How Many Audiophiles Have Do You Know?

One. His system consists of a solid state integrated, digital source, and electrostatic speakers - at the opposite end of the spectrum from my tubes, separates, lp's and cones.

Three (possibly four).

One from high school.
Two were lawyers who worked on my deals when I was a banker in NY.

The possible fourth was a boss of mine after a I moved to LA. I was told he was a tube guy, but the subject never came up in conversation between us, so I'm not sure if it's true or not.

In almost 50 years of this hobby - I may have met about 100 people that I would consider a audiophile.
Starting with my father when I was about 10 years of age.
He loved his classical music & played 2 albums almost every night after work & all day long on Sunday.
In my early teens I went out & bought my own first system (KLH model 20).
Since I do not consider myself a audiophile - Just a hobbiest & a true lover of music reproduction & collecting Lp's - I think that most people like myself only consider others as audiophiles.
To me a audiophile is someone with a passion for music & spends too much of their time & money tweaking his/her system to get optimum sound or audio Nirvana.
I have only met but a very few people that I also consider to be audiophiles in that have a modest system, but are also just as passionate & truely enjoy what they have to the limit.
All in all in almost 50 years to meet only about 100 audiophiles equals about 2 per year.
And to consider that the majority of them came in the past 7 years of buying & selling here on the gon leads me to believe that either very few audiophiles consider themselves as such or they just refuse to admit what they are.
On the other hand - I have spoken to quite a few schmucks & wannabees that profess to be a true audiophile. I think that many of us have had the pleasure of that one & just laugh it off.
To me a true audiophile is someone that:
Has the ear - Not just for his system, but for others & will offer knowledgeable advice.
Has a decent to fantastic system & knows how & what to listen to - THE MUSIC!
Has a minimum of 1K albums LP's/CD's.
Wont tell you what his system cost & wont admit to any of the above.

The only audiophiles I have ever met has been at Audio stores, club meetings or CES. I'm also a coin collector and it's the same scenario for that.

Seems like the snooty sales people at certain hi-end stores act that way because they can't afford what they sell let alone a MS 1916 D FSB.