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

brettmcee,

You are mixing things up a bit. You are equaling being a child from a wealthy family with being allowed to do anything or actually buying anything. At the same time, there are many out here who were allowed to do anything and were never told "no" by their parents, regardless of financial status, who are now healthy and productive citizens.

"Sorry wealthy people if I hurt your feelings. Buy something, you’ll feel better."

Not knowing what "wealthy" is for you, your advice to many of us is hard to follow. We already have everything we want.

Well brett most of what you have said are just ridiculous generalizations. 

People that are able to make sound critical and practical decisions at a high level often are the same people that you shame with your comments about the wealthy.

Please tell me how we level the playing field. Since you post like someone who isnt wealthy, I am sure that you wont be contributing at a high level. 

Being an audiophile has nothing to do with money. Yes, you need to have money, but more importantly you are a music lover on a quest to compile the best components possible that when combined, achieve the best sound. 

Adding a $1300 power cord to a basic all-in-one turntable, then connecting wirelessly to Best Buy active Bluetooth bookshelf speakers, might not be the most optimized use of your money. That’s probably about $2000 worth of audio gear that would be considered “starter kit” budget.

But an audiophile takes that $2000 budget, and maximizes all components equally to milk every last music note out of that system. Then over time updates their components to steadily achieve different or better sound to their liking. It’s a quest and journey that never ends.

While I would agree that decent audio today requires a middle class income, I remember buying decent gear when a Sgt in the Army.  I prioritized my spending towards audio.

One does not need to be wealthy in order to accumulate gear and appreciate decent sound.

Much is how you prioritize your spending as well as income level.

Yes, it is easy to spend substantial funds in order to develop a system that  pleases you.  I would hold out Elizabeth as an audiophile who has a terrific system and is by no means rich by American standards.

I will share some perspective of “rich”.  I have a friend, retired professor at a small school.  He immigrated from Vietnam.  Je told me that viewed himself as rich because he could go into most any restaurant and buy a meal.  I immediately understood as I remember when I could not.

Lets not confuse the insane prices of some gear with being an audiophile.  I was a sports car nut when I drove a $400 Austin Healey Sprite.  I didn’t change many years later when I bought a 6 speed Mercedes sports car.  The same us true of my audio gear.