An Audiophile is Anyone Who Loves Audio Regardless of Monetary Status. Agree?

It's dopey, I know, but I think I'll keep calling myself a "soundie." It seems to get to the point without the pretentious baggage that rubs so many of us the wrong way. It's also an easy way to describe our hobby to curious outsiders.  Because it's an obvious pastiche on foodie, people get it and we can move on to something else without embarrassing myself.

The point I was trying to make was that we often hear people say you don't have to spend a lot of money to get hi-fi quality sound. But that sentiment is utterly drowned out by discussions about components that cost thousands each, speakers that cost tens of thousands each cables that cost thousands and tweaks that cost thousands.

So the point is, if someone took a top down look at discussions here on Audiogon, or the items for sale for that matter, they would have to assume that it does, in fact, require a lot of money to actually experience high fidelity audio.

So we can all pat ourselves on the backs about how egalitarian we are and how in reality it takes very little money to be an audiophile.......but that sure as heck isn't what it looks like looking from the outside in.

But let's put a dollar amount on it. Buying used, what would be the least amount you think you could spend for a system that would be your primary daily listening system for 5 years? Can anyone honestly get that below $2000?

And even if you can, how do you think $2000 sounds for a used stereo to most people? Hint: It sounds like a ton of money. And probably wouldn't be enough to buy many of our own speaker cables.

@n80 i paid less than 2600 for pair of EV patricians, less than 400 for a Yamaha 2200, JVC 7050, and Hafler combined and add 100$ for luxman c2. I will bet and guarantee all these will smoke anything 30k or even 100k plus and I didnt include my giant killer Sansui tube integrated which would smoke even any ss amp in bass quality and depth. All less than 4k

The "troo" audioph*les are thrifty and always shop secondhand first! Of which there are an abundance of riches cast off from the gullible and neurotic!

@vinny55 , so you spent about $4k on a system and you like it. And you present that as a frugal low cost entry into hi-fi. I would agree with that on the scale of what is normally spent and expected here at Audiogon.

But that is still $4,000. I don't even personally know anyone who wouldn't think that that was crazy money to listen to music.

We all say, wow, good sound for $4k, that's great. (Of course there are plenty here saying to themselves that you are deluding yourself and there is no way a system that costs less than their power cables can sound any good at all.) But $4,000 is a lot of money just to get your audiophile card and the secret hand shake.