What is wrong with audiophiles?


Something that has happened countless times happened again last night. Ordinary people over for a party listening to some music easily hear things audiophiles argue endlessly don't even exist. Oh, its worse even than that- they not only easily hear but are stunned and amazed at what they hear. Its absolutely clearly obvious this is not anything they ever were expecting, not anything they can explain- and also is not anything they can deny. Because its so freaking obvious! Happens every time. Then I come on here and read one after another not only saying its impossible, but actually ridiculing people for the audacity of reporting on the existence of reality.

What is wrong with audiophiles?

Okay, concrete examples. Easy demos done last night. Cable Elevators, little ceramic insulators, raise cables off the floor. There's four holding each speaker cable up off the floor. Removed them one by one while playing music. Then replaced them. Music playing the whole time. First one came out, instant the cable goes on the floor the guy in the sweet spot says, "OH! WTF!?!?!"

Yeah. Just one. One by one, sound stage just collapses. Put em back, image depth returns.

Another one? Okay.

Element CTS cables have Active Shielding, another easy demo. Unplug, plug back in. Only takes a few seconds. Tuning bullets. Same thing. These are all very easy to demo while the music is playing without interruption. This kills like I don' know how many birds with one stone. Auditory memory? Zero. Change happens real time. Double blind? What could be more double blind than you don't know? Because nobody, not me, not the listener, not one single person in the room, knows exactly when to expect to hear a change- or what change to expect, or even if there would be any change to hear at all. Heck, even I have never sat there while someone did this so even I did not know it was possible to hear just one, or that the change would happen not when the Cable Elevator was removed but when the cable went down on the floor.

We're talking real experience here people. No armchair theorizing. What real people really hear in real time playing real music in a real room.

I could go on. People who get the point will get the point. People who ridicule- ALWAYS without ever bothering to try and hear for themselves!- will continue to hate and argue.

What is wrong with audiophiles?

Something almost all audiophiles insist on, its like Dogma 101, you absolutely always must play the same "revealing" track over and over again. Well, I never do this. Used to. Realized pretty quickly though just how boring it is. Ask yourself, which is easier to concentrate on- something new and interesting? Or something repetitive and boring? You know the answer. Its silly even to argue. Every single person in my experience hears just fine without boring them to tears playing the same thing over and over again. Only audiophiles subject themselves to such counterproductive tedium.

What is wrong with audiophiles????
millercarbon
All good, valid points Ivan. What I personally don’t understand is the tendency and urge the non-audiophiles have in posting to all audio related groups and forums
The only definition of a "non-audiophile" I have is of those people who label **themselves** as non-audiophiles..you know, significant others, or those who'll tell you they've never tried to assemble their first system. etc.


Of course, just because somebody **says** they’re an audiophile maybe doesn’t mean they’re necessarily a **good** one...…. ;)
If there are any people here on Agon who are publicly identifying as a "non-audiophile" and are arguing counter to audiophiles here, then it has flown under My radar...

Maybe someone can direct me to where that was specifically going on...I suppose I might be curious to actually see that...

But, I’d say anyone who is "playing the audiophile card" is stepping into the sandlot with all the other kids.

But, I can’t imagine anyone having a reason, as a non-audiophile, to join an audiophile forum and go looking to vent. If they’re truly not interested in it, why join a group of them? That’s like an alcoholic joining a coffee club just to complain about the drink selection.

Maybe those are really just audiophile wannabes, not true non-audiophiles. Your call as to whether they maybe just got off on the wrong foot and might can be enlightened, or whether they’re just looking for trouble.
Yeah.... but I seriously doubt your significant other nonaudiophile would spend all her/his time in the audiophile forums denouncing stuff as snake oil