how much to $pend to claim i am an audiophile?

Start by becoming an Audiogon member - get a real USERNAME ...

And if you feel like this hobby is triving you nuts - become a member in the Asylum (www.audioasylum.com).

Enjoy!

Restock's suggestion is a good one. And choose your nick wisely. I didn't, so am stuck with polysyllabic inanity forever.

Anyways, if you love music and audio stuff then you qualify. Love sounds a bit too hubristic of course, perhaps discriminating is more modern? But a - forgive me - etymological note may help to get clear on your question. There are quite a few words incorporating the Greek verb philein, meaning to love, sometimes as prefix, philosophy say, or suffix, for example, anglophile, audiophile or whatever.

About the headphones - if it's the SR-60's considered, you might also want to consider Sennheiser 580's, a bit pricier, or the 600's a lot more so, especially if your tastes swing more to the classical than to rock/pop. For the latter, Grados in general are a good match, but this is just one opinion and no substitute for first-hand listening with familiar music.

If you've ever judged the price of a restaurant meal by how many CD's it costs, you're an audiophile.

If you've ever been able to hear the difference between two sound systems, and cared that there was a difference, you're an audiophile.

If you've ever wanted to spend more money than you make in a week (or month or year) on anything audio-related, you're an audiophile.

If you've ever considered selling blood (or other bodily fluids) to pay for anything audio-related, you're an audiophile.

If you've ever turned off the car radio or boombox because it didn't sound right, you're an audiophile.

If you ever listened anyway even though you could tell it didn't sound right, you're an audiophile.

If you even know what Grado headphones are, you're an audiophile.

If you've ever started or replied to a thread on Audiogon, you're an audiophile.

I believe the cost is the dues to a "AUDIOPHILE SOCIETY".

Then you can assure others that "THEY" have accepted you as an audiophile, and, who could know better than them?

WARNING:

News travels fast, start reading now....you will have a lot of questions to answer as you become "the go to guy" with the answer.

P.S....a crash course on OPINIONS is a good thing.

Dave