Are you too old to be an audiophile?

Frogman, yes, I would assume there is a natural shift toward media and the experience as one gets older. I just chatted with an industry professional the other day who repairs/restores rather large speakers. He recalled the big monsters which he used to use in his main system, but has scaled back his rig. Why? He's getting to the point where he doesn't want to deal with the size of them. Instead of pushing for ultimate performance he is talking about accepting compromises. For whatever reason we all have to do so at some point.

With age I can certainly see that one's emphasis would tilt toward the "leave well enough alone," perspective even when hearing loss is not an issue. When space or energy no longer allow for mucking with the gear what can one turn to as a means of keeping the audiophile fire burning? An endless source of new experiences in music, a tremendously fulfilling alternative to the hunt for the gear. :)

@Frogman Not sure what your point is. I don't come on here to talk to people about music. I like what I like, I don't need people's opinions on music. I do however need opinions on gear because it's impossible to test out every possibility and because people on here know a lot more about what gear is available out there than I do, and how it might be paired to achieve desirable results. Ultimately it is my opinion what sounds good to my ears, but again, as Douglas Schroeder astutely points out, I would like to know if I am taking advice from a buncha deaf old guys with different priorities because of physical limitations. Why is it so hard for people to admit that the ability to HEAR plays at least some role in all of this?
As for the fact that most people are in disagreement with me and Douglas.. again, what is your point? Being in the majority doesn't make you right.

@Mijs, I totally agree with you, and you make a great analogy with the crime scene.

their hearing is the ultimate variable.

However, it is a variable over which we have no control. It MAY (emphasis on MAY) explain some strong differences of opinion over particular pieces of gear, but since there is little I can do about it, and since it is an immutable facet in my perception of sound, I'm not gonna worry too much about it. IOW, I'm gonna trust MY ears, even if they no longer work for $hit due to age and too much R&R in my 'ute ;~)I guess what I am trying to say is that my perception of the music I hear when I sit down tonight is a product of the interaction of the software, each piece of hardware, those little cilia in my cochlea, and my brain. Your perception will not and cannot be the same as mine, unless we are identical twins, with identical environmental exposures, listening to the same recording at the same time. BTW, I accept and respect your explanation of the thread title as an attention getter, but I also understand Dan-ed's taking issue w it. Us old coots can get pretty testy.

Yes, Farjamed, we should not loose respect for our audiophile elders; they do have a tremendous amount of wisdom, and also experience with gear that is invaluable.

Perhaps I was a bit too harsh on the guys at the Quad/Naim dealership in saying I would never return. They were 1.5 hours away, so dismissing it was relatively easy. Very likely I would have visited again over time had they been local. Just because one has some hearing difficulty does not render their opinion or experience of no value.

It's difficult to admit hearing limitations because the entire audiophile culture is built upon hearing well - hearing "good" (left to one's own interpetation) music, hearing it on a good system, hearing it in a good environment, hearing it with good company, hearing it with good ears as well, to a degree. Advice is assumed to be given on the basis of good hearing, which it clearly cannot always be.

A point in favor of the "buncha deaf old guys," one of whom I may be some day; their experience IS very valuable and one must sift out the wheat from the chaff. They often have a huge knowledge base of technical information about what components and speakers go best with each other, what systems are better for different kinds of music (especially if one is focusing on a specific genre of music), how different media are recorded and might sound played back, etc. Turning your back on such knowledge would be a big mistake. Listen to them and take the experience. Be willing to try a recommendation but don't be surprised if you hear something different than described once in a while. It goes with the territory.

After my frustrating experience with the CL-3 cable I by no means wrote off all older audiophiles. Some of the most beautiful and insightful thoughts have come from those who have been in the game longer than I have. I simply enforced a rule that I would weigh advice given differently if I learned that hearing loss was a factor. With time you find out who hears things similar to you and who does not. I would go so far as to say that the differences between what an individual who selects a certain type of technology, say speakers, can be more opposed to one's style of listening than whether or not they have some hearing loss.

I'm not intending to give the impression that hearing acuity is the biggest factor in finding a mentor. I believe it counts, but there are many reasons to hold in esteem audio elders and consider their advice. Simply conduct your own tests and reach your own conclusions, and eventually you'll be an old half deaf guy too (virtually before you know it)!

Thanks Farjamed and Frogman...

I like that crime scene analogy, too. I also think our sense of (audible) contrast is more developed than most. Just like a photographers sense of color contrast is better than non-photographers. It's all about the ear-to-brain or eye-to-brain connections.

When my wife asks me to listen to a noise at night, I don't listen for the noise, I listen to the quiet. Better contrast.