How could High End audio be improved?

Hello Ohn. No, being drawn to beauty in the hiend does not mean that if you are not in the hiend that you can't see beauty. However, if you are drawn to beauty in general, then I think you would also be drawn to the beauty of music, and, therefore, the hiend.

Hence, my inquiry about how we reach those people that may already be drawn to beauty in other areas but don't know about the hiend. This was an attempt to draw the parameters of marketing towards a goal not based on stimulation of the personality (create a new style: you need this! adverts) but DIRECTED to areas where such beauty-drawn minds tend to congregate; don't change minds (because you can't teach someone to appreciate a sunset; you cann't teach receptivity to beauty), but locate them.

The former strategy seeks to stimulate minds to action though argument, the latter admits that the creation of the beauty-drawn mind is internally driven (not subject to stimulation by external in advertising context)and not subject to being changed through persuasion, and,therefore, the strategy must be to find them already formed or on that progression.

Unless, of course, you also think that there might be a way to catalyze the collective mind towards receptivity, which as I've argued before, necessarlity involves catalyzing the "letting go" of one's attachment to the power of thinking over things. Ohn, how do you think we should do that?

So, back to mechanics: where are those minds drawn to beauty yet are not in the hiend?

What other "hobbies" exist where the urge is towards beauty of that which is being experienced as phenomenon?

An ad for hiend in Wine Spectator?

Two questions:
1-Is high end audio a thing of beauty?
2-If not, is high end audio potentially a thing of beauty?

High end audio is just like anything else, some people like it and some people don't. Some people like it because it is technical, some people hate it for that reason. Some people like it because it is expensive, some people hate it for the same reason. Some people like to show off their electronics, some people don't. Some people would pay anything for reproduced sound, some people prefer live music or rather allocate funds elsewhere.

The market speaks for itself.

Ofcourse, would there be more audiophiles if more people were exposed to it? Yes. But, you will also have more people who think audio is an idiotic hobby as well.

After reading so much about aculturlization of audiophelia and other trends, personas, and ideologies, I'd just have to regress to the most used and annoying quote I've read on this forum which is "just enjoy the music."

Oh Viggen, don't rain on the beauty parade, especially if what you offer is a radically subjective justification!

Really though, yes, people have different opinions - I think we are aware of that - but that fact itself doesn't translate into the proposition that, therefore, all opinions are equal. Certainly, there are some guys who only care about the equipment - whose minds are so orientated towards an attachment to things that it overwhelms any tendancy to be drawn into the music, as in, an imbalance between thing and mind - but I don't think we should tell ourselves that that way is the optimal means of experiencing meaning in the music. I can't imagine you beleiving this either, even though being equal/equal has a good sound to it in a crowd.

Radical egalitarianism enables one to proceed into a group and judge them by saying they shouldn't form opinions where one way is differentiated from another, but this is disingenuous: some truths are truer than others, all knowledge is built on that proposition. Moreover, the opinion that all opinion is equal is a performative error; in making that argument you disprove the argument.

Second, the hiend is not a "thing." People who are attached to the power of their mind to objectifying reality many times make this error; they reduce mind to an object - science has been doing it since Descartes.

The hiend is a group of minds who listen with those minds to sound-phenomenon, again, it is not a "thing". As long as you assume its some-thing "out there" - like an object I can manipulate - and not your own mind, you won't understand, and will ask questions unaware of the materialist assumption underlying and limiting what answer you can potentially derive.

All are equal in potential to "hear" beauty, but some choose to limit themselves in the assumptions they bring to the listening.

Again, the question is: how can we find more minds that have seen already that beauty isn't a thing?

Asa, don't all people limit themselves by their assumptions whether they choose to do so or not?

Also, while I may have misinterpreted, I don't believe Viggin was justifying the opinions of others who disregard the art and beauty of music. Rather, I read his post as simply suggesting that there are different opinions which are, of course, important and correct to those who hold them.

Like moths drawn to the flame, we audiophiles are drawn to the truth of musical expression. So, in varying degrees and in different ways (as you suggest), we are closer than most to the truth of musical art. Hiend is not a necessary requirement for that, but it is for us. Per many of the suggestions above, hiend could be a home for many more. More people will choose it as a home if it is comfortable and inviting and provides some shelter from the everyday storms of life. I believe that most people do enjoy beauty without it being taught to them. Not everyone will choose to see it when it appears, but more will if we can simplify the offering.

Attitude is a big problem in the stores. I drove for an hour to listen to a pair of speakers earlier this week. I listened to the salesman tell me how he designed most of the equipment and tweaks in existance in the world today.

I did not have the heart to tell him how full of crap he is, but I suspect his breath has given it away.
When he lies to me about this how do I know when he is telling the truth?

He probably sells lots of stuff, but I haven't bought from him in years.

I do think AudiogoN is one of the things that keeps stores in business though. Finding a market for used gear allows the seller to buy the next new toy!