *professional* accreditations. Maritime training is available and occasionally required, depending on waterway and vessel. Yachts also have to stay afloat and get to their destination. Really bad captains are eliminated through accidents and insurance costs. Being a really crappy audiophile (does this exist?) doesn’t lead to any sort of Darwinian sorting. Even if having an opinion on Audiogon sometimes leads to childish piling-on, that doesn’t forcibly remove anyone from their audiophile aspirations.

Yachtsmen and audiophiles are typically *amateurs*, typically do not go through this training, and are identified more by enthusiasm than accomplishment or certification.

So the yachtsmen analogy is only OK, the rest are completely inapposite to audiophiles. The audiophiles are, indeed, the ones reading the magazines, loving the equipment, and listening every Sunday.