Why do Audiophiles feel the need...

I think that will depend on what and why. Like myself, when I listened to the Manley stealhead, ARC PH7, Nagra VPA and other phono stages. I listened for week to all of them together and seperatly. That is still limited experience. I picked the Nagra over the others. If I see threads about any for the items I listened to, I post to inform the person of my observations of that item. Even if it is not the item I desided to purchase. This also go's with any piece of equipment I auditioned. My opinion is only that and should only loosly guide the person. I think that is all they are going to use it for. If they use it for much more than that, good luck to them. I myself would never buy an item from anothers opinion. Unless it is a cartridge. I can't get anyone to let me take one home to audition.

If we do not ask or answer questions here or on other forums then where would we ask and that includes your thread.

It's the almost same as asking a sales man. How much time do you really think they get to listen to all the equipment in thier store. They don't sit in the room with the customers listening. I listen to thier opinion but do not purchase on thier recomendation either without listening for myself. It just narrows the field.

How do you deside what is limited experience? A day, week, month or more?

I think it fullfills a fantasy that they could be on the staff of Stereophile or Absolute Sound and write an opinion that all would make a "intelligent" buying decision. Also we all have a need, as Samjohn states, to be helpful. And this is a place where one can do this with anonymity and nor real consequence. Whoops there I go again!

I'll second that Bravo!!

Jeff- "If you haven't heard it: You have no opinion" is a quote from Ivor Tiefenbrun, the founder of Linn Audio Products. Not really that profound, but completely accurate!

I agree with you. I never comment on equipment I haven't heard. Now I may comment on the musical philosophy of a particular company(each audio manufacturer emphasis certain aspects of audio reproduction over others because no one piece of equipment can do it all). An example would be Nordost. I find their cables to be on the analytical side; however I have not heard every cable in their line so it would be inappropriate for me to comment on a cable I haven't heard. Dynaudio is another example. They tend to have a more laid-back sound than the more in your face aggressive performance of other speaker manufacturers(I'm looking your way B&W), but I'm not going to comment on a particular pair of their speakers that I haven't heard.

So I think the salient point here is that I don't have a problem with people giving opinions about the particular sound a manufacturer has, but I do have problem about people commenting on equipment that they have never heard. It's a fine distinction, but an important one.